Work plan #1: describe what you want to create & Why

Goal: Articulate what you want to create & why so you can plan for it.

Not all art needs to be preplanned. But it can sometimes help to have some vision of it, including what it is about. The more complex your project or event is, and the more people there need to be involved in its creation, the more important it is for a vision to be shared and documented, in language everyone will understand.

Below is a questionnaire to help you write these details down. A lot of it comes from questions asked in grant applications for art projects. We don't center the funder unless we have to in order to apply for a grant. Use what's most useful to you first. Sometimes, it will help you to crystallize your own idea.

Project Overview

1. What is the title of your project?

2. Why do you want to do it?

3. Describe your project in 1 sentence and 200 words.

4. What artistic discipline(s) does your project involve (e.g., visual arts, music, dance, literature, interdisciplinary, etc.)?

5. What inspired this project, and why is it important to you?

6. Who is part of creating this? (Are you collaborating with or relying on anyone? If so, describe who/ their roles.)

Goals and Outcomes

1. Exactly who is your audience? (Be narrow/specific about who you're designing for. Eg, “All New Yorkers” isn't really specific.)

2. How do you hope your project will impact your audience? (Over what time frame?)

3. How will you know this impact has occurred?

Artistic Process

1. What is your creative process this project?

2. How does your process or the design make the impact you described possible?

3. What materials, techniques, or technologies will you use to create your work?

Timeline and Feasibility

1. What is your project timeline (including planning, production, and presentation)?

2. Are there big milestones or deadlines that you need to meet to keep it on track?

3. What challenges or risks are most likely to take you off track? (Think about how you'll handle them.)

Resources

1. What is the rough total budget for your project? (Whether you are applying for a grant or not, this is important! It will help you manage your expenses and prepare your taxes.)

2. How will you use funds if raised?

Outreach, Presentation, and Dissemination

1. Where and how do you plan to present or exhibit your project? (Tie this back to your audience.)

2. How do you plan to reach your audience? How many people do you hope to reach?

3. How do you plan to document, archive, or share the project beyond its live presentation?

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