Judging Criteria

VERVE grant applications are evaluated according to the following criteria:

Artistic Quality

The writer must have significant literary potential.

• Does the performance demonstrate artistic excellence and reflect a complete grasp of technical skill and ability?
• Is the poetic content consistent in its style, demonstrating significant knowledge of craft and clearly conceived ideas throughout?
• Is the work creative and original? Does it deeply explore the power of the art form, either in form, content, or both?

Project Merit

The project must advance the artist's artistic and/or career development.

• Will funding this project support the creation and/or production of new work?
• Will funding this project contribute significantly to the artist's development or advancement as a spoken word poet?
• Will not funding this project have a negative impact on the career of the artist?

Ability

The artist must be able to complete the project.

• Is the project well designed, with reasonable expectations and a realistic timeline and budget?
• Has the artist outlined specific goals/outcomes?
• Has the artist given reason to believe that s/he has the discipline and desire to complete the proposed project?