7 Ways to Consider an Opportunity
Artists are frequently invited to participate in opportunities like exhibitions, performances, presentations, talks, jury panels, classroom and studio visits, fundraising auctions, and more. Engaging with an invitation in a way that feels balanced and authentic can be a challenge—many artists find that a scarcity mindset compels them to say "yes" to every opportunity, while other artists worry about not being able to meet expectations, so they automatically say "no."
The following questions will support you to look closely at an opportunity to see if it's a good fit for what you've got going on right now. Grab a piece of paper and jot down your answers in as much detail as you can (note: writing by hand helps you make effective decisions because it engages memory, attention, visual focus, and socio-emotional midline brain crossing).
These questions were designed to help you see whether to respond to an opportunity with "yes," "no," or "I need more information before I can decide."
1.) Do I really want to do this?
If a "yes" is there, ask yourself why you want to do it—clarity about your motivation is valuable.
2.) What's the date of the opportunity?
If you feel a "yes" but you're already committed to other projects—for example, you're already busy on a specific day—you have a few options: you can reschedule your preexisting commitment, or you can ask if the date of the new opportunity is flexible.
3.) What's the time commitment?
Picture this opportunity unfolding from start to finish—what preparation time is needed? (ex., making new work, creating a slide deck, conducting rehearsals) Is travel time involved? (ex., flights or other transportation, shipping and customs clearing, etc.) How much of the schedule will be dependent upon or determined by other people? (ex., collaborators, contractors, fabricators, writers, editors, photographers, etc.) If you're looking at tight timelines, how much of this project is contingent on other people meeting their deadlines?
4.) Is there a stipend/artist fee/honorarium? Are project-related costs covered?
Is the funding sufficient to cover your expenses? (ex., materials, labor, production, studio rent, documentation, framing, shipping, insurance, etc.) If not, are there other tangible benefits to this opportunity? (ex., meet the other panelists, present on a new subject and get feedback, learn how residencies are juried, be connected to a particular community, support fellow artists, donate to a worthy cause, etc.)
5.) What's the deliverable?
Is the final product/project something that you will be proud to add to your existing body of work? Will making it contribute something interesting to your experience or expand your horizons in an exciting way?
6.) What will I implicitly be modifying or relinquishing by saying yes to this?
Saying "yes" to one thing often means saying "no" to another (ex., working on your day off, turning down a concurrent opportunity, postponing other in-progress work). None of this is inherently bad! It's important to be clear about the choices you're making so that you can make them wholeheartedly.
7.) What have I assumed about this opportunity?
Assumptions are the brain's shortcut to answers. Our prior experiences form patterns that allow us to make (sometimes useful, sometimes unhelpful) projections about the future. Where do your assumptions give you the sense that you know more about an opportunity than you actually do? Of the questions above, is there one where it seems like you need to slow down and gather more information before making a decision?