GUIDELINES FOR THE FRANKLIN FURNACE FUND, 2014-2015

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The Franklin Furnace Fund 2014-2015, supported by Jerome Foundation, the Lambent Foundation, The SHS Foundation, and the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.

The Franklin Furnace Fund awards grants annually to emerging artists to enable them to produce major performance art works in New York. Grants range between $2,000 and $10,000 based on the peer review panel allocation of funding received by Franklin Furnace.

Franklin Furnace has no curator; each year a new panel of artists reviews all proposals. We believe this peer panel system allows all kinds of artists from all over the world an equal shot at presenting their work. Every year the panel changes, as do the definitions of "emerging artist" and "performance art." So if at first you don't succeed, please try again.

Artists from all areas of the world are encouraged to apply; however, artists selected by the panel are expected to present their work in New York. Full-time students are ineligible.

HOW TO PREPARE YOUR APPLICATION

Please apply to the Franklin Furnace Fund 2014-2015 using our online form.
Once you sign up for an account you may log in to apply to the Franklin Furnace Fund. Your information can be saved so that it may be completed in multiple sessions before you submit it. Please remember to click on the Submit Application button when you have completed your application. You will receive a confirmation email when your application has been successfully submitted.

If you have any technical problems with the online application form, please contact support@fluidreview.com and the software application providers can help address your question. For other questions, please contact Jenny Korns at proposals[at]franklinfurnace.org.

The Microsoft Excel form is still available but please only use it if the online form gives you difficulty. If you can’t use the online form, then download the Excel Application and email it to proposals@franklinfurnace.org after it has been completed. Write "Proposal 14-15" in the subject line.

Our application process is meant to be as accommodating as possible to everyone. If you are unable to submit materials electronically, we will also accept analog applications. If you have any questions about this please feel free to contact the Program Coordinator, Jenny Korns at proposals[at]franklinfurnace.org.


APPLICATION COMPONENTS

1- Contact Information, Required
Please provide the contact information requested. Please also let us know if
your email address or home address changes during the course of this process
so we can keep in touch with you.

2 – Proposal Information, Required

Brief Proposal (required)
A 100-word summary proposal. The summary is a critical component of your
application; it is the first piece of information that the selection panel reviews
and it is a definitive factor in their deliberations. Therefore, be sure that the
summary is clear, concise and only 100 words long.

Long Description (optional)
A full description of the proposed work. Please limit to 1000 words. You may also mail in a more detailed description of your proposed work. For more information about sending in a detailed description, please see section 5 – Mailing Options.

Budget (optional)
Specify planned expenses. If you have other funding sources for your project please indicate this in your budget. Please limit to 200 words.

Website (optional)
A website may be used as a supplement to other application material.

3 – Video, Required

You may submit up to two ten-minute videos. Please make sure each one illuminates your proposal by either being video of your proposed project as a work in progress (“Proposed Work”) or a past project that gives an idea of the kind of work you do (“Support Material”). You may submit a description and a cue time for each video from where the panel should start watching. You may either submit your videos through our online form, or mail them in on a disc to be played on a DVD player or as digital files. Video submitted online must be 300 MB or under.

Video will be projected on a standard definition projector so when you compress them please make sure their appearance is of relatively good quality. For good instructions on how to do this, it's highly recommended that you check out this website: http://vimeo.com/help/compression. If after following these instructions, your file is still too big for the online form then try lowering the data rate. Also, the dimensions for HD video should be no bigger than 1280x720. Since our projector only projects Standard Definition there should be no loss in quality from using this dimension.

The above paragraph describes the preferred format of video we'd like to receive, but if you are unable to meet these guidelines for any reason at all, then we are open to whatever you have: slides, videotapes, audio CDs, etc. If you have any questions about this please feel free to contact the Program Coordinator, Jenny Korns at proposals[at]franklinfurnace.org.

4- Images, Optional

You may submit up to ten images with descriptions. These can be uploaded through the online form or mailed in on a disc. Images submitted through the online form must be 500 KB or under in size.

5- Mailing Options, Required

Application Return (required)
Please select one of the following options for returning your application materials after the selection process:

a. SASE: Please submit a self-addressed, stamped envelope (SASE) large enough to return all of your materials. Use postage stamps. Do not use meter strip postage for your SASE as they expire the same day they are issued. If you apply from another country, do not use international stamps. Instead, please include international vouchers for the postage required.

b. Pick-Up: After receiving a notification letter, please schedule a suitable time with us to pick up your application materials. After October 1, 2014, all application materials will become the property of Franklin Furnace.

c. Do not return. You may choose not to have your materials returned.

Although the greatest care is taken in handling your application, we are not responsible for accidental loss or damage to your material. We cannot return your application materials unless you provide a SASE with sufficient postage.

Supplementary Materials (optional)

You may also submit your resume, a description list for your images and video, and up to 2 reviews of previous work/press. The video and images may be submitted through the online form, but all the other items (press and resume) must be mailed in.

Please write your name on every object you mail in! This should be the same name used on the application. Please don't put sticker labels on your discs as this may jam the computer.

MAILING INSTRUCTIONS

Due to space limitations, please try to submit your application materials in one 9” x 12” or smaller envelope. Send your application to:

2014-2015 Proposals
Franklin Furnace Archive Inc.
80 Arts – The James E. Davis Arts Building
80 Hanson Place #301 Brooklyn, NY 11217-1506

You may deliver your application in person by leaving it at the lobby desk at 80 Hanson Place, Brooklyn from 8am to 7pm, Monday to Friday. If you prefer to give it to us directly at our office please call first to make sure that someone will be available to receive it.


APPLICATION TIMELINE

April 1, 2014- Deadline to submit all application materials. During the following two months artists receive an e-mail notification acknowledging that their application package has been received.

June/July, 2014- A Selection Panel meets to review applications and select artists to receive the grants. The panel consists of five artists who meet for three consecutive days at Franklin Furnace. Every year the panel is composed of new members. Franklin Furnace staff acts as moderators but does not make any decisions. Franklin Furnace does not record the panel’s discussion and cannot give feedback.

Late July/early August, 2014- Artists receive a letter by regular mail informing them of the panel’s decision. After this letter is sent, applications that have included a SASE are returned to the artists. Artists who have chosen to pick up their application may do so no later than October 1, 2014.

Late August, 2014- After Franklin Furnace receives the completed Release Form, Honorarium Form, Bio and Project Description Form from the selected artists, a check for 50% of the grant is sent.

September, 2014- Official announcement of selected artists is posted at Franklin Furnace website and in a Special Goings On, Franklin Furnace’s weekly electronic newsletter.

September, 2014-July, 2015- Ideally the artist will present their piece within a year. Five weeks before the performance the artist meets with Franklin Furnace staff to discuss documentation plans and publicity, whereupon the second check for 40% of the grant is issued. The artist receives a third and final check for 10% of the grant after completion of their project, if and only if Franklin Furnace receives: 1) visual documentation provided on portable media suitable for general viewing; 2) completed Final Report form with factual information and a final description of the event; 3) program or printed material crediting the Franklin Furnace Fund and its supporters.

PRIVACY POLICY

Unless otherwise specified herein, Franklin Furnace Archive, Inc. will not disseminate personal information obtained from donors, members, artists, visitors and others without their permission. Donors' names and donation levels will be publicized, although donors will be given the option to make their donations anonymous. As a condition of funding, recipients of funding from Franklin Furnace Archive, Inc. must permit Franklin Furnace Archive, Inc. to publicize their names and the amount of funding they received.

FOR QUESTIONS CONTACT JENNY KORNS, FRANKLIN FURNACE
PROGRAM COORDINATOR, at proposals[at]franklinfurnace.org.