How to Play The Game: A How-To for Applying to Residencies, Grants, and Fellowships

Slanguage Studios’s newest initiative, Slanguage University, debuts with a workshop that helps artists apply for new opportunities. The one-day workshop, to be held on October 26, will be led by California Arts Council Individual Artist Fellows and perennial hustlers Jacqueline Valenzuela & Renée Reizman. The two artists have exhibited work, traveled for residencies, won grants, led workshops, and were awarded fellowships not through nominations or referrals, but through cold- applying to numerous open calls.

The workshop breaks down into 3 parts:

1. Demystify the language of open calls. This presentation will help artists understand exactly what an applicant is asking for and how to answer those questions.

2. How to build an application template system. Part presentation, part worksheet, this will help participants understand which materials are essential to open calls. We will cover the artist statement, portfolio, project briefs, estimated budgets, and references. They will also mention which parts of an application are variable and how to write new material that fits into the template.

3. How to search for opportunities. A guide to databases, mailing lists, job boards, social media accounts, and other resources that promote open calls. This hands-on part of the workshop will get participants searching for opportunities and commit to 1-3 that they will apply to after the workshop using their new template system.