I've re- read my Arts Council Funding application and it goes something like this:-

* research/writing time to develop a piece of performance
poetry around Punch and Judy.
* production of publicity materials including a website; for promotion of my
performance poetry pieces.
* participation in a course which would help me develop my performance skills
e.g. Arvon

Actually it goes exactly like this because I just copied it out of the application and pasted in to this. The above was what I put on the application form to describe the activity I was proposing to do.

The next bit (below) is the 'Proposal' that I put together. You have to write a bit about what you are going to do and relate it to each one of the six given headings.

You and your work

I want to develop a thirty-minute piece of performance poetry that is based upon Punch and Judy. It would be my aim to produce contemporary performance poetry using the characters from Punch and Judy as narrators. I want to produce work that draws on the nature of the Punch and Judy tradition.

I would like to produce ‘props’, for use in the act, which can be easily transportable by one person using a rucksack; this would mean that the show can be performed anywhere it might be requested.

I would like to amuse and provoke thought amongst my audiences. I wish to write accessible poetry that might interest non-traditional poetry audiences.

I already have a fifteen/thirty minute performance piece, which I regularly perform at spoken word/live literature events. This performance element of my work is beginning to take off and I feel that I now need to develop another piece. I need to be able to perform new work at the places that I have previously visited and be able to do longer sets as I’m now being requested to do.

I would like to produce a website which has sound bites and examples of my poetry, in order to promote my work.

Making it happen

I need to buy writing time to make this happen. I would envisage writing one poem every two weeks and developing my ‘props’ in tandem with the poetry as it is completed. This would enable me to produce the piece in six months. I have produced a previous performance piece in this way and know that I am capable of hitting a self-imposed deadline.

The budget

I have estimated that I would need £5,000 to complete this work; £500 will be provided from my own funds. I would like to buy writing time and intend to pay for publicity material as detailed on the budget form. I would want the website to be a tool for promoting my performance work thus generating future income for myself therefore having a positive effect on my long-term financial position.

I intend to keep records of my income and expenditure for tax purposes and to prove that I have spent any grant money, which may be awarded, in an appropriate way.

Benefit to you and the public

Any new material produced should enable me to continue to perform
at spoken word/live literature events across the country and therefore reach larger audiences, hopefully fostering a wider interest in poetry.

I have a teaching background and an MA in creative writing; I would be able to offer creative writing workshops in conjunction with performances, encouraging people to begin writing or develop their writing skills. I have worked with a wide range of groups in the past including children, homeless men, probation, young adults, third age, people with disabilities and/or learning difficulties and would hope to be able to use a new performance piece as a way of continuing to do so. Benefits for participants might include improvements in basic skills, personal well-being, confidence etc. I would advertise workshops via the website and possibly also suggest creative writing activities that could be used by teachers (so that the website is, in part, a teaching resource).

Meeting our ambitions for the arts

This grant would support me as an individual artist long enough to write a new performance poetry piece. It would also enable me to set up promotional tools, which would generate more work for me via both the performance elements and workshop elements. This in turn would enable me to continue to develop a growth of interest in poetry amongst audiences and workshop participants.

Evaluation

I would evaluate this activity by producing an online blog detailing the development of the piece from inception up until the point of its first performance (and maybe beyond).

From this diary, I would produce a list of the things I have learned/would do differently next time etc.

I would keep a record of the number of audiences reached via performance and website hits/feedback. I would keep reviews of performances and/or workshop evaluation sheets as evidence of success (or failure!).

That seems straightforward enough doesn't it?!? Just got to think of something to write and start organising the bits and pieces I've promised to do. Oh, is that all.