And how do YOU feel about Grants ?

[neil poulsen]

It ain't pork, it's meat and potatoes!

My gosh. Sure, they get a lot of personal satisfaction out of it, but photographers as a whole don't make a lot of money, yet they're doing something that can bring satisfaction to a lot of people. There's something about art as a celebration of our creativity.

For what photographers often have to give up for their art, I'd take every penny. It says something about you, the fact that they're willing to extend you a grant. It's like a form of grace if you accept the money and do your best.

How much of the work of Edward Weston would we have missed, had he not received the Gugenheim grants? I'd say that grants have a rich tradition.

At least 1 cent of every dollar spent on Oregon public buildings must be spent on art. What can be wrong with that? It helps support the arts, and it helps to make Oregon buildings part of the community.

Go for it!

[Jonathan_6488]

"Taxes are not voluntary. They are collected under pain of prison or death."

Actually - taxes are COMPLETELY voluntary in any real sense. It's just one of those myths. You should read Irwin Schiff's travails trying to publicize and prove this fact (http://www.paynoincometax.com/). He's been fighting the cause for YEARS. But they (the IRS) can sure be a pain in the ass for you if you decide to opt out. It's a pretty fascinating read. Myself - I don't have the cojones to try the same thing. Which is why I'm up late doing taxes right now!

As for the original poster - I smell a big troll.

Jonathan

[Craig Wactor]

Well, I will be staying up all night tonight finishing my proposal and getting together my portfolio for the Phoenix Historic Buildings photography grant. I figure my chances are about 1 in 25 of getting it, considering the competition here in AZ. Considering all the time I've put into it, and my low odds of getting anything out of that but experience grant writing, I'm not so hot on them!

Anybody else here applying for that one?

[domenico Foschi]

Daniel, way to go.
If you got the grants is because you deserve them and for this top of the hat to you.
In return you are helping to make the world a better place by enriching it with beauty.
What's the evil in that?

[medform-norm]

Daniel, consider this. If everyone who received government grants would have as much consciousness pangs as you have, this world would be a better place. Think of all the huge grants/funds/subsidies awarded to non-artistic activities, which could include the agricultural industry, building societies, water councils, etc. etc. - these institutions receive ten to hundred times the amount you probably received and they never for one minute worry about spending it or being a leech to society. So you better stop worrying and do what you said you would do in your application - which is more than can be said of some other grants money spenders. All this feeling guilty comes from not being clear about your position as an artist in this particular society, in which art is not always seen as an integral and natural part of life in this world.

[Frank Petronio]

How much of the work of Edward Weston would we have missed, had he not received the Gugenheim grants? I'd say that grants have a rich tradition.

The Guggenheim is funded by a private foundation, not tax dollars. There you go.

[Henry Carter]

Congradulations on your success in finding support for your endevours.

If I am correct Daniel you live in Ottawa, Canada. What granting agencies have you benefited from- Canada Council for the Arts or private foundations?

Regards,

[Dan Jolicoeur]

Quote; "You are only a "leech" if you do not put forward your best effort and execute the work spelled out in the grant.

Amen; I see this happening on a daily basis!! Some are put forward with an excellent return on investment! But others are just to keep a job for someone and they show up maybe on an average of 2.5 days a week without any question from anyone! By the very words; "you feel quality" means to me you honestly don't feel that the money is being used wisely!

If this is the case you owe it to society to stop waisting, and find another job!

Regards,

[Walt Calahan]

I love grants! I couldn't have afforded college without them. In the long run, giving money to me to further my education meant that over my life I've earned more money and paid far more taxes. So the grants paid for themselves.

In the arts, artists have always lived on grants from the state. Look at the art created for the Greek culture or Roman culture or the Roman Catholic Church! Musician's for centuries lived off the patronage of royalty. Portrait painters too. Guggenheim grants have their tax benefits for the giver too. The Guggenheim family and estate didn't have to pay as much tax to our government by giving money away. So the Guggenheim is an indirect grant from the state. The US tax code makes for good charitable giving, aka tax break for the wealthy.

Society as a whole is nourished by a healthy arts community.

Now I simply wish institutions would give me a grant for my photogrphy!!!

[mark anderson]

"I'd rather see one more good piece of art than some corporation or business get another couple of hundred million in corporate welfare from pork barrelled defence industry contracts or whatever!"

tim said it best, and if i tried to coment any further (taxes, representative govts, ect) i would surely get myself in troble....and use too much band width