Overview

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While there are certainly artists who build careers without ever writing a grant, grants can be a useful way to gather helpful resources and feedback for a variety of creative endeavors. Even when a grant is not awarded, the processes of articulating ideas, refining a proposal, and mapping out a timeline and budget can be useful for the development of project management skills that all artists at some point or another will need to utilize. 

The Interlace Grant Writing Mentorship Program pairs an emerging visual artist who has written successful grants in the past with an artist who is newer to grant writing. Mentors will help Emerging and Mid-Career Artists (“Mentees”) with the Interlace Project Grant application processes as well as provide general mentoring support. 

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Please note: Only visual artists eligible to apply to the Interlace Fund are eligible for this program. Read more about eligibility here: https://www.interlacefund.org/project-grants

Program Details

Mentors do the following:

• Support mentee in applying to the Interlace Project Grant (due September 14, 2025). Specifically, mentors will meet with mentee a minimum of three times: 

  • A studio visit in June or July to learn about mentee’s practice, goals, and project ideas and to agree to an exact timeline for August and September meetings  (a studio visit is ideal; if not feasible then get coffee and look at their sketchbooks or web representations of their work). Mentor and mentee will also review Project Grant guidelines at this meeting. 

  • Once in July or August to workshop a draft of the mentee’s Project Grant proposal, including giving feedback on narrative, budgets, work samples, bio/CV, etc. 

  • Once in August or early September to finalize and submit the Project Grant proposal.

  • Mentors and mentees will also attend a Project Grant info session (together if possible), in person or on Zoom. If offered sessions do not fit mentor and mentee schedules, a separate session can be arranged.

• Mentors will also be available through the fall of 2025 to provide as-needed/as-desired (and as-available) support for mentees. For example, if a mentee is applying to other grant programs, fellowships or academic programs, or jobs, they might ask for support from their mentor. Past mentors have also helped mentees reflect on their studio practice more generally, on how to share work with an audience, and other such concerns. Sometimes this happens, sometimes it doesn’t – it depends on the connection that mentors and mentees make during the Project Grant process.

• Provide feedback to Interlace staff about this program.

Emerging and Mid-Career Artists (Mentees) do the following:

• Develop Interlace Project Grant application from ideation to full submission, with mentor’s support.

• Meet with mentors at least three times between July - September leading up to Project Grant deadline, as outlined above.

• Mentors and mentees will also attend a Project Grant info session (together if possible), in person or on Zoom. If offered sessions do not fit mentor and mentee schedules, a separate session can be arranged.

• Request support from mentor for applications to other grant programs as-needed through fall 2025.

• Provide informal feedback to Interlace staff about this program if desired (we would welcome the feedback in any form).

Interlace will do the following

• Hold a pre-mentorship skill share gathering for mentors, review tips for coaching/mentoring.

• Match mentors with mentees. 

• Provide mentors with sample applications from past awardees. 

• Provide support along the way.​

2025 Timeline