Feedback from the Peer Jury

Starting in October 2023, after artsnb releases the results of its program competitions, general constructive comments and recommendations from the peer jury evaluation of the most recent competition can be found here.

Please note that these comments are summarized from the discussions in the peer jury meetings, and do not necessarily relate to every application submitted to that deadline. The goal of sharing this feedback is to provide some insight into the jurying process, and to strengthen future applications.

Summary of the peer jury feedback from the September 15, 2023, Equinox Program for Indigenous Artists competition

General feedback and data:

• The jury evaluated 13 applications and was able to award 13 grants with the available budget envelope for this competition (100.0% success rate).
• All 13 applications received a status of “Recommended.” Evaluated applications may receive one of these three statuses: Recommended (received funding), Merit (recommended by jury, but did not receive funding), and Not Recommended (did not receive funding).
• The jury was excited to see several proposed projects that will foster collaboration with other artists and community members. The spirit of sharing and inviting in audiences not usually included in arts spaces was evident in many of the applications.
• The jury was appreciated that many of the proposed projects include research-creation in underrepresented Indigenous languages and traditional artforms. The jury wished to underline how healing it is to see this ongoing revitalization in the work of both established and emerging artists.

Recommendations on application components:

• The jurors encourage applicants to write more detailed project applications. There is a 350-word limit on the project description section for this program, and the jurors recommended using the full word count with details about the proposed project. For example: what specific activities or projects do you wish to accomplish with this grant (beyond simply explaining your artistic practice or business more generally)? How will this project contribute to your growth as an artist? What goals do you wish to accomplish in your future artwork?
• The jury noticed that some applications request far below the maximum grant amount, and worried these applicants were trying to stretch their budgets too thinly. The jury encourages future applicants to request as much as is necessary to accomplish their project goals with adequate pay and resources.
• The jury were glad to see multiple applications that included payment for participating elders in their budgets, which demonstrates a strong understanding of community protocols and a valuing of the elders’ knowledge.

Other artsnb programs that may interest the applicants in this competition:

• For applicants proposing the creation of new, larger-scale works, please refer to artsnb’s Creation program.
• For applicants proposing research-based, historical, or documentary projects about other Indigenous artists in the province, please refer to artsnb’s Documentation program.
• For applicants seeking mentorship or further education in their artform, please refer to artsnb’s Career Development—Professional Development program.

Feedback from the peer jury for past competitions