Whether you're just starting out, or want a little freedom to experiment, financial help is available in the form of grants for jewelry artists.

By Rachel V. Katz

An extensive list of grant opportunities is available on our Web site at www.lapidaryjournal.com/grants.cfm or by sending a request with an SASE.

Andy Cooperman's Bound Crow brooch of shibuichi, 18K gold and ruby. Photo: Doug Yaple.

When it comes to grant opportunities, jewelers face the proverbial good news/bad news situation. The good news is that there is money out there if you look, perhaps more than you might expect. The bad news is: the amount still pales in comparison with funding available to the performing arts and even other forms of visual art. Changes in attitude toward public support of the arts have spurred a decline in public funding - most significantly, with the decision of the National Endowment for the Arts to cease offering grants to individual artists. And while there are private and state groups willing to take up the cause, the selection is still limited.

“It's not as good as it was in the '70s and '80s,” says Bruce Metcalf, of the Art Jewelry Forum. “Private organizations haven't stepped in to fill the gaps.” The forum recently joined the growing number of organizations that are trying to address this situation by offering its own grant in cooperation with the Society of North American Goldsmiths.

Lest that discourage artists from trying, the fact remains that jewelers and metalsmiths still vastly overlook those opportunities that do exist. From local cultural groups to national foundations, there are programs available. Some reward an artist's accomplishments in a merit-based selection, others provide funding to complete a specific project. Still other grants simply take some of the burden off the artisan by providing funds to buy equipment, take a course, or explore new territory in their chosen field. The keys to cashing in are knowing what's out there and putting together an application that will stand out among dozens, or hundreds, of different artists, sometimes in a whole range of disciplines. From there, it is up to the judges.

Vishnu Dreams brooch by Douglas Harling, made of granulated 22K gold and sugilite. 1-1/2" x 3-1/2" x 1/2"

NEA CUTS.
Perhaps no single event in the last 10 years affected grants for artists more than the NEA's decision to eliminate direct funding for individual artists. While jewelers were certainly not embroiled in the controversies that led to questions over whether the public should fund works some considered obscene or otherwise objectionable, the resulting slash cut one of the major lifelines no less for jewelers than performance artists.

One of the long-term consequences of these cuts was to shift the burden of funding support to local and state organizations. Regional organizations also ended direct programs, but many state cultural commissions chose to step in by either continuing or expanding existing programs or starting new ones. In some cases, local and state organizations qualify for NEA funding that, in turn, they may award to individuals.

According to Barbara Koustra, a spokeswoman for the NEA, the changes did put jewelers in a particularly difficult situation. “Jewelers tend to work individually,” she points out, which generally makes them ineligible for grants offered to nonprofit arts organizations, schools, and other collectives.

Otherwise, there still is a long way to go, says Linda Kaye-Moses, program coordinator for the Jewelry/Metals Studio of the Interlaken School of Art in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. “There are some private foundations that are now trying to step in and fund the arts after the devastation of the NEA, but this is still embryonic and, most likely, will never have the funds to really grow to be national patronage of the arts and individual artists in particular.”

Brude Metcalf's brooch Second Theology Lesson made of wood, silver, 23K gold leaf, and paint. 3.4" x 3.4" Photo: Bruce Metcalf.

WHAT'S AVAILABLE.
Grants from state and local organizations make up the lion's share of funding opportunities. In some cases, state- or county-based cultural commissions offer direct grants. In others, these commissions work through a nonprofit organization to distribute funding. For example, the Seattle-based Artist Trust has teamed up with the Washington State Arts Commission to offer fellowships to individual artists. Some commissions reported having cut award amounts in order to spread shrinking funding out to more people, while others reported offering fewer but larger awards as a way to make more of a difference.

Tim Hedgepeth, program administrator for the Mississippi Arts Commission's fellowship program, says the state felt it was important to continue its program even after the NEA dropped its support of individual artists. “A lot of states followed suit. We chose not to do that. It's not a question of taking up the slack. Our legislature and our board have continued to support the individual artist.”

Understandably, residency in the granting state is a requirement, leading to wide geographic disparity in opportunities. While some states, like Idaho and Ohio, offer several grant programs, others have few or no programs. That leaves artists in Missouri or Oklahoma, for example, dependent on private foundations, while jewelers in North Carolina and California have a wide variety of state and local grants in their backyard. In most cases, these grants are not open to students enrolled in degree programs.

Neckpiece made of sterling silver, fine silver, 14K gold, variscite in quartz, chrome dioptase, sapphire, chrome tourmaline, and a gambling token from 19th century Siam. Part of the Come Spring! jewelry set by Linda Kaye-Moses. Photo by Evan Soldinger.

A small number of private groups also offer funding, although few are aimed solely at jewelers. Lynda LaRoche, an advisor to SNAG for educational endowments who was instrumental in launching the organization's student and minority student scholarships, says that recently there has been more talk of offering grants to those who have already graduated. “A lot of people think the real struggle is when you set up your first studio,” she says. She hopes more organizations will step in to fill the gap in funding sources. “I think we're going to see more private groups and less public funding.”

Few grants, other than those targeted specifically at jewelers, offer a separate category for metalwork or jewelry. Depending on the categories, jewelers usually fall either into the crafts or visual arts groupings, pitting their work against that of painters, sculptors, and a variety of different artists. Kathi Polley, program associate for the Bush Foundation, says the foundation broadened its scope in 1996 to include three-dimensional sculpture, the category jewelers would enter, to be more inclusive. Each year, she adds, about five or six jewelers and metalsmiths apply for the 15 fellowships of up to $40,000, which support artists looking to make a change or raise their skills to a new level.

Most commissions try to advertise their grants as widely as possible. However, several state organizations said jewelers rarely take advantage of the programs and apply. “I think there are a lot of opportunities for artists that jewelers and metalsmiths don't consider,” says Susan Myers, program associate for Artist Trust. “We see more painters or sculptors.”

Among the grants offered by private organizations are those targeted at minorities or women. These provide an additional outlet for artists who qualify and are looking for support. For example, the Leeway Foundation offers grants to women artists in the Philadelphia area. “Hopefully, we can be of benefit to women artists in our area,” says founder Linda Alter.

There are other variations out there as well. Some foundations offer residencies, which allow an artist to use a low-rent, or occasionally rent-free, studio, or to get away to an artists' colony to get the creative juices flowing. Many states offer apprenticeship awards that pay for an artist to learn his or her craft from a master. These awards usually cover the fee for the master, and occasionally travel costs as well. For those specializing in an art form that represents their ethnic or cultural heritage, some states offer art fellowships to foster the continuation of traditional crafts. And finally, in the case of dire emergencies, there are funds and awards available strictly on need-based criteria, such as the Craft Emergency Relief Fund.

It's in the mid-range need level that artists could most benefit from additional sources, says Kaye-Moses. “Many foundations base their funding on financial need, which, at least on the level of the 'starving artist' or emergency situation, is good. Many artists need the funding to pay bills,” she says. “However, there is little funding between that type of grant and the Nobel Prize level, that grants funds simply on the basis of merit. For example, an artist might be at a point in her/his career when a grant would take the pressure off having to produce immediately saleable work for a period of time and allow that artist to initiate a project that would nourish a creative instinct.”

Come Spring! nesting case, which contains a pair of earrings, poems, and the neckpiece shown above, by Linda Kaye-Moses. Photo: Evan Soldinger.

THE JEWELER'S DILEMMA.
When applying for grants, jewelers often face an uphill battle to overcome preconceived notions that seem to set them apart from others in the arts. To some in the arts world, jewelers belong more to the realm of commerce than to that of pure art. Jewelers, the stereotype holds, can peddle their wares in mass-market strategies, unlike the icon of the poor, starving sculptor or painter whose mission is to create art solely for art's sake. More than once while inquiring about whether jewelers qualified for a particular grant, this writer was informed, with a barely veiled hint of arrogance, “Oh, no. This grant is only for the fine arts.”

Metcalf says that misconception hurts jewelers in search of support. “A lot of people think that [jewelers] are inherently running a business and shouldn't be supported. They want to see them as the same as the neighborhood jewelers, selling watches and tchotchke. I think a lot of jewelers have to fight that preconception of what they do.”

Jewelers understandably find that situation maddening. “During the Renaissance, the pinnacle of art was goldsmithing,” Seattle goldsmith Andy Cooperman points out. North Carolina metalsmith Douglas Harling says it is a bit ironic applying for grants when one deals every day in precious metals and gems. Yet the high cost of supplies is also what often sets jewelers apart from their print and sculptural counterparts.

For those grants that do embrace jewelers and metalsmiths, their work is viewed on a par with all the other entries. “To us, it's a form of sculpture,” says Alter of the Leeway Foundation. Entries, she adds, “would be competing with different art as sculpture, but the awards are based on the quality of the work.” This crossover situation does not necessarily have to be a complete negative. In some ways, jewelers might be in a better position to benefit from small business loans and other entrepreneurial support programs than other artists loath to classify their work a business.

MONEY AND MORE.
Of course everyone loves to receive money, but grants offer more than simply cash on hand. Receiving a fellowship or grant can lead to more exposure, perhaps through a catalog or exhibition featuring the recipients.

Cooperman, who has received several grants throughout his career, was able to pay for his first studio with a grant from the Western States Art Federation when he first started out more than a decade ago. For Harling, an $8,000 Artists Fellowship from the North Carolina Arts Council provided the opportunity to research and explore new areas in his work. “I was interested in bringing color into my work. It helped me look at that,” he says.

But even if a grant may not be enough to fund a studio, there are other reasons to apply. “It's wonderful for your resume,” Cooperman says. “It's wonderful validation as an artist.”

Four Botanical Pins made by Claire Sanford, using sterling silver, epoxy, spices, rice and gold leaf. The tallest pin is 3-1/2" high. Photo: Dean Powell.

Artists are often listed in a catalog specifically published to showcase award recipients. This can provide sorely needed visibility to emerging artists. “That may be the first time you get published,” Cooperman says. And there's nothing quite like getting published.

It has been a busy year for Wyoming jeweler Pam Sundstrom, whose gold and gemstone work earned her an honorable mention last fall when she applied for a Wyoming Arts Council Fellowship. The honorable mention did not bring any cash, but it offered her an opportunity to exhibit her work. “The exhibit is most certainly welcome, a real plus for exposure and a boost, I trust, to my career,” she says. Armed with new confidence, she has recently moved into sculpture. Sundstrom said she wished there were more grant opportunities for jewelers. “I do feel there are not enough money grants available that are unrestricted and intended to support the artist in whatever way is needed,” she says. “It's very helpful to be able to purchase tools and supplies, take advantage of additional education opportunities, feel comfortable taking time out of other income-producing activities, or just pay some bills in order to continue experimenting and creating in one's field.”

This was Sundstrom's first grant application, and she encouraged others to look into funding opportunities. “There is a personal reward that is received when one's work is recognized as excellent or having potential for excellence. That type of reward can get us through the really rough spots that we sometimes experience when we choose artistic careers.”

Related Links: *Writing an Effective Artists' Statement *Applying to Juried Shows Grant & Grant Proposal Information Grant Writing Resources

WHAT (NOT) TO DO.
Regardless of the complexity or simplicity of the application process - and they do vary - applicants must take the process seriously and pay close attention to detail. No matter how wonderful the proposed project might be, a poorly organized application will fall by the wayside. If grant writing isn't your forte, keep your eyes open for grant-writing workshops, some of which are offered by the very organizations that provide the grants.

“We can't make it simpler,” says Ann Gerstein, executive director of the Society of Arts and Crafts, which offers four $2,000 awards each year to Massachusetts artists, requiring only slides and an artist's statement. “We feel like we've make it as simple as we can.”

The first step is to make sure you qualify. States and regions, as well as a number of private organizations, have strict but varying residency requirements. Some may provide awards to artists living in the state at the time of the application, while others require at least five consecutive years of prior residency. Martha Porter, who established the Martha Boschen Porter Fund that provides $3,000 to residents of certain parts of Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New York, tells of having to weed out applications and requests from as far away as California. Age and experience can also be factors in eligibility.

While applications and requirements vary from program to program, two elements are almost always constant - an artist's statement and slides. It is precisely these two aspects that can make or break an application. “I was looking for someone with a commitment to their profession,” says Cooperman, a past judge for the SNAG student fellowship program. “You want someone who's taking the trouble to do it.”

An artist's statement must convey a cohesive sense of where the artist is going. If the grant will cover a specific project, the statement must clearly explain the goals of the project. If an artist is looking for a fellowship to free up some time to pursue a new direction, he or she must articulately describe why they want to pursue that new twist and how they plan to do it.

With all these variations, make sure you understand the purpose behind the grant in the first place. “Each endowment is a little different,” Cooperman says. “You need to really read what the criteria [are] and apply to the criteria.” A sob story about financial hardship will not be enough, even if the grant takes financial status into account, he adds. After all, there are a lot of poor people out there.

Candidates must also remember what other artists will be in the pool in which they will be judged. As visual artists, they must stress the artistic value and qualities of the specific work they have featured. “It does affect your approach, because you're not applying for a business loan,” Harling says. “It's an artist's grant, and you really do need to talk about the work as art. Whether it's decorative or fine, it's all the same.”

Slides are the other important building block of a strong application. Consider hiring a professional photographer to do your slides as a worthwhile investment. Judges will pass over mediocre images no matter how fantastic the work might look in person. On the other hand, good slides could easily tip the scale in your favor. “You can have an okay statement, and if you have really good slides, people might overlook it,” says Claire Sanford, a Gloucester metalsmith who has received several grants, including one from the Massachusetts Cultural Commission.

Make sure you don't send all your slides, however. In many cases, the granting agency retains the slides of recipients for their records. Slides are usually returned if an artist is not selected for a grant.

There's just one little thing left after you've written a brilliant statement and produced slides that are just drop-dead stunning: make sure you get everything to the post office on time. “Everyone is overwhelmed, and deadlines come and go,” warns Gerstein.

PUBLIC BENEFIT, AND OTHER STRINGS.
Occasionally, grants will require an element of “public benefit.”

Granted, jewelers might not have the option of painting a mural in a public space, but there are plenty of ways to fulfill that requirement. Give a lecture. Hold a workshop. Display a collection of works that will introduce the public to the artistic side of your work and educate them on your craft. Or publish a small booklet offering tips or how-tos. “It was easy for me to pick something that was a workshop,” said Sanford, who has a background in education. “I really didn't think that was limiting in any way.”

In addition, some grants have an in-kind requirement, which requires the recipient to raise a matching amount on his or her own. While time consuming, Sanford said these extra requirements were challenging but rewarding. “That was a lot of hard work, but also rewarding in terms of what it allowed me to do,” she says.

When the grant period is over, some may require you to document how you spent your grant or provide a report on how the project went. If this is a requirement, make sure you keep track of your spending and document the stages of your project as you go; it'll be impossible to recreate it all once you're done.

TRY, TRY AGAIN.
Obviously, the more grants an artist applies for, the more likely he or she is to receive one. Several artists interviewed have received several awards, each allowing them to expand their horizons further. Going through the process several times may be time-consuming, but it provides valuable experience. It also offers increased visibility.

“I think it's definitely worth the time to apply to as many as possible,” Sanford says. “You have to be thick-skinned, because you're not going to get everything.”

Harling suggests artists consider sitting in on the judication process, if possible. Watching your work be judged might be difficult, but it could provide just the insight that makes an application a winner the next time.

“If you don't try, you're never going to win. Some of the processes can be quite daunting. One of the reasons they do that is to weed out who is not serious,” Cooperman says. “This is the real world. If you want something, you have to go for it.”

The artists who contributed to this article are: Bruce Metcalf, (215) 763-6449; Linda Kaye-Moses, (413) 442-6535; Andy Cooperman, (206) 781-0648; Douglas Harling, (336) 643- 1341; Pam Sundstrom, (307) 864-5736, and Claire Sanford, c/o The Society of Arts and Crafts, Boston, (617) 266-1810.

Rachel V. Katz earned her Masters Degrees in Journalism and Russian Studies from the University of Michigan. Based in Seymour, Connecticut, she is a staff writer for The Connecticut Post and has also written for The New York Times, United Press International, and The Associated Press.