KCET Receives NEA Art Works Grant to support Artbound; a Transmedia Arts Journalism Project
June 11, 2013
In March 2013, KCET (Burbank, California) received a $75,000 Art Works grant from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). Among the 817 Art Works grants totaling $26.3 million made during the Spring 2013 funding round, this award to KCET is one of only four made that support arts journalism. The grant will be used to continue Artbound, a transmedia initiative that uses both online print journalism and broadcast to explore Southern California’s cultural landscape.
Artbound i
s a two part transmedia effort that actively engages the audience. KCET regularly works with over 50 writers, journalists and cultural critics embedded in the community to write feature length articles about important arts and culture topics. These articles are published on a weekly, bi-weekly and monthly basis. As readers explore the different articles, they are encouraged to “like” and “tweet” their favorites using Facebook and Twitter. Each week, the most shared article is put up against a piece picked by the editorial team for a vote by the readers. The winning feature is then made into a short-form documentary which airs on KCET as part of a monthly Artbound television series. Not only does Artbound serve as an online engagement platform, but it also functions as a communication tool for KCET’s 19 arts and culture partner organizations generating greater awareness on these innovative and forward-thinking institutions, nonprofits and organizations.
KCET is no stranger to NEA funding, and credits much of its success working with NEA on the station’s innovative thinking and ability to embrace new and evolutionary technologies. Juan Devis, Executive Producer for Artbound states “we are entering a very different world that we need to respond and adapt to.” It is important to embrace the future and build on the success of broadcast journalism through new and innovative platforms. This matches well with NEA’s growing interest in transmedia initiatives. Prior to Artbound the two worked closely on Departures, an online interactive engagement tool which explores the neighborhoods of Los Angeles. The success of this new interactive tool ultimately laid the foundation for Artbound.
The Art Works grant program is highly competitive. Stations with the capacity to carry out quality arts and cultures programs are encouraged to explore this opportunity. While extensive, the application is relatively straightforward and asks important and logical questions. Corbett Barklie, the grant writer behind KCET’s recent Art Works grant, cites these application questions as a useful tool in further developing your project. Barklie states “they really make you think through the project in a way not thought of before.” Alyce Myatt, Director of Media Arts at NEA reaffirmed this point on a recent Grant Center webinar covering the Art Works grant program, highlighting these questions as a great way to deepen the discussion behind your proposed plan and impact.
When asked to provide tips for stations interested in applying to NEA, Barklie highlighted the following items believed to have played a role in KCET’s success. First, “be sure to express a clear artistic vision and compelling artistic direction as these are critical components of the NEA application”. Second, “don’t be afraid to reach out to NEA program officers to bounce ideas and answer questions”. Regular communication can go a long way in shaping your proposal. Finally, “keep the tone of your application conversational and easy to read”. The final Art Works grantees are decided based, in part, on a peer review panel. All of these tips, though small, can have a tremendous impact on the success of your application.
