We had a great turnout last night at Fort Lauderdale’s Cinema Paradiso, our first of 4 Community Q & A sessions on the Knight Arts Challenge that are taking place this week around South Florida. We wanted to share what’s on people’s minds ahead of the March 4 application deadline, and some tips and insights that Matt Haggman, previous winners and I shared. Several people asked how to make their application stand out. Here’s the advice we offered: Make the title catchy, not necessarily descriptive. Use your 150 words to get to the point – what’s unique about your project? Don’t write your proposal in isolation. Share it with friends for their input. Make sure they understand what you’re trying to convey. Present the idea as personal and show your passion, but stay away from the words “I want to.” Ideas should put the community first. If you’re an individual artist seeking funds for a project, remember it has to be in service to the community. Ask yourself, how will this engage South Florida? Will my project make South Florida a better place to live?
