VII Interactive: Workshop. Words and Pictures: The Art of Writing Project Statements and Grant Proposals

From: August 5, 2020 @ 00:00 EDT
To: August 7, 2020 @ 23:59 EDT
Photo by Sara Terry / VII. Liliesleaf Farm, Johannesburg, Gauteng. In the early 1960s, Liliesleaf Farm was secretly used by members of the ANC, including Nelson Mandela, who lived at the farm under the assumed name of David Motsamayi, as a worker in blue overalls employed by the owner to look after the farm. In a crushing blow for the ANC and its armed wing, Umkhonto we Sizwe, South African security forces raided the farm on July 11, 1963, capturing 19 members of the underground as they were meeting to plan attacks on the government. The raid led to the Rivonia Trial (named after the neighborhood in which Liliesleaf stands), in which 10 leaders of the ANC were tried for 221 acts of sabotage, which the government said were designed to “foment violent revolution.” Mandela was among those sentenced to life in prison; he was sent to Robben Island, where he served 18 of his 27 years in captivity. Today, the farm is a national museum, dedicated to keeping awareness of the early liberation struggle alive.

Instructor: Sara Terry
Location: Online
Cost: $450 USD
Duration: Three 90-Minute Sessions (August 5th, 6th, 7th, 2020 from 1PM EDT – 2:30PM EDT)
Class size: 8
Skill level: All levels
Scholarships: Yes

This three-part workshop is for any photographer who wants to learn how to write better grant proposals to support personal work and long term projects.

In the first of three 90-minute sessions, documentary photographer and filmmaker Sara Terry will explain what makes a strong proposal, including writing tips and how to sequence photos, share resources on grants and grant writing and give insights into funders’ thinking from her perspective as a funder with her non-profit, The Aftermath Project. The second session includes a writing exercise during class, which students will share and discuss. During the third 90-minute sessions, each student will receive personal feedback on their project statements and on how to sequence their photos for a grant proposal, as well as suggestions (when applicable) for grants to apply for.

Each student planning to share a project for Sara’s feedback should provide a project statement and no more than 20 images before the workshop.

 

 

About the Instructor

Documentary photographer and filmmaker Sara Terry is a Guggenheim Fellow in Photography, a Sundance Documentary Fellow, and a member of VII Photo Agency. She has written successful grant proposals totaling nearly $2 million. As the founder and artistic director of The Aftermath Project, with 12 years of grant-making experience, she also knows what funders are looking for. In addition to her own visual practice, Terry consults as a grant writer and story consultant with filmmakers and photographers.