EACH APPLICATION SHOULD INCLUDE:

• Brief project summary (100 words)

• Minimum 5 visual image file work samples (additional 5 offered, 2 websites, 2 video links for max 5 minute juror sample) and a list of work sample informational credits (name of artist, medium, year, location if necessary, photographer/videographer if necessary, etc).*

• Full narrative description of the project (500 words)

• Project timeline with description of how and where the project will be realized

• Explanation of the project’s audience, how the project will be made accessible to the public, and/or an outline of engagement strategies

• Explanation of the project’s relationship to applicant's past work

• Budget (no longer an attachment form)

• Narrative Bio and CV (optional) for artist(s) involved

  *For the “visual work samples” we strongly recommend time based media artists consider film/media stills, screenshots, or other documentation images, even if it slightly duplicates a media work sample. The visual work sample uploads are easily viewable by the jury within Submittable as a thumbnail without navigating to a new page during the application review.

 FAQ

 Who can apply?

• Artists living in Maine 

• Curators living in Maine

• Collectives living in Maine

• Writers writing about the visual arts in Maine

• Collaboratives or partnerships in Maine

• Artist-run spaces located in Maine that are not a 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations, an LLC enterprise for commercial gain, or registered as a B Corps.

 Who cannot apply?

• Applicants whose primary residence is not the state of Maine.

• Students who are currently enrolled in an academic program*

• Projects organized by existing incorporated businesses (including LLCs, B Corps, state non-profits, 501(c)(3) organizations, and 501(c)(4) organizations), universities or schools (private, public, charter), religious institutions, or LLCs established for commercial enterprise are not eligible.

• Individuals or projects that have had an active Kindling Fund of American Rescue Plan funding grant the past year from SPACE.

• Lead artists, collectives, spaces, or projects that have received $15,000 from the Kindling Fund over the course of their lifetime 

• Lead artists who have not completed a previous grant or submitted the required reports.

*Full-time enrolled undergraduates and graduate students are not eligible for regranting funds. Artists enrolled in professional certifications or part-time continuing education are eligible. Please email kindlingfund@space538.org with any questions. 

What kinds of projects does the Kindling Fund support?

The Kindling Fund supports a wide range of artist-initiated projects that engage the public including but not limited to…

• Group and solo exhibitions that are sited outside of traditional venues, curatorial projects focused on innovative research or exhibition design

• Lecture, workshop, and conversation series

• Micro-cinemas and film screenings

• Public art projects such as murals, outdoor sculpture, temporary art in public places, or pop-ups

• Performance projects that prioritize experimentation, multi-media approaches, duration, or projects with expansive definitions and approaches to performance

• Interventions, site-specific installations, and digital-forward alternative virtual platforms

• Writing about the visual arts, or printed and online publications (zines, local art discourse, curatorial print projects)

• The creation of an alternative artist residency or other artist-centered programs

• The founding or sustaining of a new artist-run arts venue or collective

• Artist-led socially-responsive and social activist projects such as mutual-aid initiatives, artist gardens/farming/food projects, community storytelling and history keeping, and other grassroots initiatives

• Experimental art projects that challenge established notions of artistic roles and forms

• Other art projects that propose new models/forms of practice, presentation and organization

The Kindling Fund does not support:

• Private projects (i.e. commissioning the creation of new artwork) with no public engagement component.

• Proposals that only or primarily request equipment. Including specialized equipment necessary to carry out your project as part of your budget is OK. 

• Proposals that primarily request travel funds (outside of Maine). Including travel funds for visiting artists, or a research trip as part of your proposal is OK. Travel reimbursements for the project within the state are OK.

• Proposals that are (or even incidentally also serve as) capital improvements to private homes have been not competitive with our jury. Gardens and homes are however, valid potential sites for projects. Please talk to us about these projects if you have questions.

• Projects that are part of the primary programming of an established 501(c)(3) non-profit arts organization, schools, or take place in established/incorporated institutions. Grants cannot be used as supplemental funds for programmatic initiatives and promoted programs of nonprofits, it is our hope that those projects will utilize their nonprofit status to find program funding with the many grant opportunities that are available to those with the privilege of a 501c3, B corp, or other IRS special tax status.**

** Independent artist-driven projects taking advantage of the public sites of land trusts, "friends of" public park groups, civic spaces, and other "public space" are always encouraged and allowed. Multi-site projects that work with a nonprofit, school, or civic space as one of their partner venues is also allowed. Projects that take place entirely at or as part of an organization's regular programming are not Kindling Fund eligible. For any questions please email: kindlingfund@space538.org.

What if my eligibility status might change throughout the course of the project timeline? (For example: I plan to move out of state, go back for my MFA, or anticipate receiving 501c3 status.)

If you anticipate or plan to initiate a change in your eligibility status during your project implementation timeline, please do not apply. This funding is meant to support independent artists living in Maine throughout the duration of the grant period during the calendar year.

Can I apply as a seasonal resident of Maine?

The lead artist applicant must live in Maine as their primary residence. Seasonal residents are welcome as collaborators or participants on artists initiated by artists living and working in Maine.

What is the time frame for successful projects?

All Kindling Fund projects should be proposed and planned to be completed by December 31, 2024 so we can begin a new cycle of grantees. The Kindling Fund works on a calendar year cycle, and welcome updates of unexpected small timeline changes if needed and initiatives that continue past the window of the project.

How does the jury evaluate proposals?

Proposals are evaluated based on…

• The artistic quality presented in the work samples and how relevant those work samples are to the idea proposed

• The form of the project and how inventive it is

• The project concept and how bold it is

• Equity demonstrated within the project, through fairness to collaborators in pay, values of the project within a more equitable community, and/or commitment to DEIAJ (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Accessibility, and Justice) in their form, structure, collaborators, content, and/or audience engagement.

• The degree to which the project involves multiple artists (not required, but collaboration historically makes competitive applications)

• The degree to which the project considers its audience and outlines its engagement strategies

• The timeline and how feasible it appears

• The applicant’s ability to carry out the project based in part by past work

• The clarity and feasibility of the budget

What about accessibility?

SPACE has administered federal regranting funds that required accessibility. Kindling Fund projects do occasionally take unconventional forms (i.e. an exhibition of site specific works on an island). We recognize all forms of Kindling Fund projects may not be fully accessible, but we will look to how you value accessibility in your application. If not all people can physically attend, are you live-streaming it, recording it, or sharing ways to participate to those who cannot? If you need to, budgeting for ASL interpretation or other services is encouraged and an eligible expense.

How many grants are available?

For the 2024 grant cycle, there is $65,000 in funds available which is distributed to approximately 8-12 projects with budgets ranging from $3,000 – $7,000. Artists may also receive discretionary research and development grants of less than $3000 by the jury to start their project, depending on how the jurying process takes place. Currently, an individual, ongoing project, collective, or initiative cannot be awarded more than $15,000 by the Kindling Fund over the course of a lifetime.

What can I use Kindling Fund grant funding for? How do I budget?

The Kindling Fund may be used for all aspects of the proposed artistic project including research, materials, collaboration, development, creation, necessary rentals, marketing, and engagement as outlined in your proposed description, timeline, and budget. SPACE believes in paying artists. We strongly encourage fair compensation for all artists and collaborators involved in the project. Please reflect this in your proposed project budget, including paying yourself! Artist and organizer fees can be flat fees or estimated hourly pay, it is simply a preference of how you want to break down your budget and plan your grant.

With feedback from applicants and grantees, we have gotten rid of the spreadsheet budget form to promote an easier and more accessible application process. Please include a breakdown of all expenses that adds to the total amount requested. Please estimate any additional revenues, or tell us about additional grants (proposed or secured) that will be used for the entire budget. If your budget is larger then the amount requested because of additional income, that is great, but please tell us how Kindling Fund support will be spent within the larger budget.

At the end of the application you can share with the jury if you are willing to accept partial funding.

R&D grantees at the discretion of the jury are not required to complete their project, timeline, or budget as proposed and may apply for a full grant in the subsequent year. They are required to complete a final report about their research and work development at the end of the grant period.

Grantees are held legally responsible for all activities, materials, and outcomes associated with their projects.

If awarded funding, artists are expected to:

• Be prompt and professional in their communication with Kindling Fund/SPACE staff

• Spend the funds as outlined in project budget, update us with unexpected expenses or changes.

• Submit relevant written summaries (marketing, news, open call, press release, and event/program invitation). A final report is required with narrative and data about the project’s impact (number of works commissioned, works exhibited, participating artists, audience counts), as well as a final expenditure report.

• Submit updates and images for promoting the Kindling Fund which will be used on website, social media, outlets.

• Submit in writing to the grant staff any changes to the proposed activities or timeline as the project develops.

• Attend an orientation and awards ceremonies in 2024, and enjoy being invited to other SPACE parties, peer grantee programs, or grant engagement events as they arise.

• Act as a responsible associate of SPACE Gallery and the Kindling Fund when engaged in all project-related activities.