How to get quality submissions
HOW TO GET QUALITY SUBMISSIONS
In 2017, Zealous hosted over 200 open calls and listings. With this experience, we’ve honed the features on our platform so they work better for you and your open call.
Here’s a run-through of the best tools you have at your disposal on Zealous, and how to use them to ensure quality submissions.
Submission Fees
Not only do submission fees allow you to establish and execute an open call, but they also place more responsibility onto the artist.
Even if it’s a small fee, an artist will take the time to consider your brief with more detail, submitting only their most relevant, original pieces. As well as this, a submission fee will also prevent under-qualified or irrelevant artists from submitting as they won’t want to waste money.
Shout About The Rewards
What’s in it for the creatives?
The better the reward, the higher quality submissions you will receive. Focus on the benefit of each prize: an exhibition brings exposure, a high-profile judge generates an opportunity for recognition, money creates freedom.
Don’t forget to be specific with your prizes. On Zealous, creatives can search for open calls based on the rewards (whether that’s a cash prize, an exhibition a residency etc.), so it pays to be detailed to catch relevant and interested artists!
Share Quality Submissions
Set the standard. If you receive early submissions that match the brief perfectly, share them with your community through your website, newsletter or social media. This will help other applicants understand the calibre of work you’re looking for.
Is your open call recurring? Celebrate previous finalists and winners by sharing their work too. Lets applicants know the calibre of work required to take home the prize.
Not receiving ideal submissions? Prompt creatives with your preferred style to submit early by reaching out to them personally.
Keep Everyone Updated
Generating excitement around your open call is important. It keeps creatives engaged and nudges them a little closer toward submitting. Sometimes creatives will see your open call and then take time to consider their submission, so it’s important you don’t lose them in the meantime.
Keep your community updated by continuously updating the status of your call. Share submission milestones, submitted artwork, behind-the-scenes news, prize info, judging announcements and exhibition details through newsletters and social media.
Did you know? Open calls on Zealous capture artists who have considered submitting and automatically e-mails them reminders when the submission date draws near.
Target Your Audience
Utilise your network. Outreach to relevant individuals and organisations and ask them to share your open call with their communities. The wider the reach, the more chance the perfect applicant submits!
Social media is your friend. Use relevant hashtags and tag relevant accounts on organic posts to encourage sharing, or launch paid adverts to audiences filtered by age, location, job title and interests.
Judging Rounds
Add shortlist rounds so you can filter your submissions before the final round, leaving you with quality submissions to present to stakeholders or a judging panel.
With Zealous, you can even add multiple judging rounds, allowing judges to shortlist on your behalf before the final round and winning selection, saving you both time and admin.
Open a call on Zealous
Simplify your creative submissions and say goodbye to complex admin. Open a call on Zealous.
