FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

General

Why a video submission and not just grant funding?

Emergent Seed is committed to supporting and spotlighting local, emerging artists in multiple ways and not just through grants. We are looking to build long-term relationships with our grantees - for example, Winners not only receive $500 grants, but are paired with a highly-skilled Mentor, and are given the opportunity to re-record their performance in a professional music studio. Emergent Seed intends to hold virtually and eventually in-person events, that not only build audience for its artists but also provides them with an opportunity to receive royalties. We believe increasing visibility for creatives and their work is hopefully even more valuable in the long term than a cash grant. While started in response to COVID-19, Emergent Seed is not an emergency relief fund. Our vision is to build a catalogue of high quality, diverse, local artists of various genres.



Why "emerging" artists?

Initially, our focus is to serve emerging artists, including current students and recent grads, who may be excluded from other funding opportunities given their lack of professional experience, difficulty in proving lost income, or their student status. We generally consider emerging artists as those who are not currently signed on to a record deal (Composers) or have not previously published a book with distribution greater than 5,000, self-published is okay (Writers). We originally defined "emerging" as 18-35 years old, though we recognize that the word "emerging" itself is not defined by age alone. If you have another explanation for why you consider yourself "emerging", there is a place for you to explain this in the Application. Please refer to the "Resources" page on this website for other funding opportunities and information.



How many grants are you giving out this round?

Our intent is to award at least one Winner in each of the 4 Creative Categories each round, and hopefully more per Category, depending on the quality of the submissions we receive. In our first round we selected 10 Winners ($500 each), in our second round we selected 5 Winners ($500 each) and 9 Honorees ($150 each), and in our third round we selected 10 Winners ($500) and 16 Virtual Gig Grantees ($150). In an effort to give out even more grants we added a $150 option (called "Virtual Gig" Grants in Rd 3) to recognize excellent work by local, emerging artists without the same requirements as the $500 Winner grant ("Virtual Gig" grant submissions don't have to be of unpublished work). We are planning subsequent rounds and intend to raise money to be able to have as many more rounds as the fundraising allows.



Where does your funding come from?

The initial funding for the first two rounds was privately raised from people who support the performing arts in the Greater DC Metro area, including contributions from the founder herself. Emergent Seed is premiering the Rd 2 Winners' full performances on April 23, 2021 and is accepting donations to help it, and the artists shown, be able to continue their work (a percentage of proceeds raised goes back directly to the Rd 2 Winners whose videos were broadcast). Emergent Seed plans to pursue multiple ways to raise additional funds to become an ongoing social enterprise to be able to keep giving out grants, putting on virtual events and videos, and supporting grantees through creating and expanding audiences for them.



Can I donate to Emergent Seed?

Yes! You can donate through our fundraiser link tied to the premiere of our Rd 2 Winners' full performances. At this time, financial contributions to Emergent Seed would be Gifts to Emergent Seed, and are not deductible as charitable contributions for Federal income tax purposes.



The Application

I want to redo my video. Can I edit and re-submit my Application?

NO. Google forms will NOT allow you to edit your video or responses. ONCE THE APPLICATION IS SUBMITTED, NO EDITS CAN BE MADE TO IT. Grantees will have the opportunity to edit their submission or reshoot their video before premiering the full performance of their work. If you exit out of your browser before you hit Submit, Google does NOT save your responses, but you can edit them at any time BEFORE you hit Submit. Don't hit Submit until your answers are final. Please look over your work carefully.



Is it considered unpublished if my poem/song/story is on my website? Can I still submit?

Yes. We will accept your piece if the material has ONLY been up on your personal website (including Patreon account) or social media accounts, PROVIDED that you take it down BEFORE you submit your Application, and keep it down until the grantees are announced (see the APPLY tab on this website). Unpublished or un-produced work means that it's not under any kind of agreement with another entity, commercial or otherwise, and not on any other website or social media account. This question only pertains to those applying for the $500 Winner grant. Applicants may submit previously published/produced work to the $150 "Virtual Gig" grant.



I have a poem/song/story I'm submitting to more than one competition, is that ok?

Not if you're applying for the $500 Winner grant, but we would accept a simultaneous submission if you're applying for the $150 Virtual Gig grant. Your work must be original and under 5 minutes though regardless of grant option, please refer to the APPLY page for details.



I'm writing a novel/play/musical, can I submit an excerpt of it?

Yes, however you would only be able to apply to the $150 "Virtual Gig" grant so that your piece is only under the ES Non-Exclusive License. Please remember though to have your submission make sense in and of itself that has a natural beginning and end, i.e. don't end in the middle of a sentence or a lyric or a scene. In our effort to curate virtual performances we want to offer audiences complete, cohesive pieces in about 5 minutes.



Can I perform more than one piece as long as my whole video is under 5 minutes?

No. Perform only one piece within one Creative Category in under 5 minutes.



I'm part of a band and also do solo work. Can I be part of more than one Application?

No. We want to be able to support as many emerging, local to the Greater DC Metro area, artists as we can, and therefore require that individuals only be part of one submission, whether as the lead Applicant, or as a member of a group. Only one submission, in one Creative Category and in one Sub-Genre is permitted per Applicant.



If I don’t win a grant, can I still get my video broadcast in a virtual performance?

Possibly! Creatives’ video submissions will be reviewed for both $500 and $150 grants and general broadcast opportunity. Grantees may be offered the opportunity to share their work via a virtual event, and we hope to hold multiple virtual events in order to showcase the work of other great submissions. Applicants who are invited to share their work in a virtual event may have the opportunity to have their videos re-shot more professionally. For the initial video submissions with your Application please send us what you think is your best work and best effort at recording both Audio and Video.