Hi there, welcome to today’s Live Chat on the Knight Arts Challenge Miami. Go ahead and start submitting your questions. We’ll be monitoring the conversation virtually and will be starting at 2:30.

hi

Hi Dennis! We’ll be joined here as you can see by Dennis Scholl and Stuart Kennedy of Knight Foundation.

Today’s chat will be recorded and archived at KnightArts.org, so you can reference it in the future. Just an FYI, there is no audio portion today.

Hi everyone!

We’ve gotten a question on the blog today: Can this challenge grant be used for technology development for performing arts organizations?

Absolutely, great question. We’re very interested in the use of technology in the arts, particularly in the area of digital audience engagement.

Hi Annamaria, There’s no audio portion today. Send us your questions and we’ll answer them!

Dennis, what kind of trends have you seen in applications so far?

We’re seeing a number of mobile applications requests, particularly from legacy arts institutions, as they try to reach a new segment of the audience.

Hi Anna Maria, we accept ideas Miami-Dade, Droward, Palm Beach and Monroe counties.

..and in past years we’ve had finalists from all four counties.

We’re posting tips all week to the KnightArts blog about Challenge applications. Stuart, what’s one tip you give applicants?

I always like to remind applicants to make sure their first two sentences are the best two sentences in the application. Our panel of readers review over 1,000 ideas each year, so you want to draw them in from the start.

Dennis, what makes an idea great?

What makes a great idea is a concept that generally has some momentum, something where the person has worked on it on their own and put in a little sweat equity, as the contest is looking to fuel the momentum in the arts in South Florida.

Hi Arturo. Anyone is eligible to apply! You can apply as a for-profit, non-profit, or individual.

We had another comment on our blog today from a local theater: “Hi. I’m wondering if the Knight Foundation would consider a proposal previously submitted?”

Here’s more to that question: We submitted a proposal last year and was finalist. Unfortunately, this project did not receive final support. However, we are going ahead and launching this project ourselves and raising matching support. It is a significant project to our core mission, and something we believe will truly impact and improve our community.



May we re-submit this proposal for consideration for the Knight Arts Challenge? Would the funds that we raise, now, for the project be able to be considered as part of the matching funds if we were, ultimately, to receive support from the Knight Arts Challege?



Thank you

Yes, you can and should resubmit your idea. A project that was a finalist last year was one of only 45 chosen out of 1,000. The readers group who reviews the ideas changes each year, so you never know which ideas might be selected as finalists and winners each year. However, the time period during which you can raise matching funds begins once we inform you that you are a winner.

Hi everybody, sorry if you had trouble logging in.

Please go ahead and submit your questions. We’ll also try to answer the ones left on the blog.

Here’s another question from a local theater: At what stage in the application process does one submit a budget for the proposal?



If chosen, how long does an applicant have to come up with the matching funds?

The initial application is 150 words maximum. If you are chosen as a finalist you, will be asked to submit a budget as part of your 3-page proposal.



The length of time a winner has to match depends on the length of the project. A one year project generally has up to a year to match.

Hi Sabrina,



Yes, we encourage collaboration in the arts and will accept applications from multiple organizations. Please keep in mind that this is an arts contest and we’re looking for South Florida’s best arts ideas.

Hi Jon, film and other visual media are definitely one of the artistic disciplines we would consider for the Knight Arts Challenge. We would encourage you to submit your idea for consideration.

Hi Miriam,



We are looking for innovative ideas to help transform South Florida throught the arts. Submitting an innovative idea from your organization is the best way to succeed in the Challenge.

Hello Carol,



Applicants can submit as many ideas as they like. Multiple ideas do not need to be included under the same artistic discipline.

Hope you enjoy the video above by Jillian Mayer

Hi Kelly, a number of winners of the Knight Arts Challenge have successfully completed temporary projects. One example that comes to mind is DawnTown, a winner of the challenge in 2010 for an annual contest that invites submissions for a temporary structure in Downtown Miami.

Actually, a fine idea. The rules of the contest require that your idea must take place in or benefit South Florida. So, collaborators from another region are perfectly fine.

You are free to use your 150 words as you see fit. After reading your application, the readers should have a clear idea of what your project is and what the benefits will be for you, your organization and/or the community.



Annie, a winner of the Artlurker writing prize, like you, should know exactly what to say when it comes to 150 words.

Hi Nachama, we use 150 words as a rule of thumb, but the actual program is designed to accept no more than 1020 key strokes.

Hi Mirtha, remember, you’ve only got a 150 words to describe your idea. So, use them carefully. If it’s one project it should be submitted as one idea. If your project consists of a series of ideas that can be funded separately, you should create individual proposals accordingly.

You’re welcome, Jon!

Hi Kelly,



You do not need to include the dollar amount in your initial application. You are correct, if we invite you to submit a full 3-page proposal, we will also request a project budget at that time.



Keep in mind that the total Knight Arts Challenge is a $20 million initiative over five years. This amount is divided between many winners over the life of the Challenge. If you’d like some context, check out previous years’ winners at KnightArts.org.

Thanks everybody for hanging in there, despite our technical problems. We’re taking questions until 3:30, and then Stuart and Dennis will be at the Town Hall meeting at 5:30 at the Little Haiti Cultural Center.

Hi Crystal,



Often times Knight Arts Challenge grants are given to add to existing momentum in an already established project. In fact, we like to see that an applicant has developed an idea to a certain extent already and that they have invested a good amount of ‘sweat equity’.

Hi there, there isn’t actually a way to revise it. Please go ahead and submit a new application, thanks!

Hi Jenniffer, innovation is certainly one of the key factors in the selection of the winning ideas. Other factors include – an idea that has momentum in the community and also whether the applicant has the know-how to get the project done.

Just a reminder that this Live Chat will be archived at KnightArts.org.

Wendy,



The contest is open to anyone – for-profit, non-profit or individual. We’ll let you decide whether it makes more sense for your project to apply as an individual or under your non-profit.

Hi Kelly, generally projects can take from 1 to 3 years. It just depends on your idea and how it will take to execute it.

You’re welcome, Mirtha.

Hi George, the contest rules require that your idea must take place in or benefit South Florida. A show such as you described that had significant South Florida components would qualify for the challenge.

Miriam,



One good place to look is the list of 78 winners on KnightArts.org as they run the gammet on the scope of innovative ideas in South Florida. The contest is designed to be as open as possible to encourage creative entries from the community.

Thanks Babs, it’s by local artist Jillian Mayer

Annie, in submitting an application for a brand new idea, it’s important to convey what you’re building upon and what momentum you’ve been able to bring to the idea to date. PS a great title always helps.

Annie,



One example might be if a Miami-based artist or organization were to travel outside of South Florida to present their work, bringing increased visibility and prestige to South Florida’s artistic offerings. Another might be a film about South Florida that is viewed at film festivals across the country.

Hi Sebrina,



As long as your idea is about the arts it fits within the guidelines of the Knight Arts Challenge.

We’re going to keep going for a few minutes. We’re trying to get to all the questions, thanks for your patience!

Hi Sandy, we have funded a number of brand-new organizations via the challenge. One that comes to mind is the Miami Music Project. Another is Gean Moreno’s artist book [Name] Publications. A third, O Cinema, an independent cinema in Wynwood opens this week! You can read more about it on KnightArts.org.

You’re welcome, Jenniffer!

Hi Tama,



Go ahead and submit your idea so that the readers panel has a chance to review it. The application is only 150 words!

Paul, this is actually a very good question. One of the things we always think about in South Florida is how young an arts community we really are. So, an established art idea in another city might be something that South Florida could really use. I say go for it.

Paul, no the contest is open to everyone. I know we say this a lot, but it really is about the best art ideas. Sometimes an establish organization will come up with a novel idea, other times, it’s an individual artist or young collective.

George,



It is not necessary to have a formal arrangement with prospective collaborating organizations. This is something that can be something worked out further down the line. However, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to have a conversation with the collaborating organizations beforehand to gauge their interest. If multiple organizations are applying, one organization should submit the application and the others should be mentioned in the application.

James, as I think you can see by the 78 winners in the first 3 years of the contest, both arts education and music play a big role in the South Florida Knight Arts Challenge.

AN APPLICATION SUBMITTED IN ALL CAPS is definitely a turn off. I think they call it shouting…

We see a lot of proposals that intertwine art and social purpose. As the contest is primarily seeking the best arts ideas, that should be your guide in determining if your projects meets the guidelines of the contest.

We will announce the winners in late November, 2011. If you are successful in receiving a Knight Arts Challenge grant, you will be able to receive your grant funds as soon after that date as you show us your matching funds.

Hi Paul, we’ve said it before and we’ll say it again – this is really about the best arts ideas. Since the contest is open to everyone, the kind of affiliations you describe should neither help nor hinder your application. I hope you’ll submit.

Hey Dan, you’ve only got 150 words, if you use them up describing your hardware platforms, you won’t have much room left to describe your great idea.

George, as the contest is South Florida-based, I would say that an idea that is exclusively South Florida-oriented would be looked upon very favorably, as opposed to an idea in which South Florida was only related tangentially.

Thanks so much for joining us. Hope you can make it tonight to the Town Hall, or let your friends know about it. Also, we’ll be posting tips all week to the blog at KnightArts.org

Best of luck, and don’t forget to apply by the March 2 deadline!

Thank you for joining us. If you have questions that were not answered you can leave them as comments at the bottom of this page or you can email them to arts@knightfoundation.org.