Zealous Blog
All of our news, insights and inspirations in one place.
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The Art of Asking: Getting Meaningful Feedback on Work
Getting rejected is disappointing, but what’s worse is not knowing why. Whether you’ve submitted a job application, project proposal, grant application, or creative work, receiving a “no” without explanation leaves you wondering how to improve next time.
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How These Creatives Turn Rejection Into Growth
We talk about creative success constantly, but what about rejection? Many creatives treat rejections like shameful secrets – failures to be buried rather than experiences to be shared. Yet every creative professional has a drawer full of “no” letters that…
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Why Do I Keep Facing Rejection from Creative Opportunities?
Creative application rejected? Learn why applications get rejected, how to bounce back from creative rejection, and practical resources to improve your next submission.
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How To Improve Your Creativity: Take The Test
Discover how to improve creativity with our 8 creative character framework. Take our creativity test and unlock the benefits of creativity in your daily life.
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September 16th: Search Infrastructure Upgrade
We’ll be performing scheduled maintenance on Tuesday, September 16th at 5:00 AM GMT which may impact your judges and admins. We are upgrading our search infrastructure (Elasticsearch). The maintenance window is expected to last a maximum of one hour.
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Sadman Sakib: A Photographer’s Vision of the Human Spirit
In the world of portrait photography, few artists challenge conventional perspectives as powerfully as Sadman Sakib. This Bangladeshi photographer has carved out a distinctive niche in the art world through his compelling portraits of amputees – work that transcends traditional…
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10 Creatives Share the Truth About their Creative Degree
Creative degrees don’t always prepare graduates for the realities of building creative careers. We spoke directly with art school graduates about what they wish they had known before starting their degree – from the value of work experience to the…
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How to Set Creative Boundaries Using The Artist’s Way ‘Life Pie’ Exercise
Learn to set healthy creative boundaries using the life pie exercise from The Artists Way. Protect your creative time, handle guilt, and prioritise your art practice.
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Weekly Awards and Competitions Insights
Weekly no-nonsense tips from our founder to grow your program’s impact (regardless of what tools you use).
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Judging on Zealous: What Every Applicant Should Know
At Zealous, we’re committed to making sure that courage is met with a fair, thoughtful, and transparent evaluation process.
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Comparing Submission Management Platforms
Looking at different platforms can be confusing and time consuming. In this article, we compare 5 submissions management platforms and share some of the Pros and Cons, Key Strengths and who the platform might be useful for.
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Katie Surridge: From Award-Winning Art to Environmental Revolution
In a world where smartphones are replaced every two years and laptops become obsolete overnight, Surridge’s work excavates the hidden stories buried within our discarded devices. Her innovative approach doesn’t just highlight the problem—it reimagines solutions, turning toxic tech waste…
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What does the future look like according to 500 creatives?
Discover how 500+ creatives envision the future through sustainable practices, collaboration with technology, amplifying marginalized voices, and transforming education.
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Submissions Projection Calculator
Predict submission volumes, track progress, and benchmark your award performance against industry data.
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How to Apply to Creative Opportunities Without Burning Out
Create your creative opportunities manifesto. Set healthy boundaries to avoid creative burnout, handle rejection better, and apply with purpose.
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Measuring What (Actually) Matters
We run programs to make a difference, but can you point to specific people and say ‘this changed things for them’? Learn how to track impact with light-touch methods that participants barely notice.
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From Burnout to Hope: Hana Walker-Brown’s ‘In Pieces’
In a world where burnout has become an epidemic, artist Hana Walker-Brown dared to turn her breaking point into breakthrough art. Her powerful words ‘In Pieces’ won the Zealous Amplify public vote, resonating with countless viewers who saw their own…
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Hiring the Right Awards Coordinator
Finding the right Awards Coordinator can make or break your programme – the wrong hire leads to stressed staff, disappointed applicants, and damaged relationships. This complete guide includes job description templates, interview questions, and cost analysis to help you make…
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Turning Industry Connections Into Your Most Powerful Awards Marketing Channel
You’ve spent months crafting the perfect awards marketing campaign, yet entries aren’t flooding in. The problem isn’t your messaging – it’s that professionals no longer trust marketing channels for career decisions. Here’s how successful awards programs activate trusted industry voices…
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Getting grilled by an AI (kinda)
I recently tried an experiment. Could I use AI to interview me about the creative industries to surface interesting insights . What emerged was really interesting (and a little uncomfortable).
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Meet our Zealous Amplify: Future Winners
With Zealous Amplify: Future coming to a close, we are so excited to tell you all about our winners!
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Why Public Voting Can Transform Your Awards
“I wanted this to be more of the people and not just from a small group of individuals,” explains one awards organizer who made the switch. The results speak for themselves: increased reach, enhanced credibility, and stories that “go a…
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Your Programme Failed, Now What? (Free Template)
So, your open call didn’t go as planned. Maybe entries were lower than expected, the timeline slipped, or feedback from artists, judges, or partners wasn’t as positive as you’d hoped. But this isn’t the end of your programme. It could…
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A Human-Centered Approach to Audience Data
Traditional audience surveys exclude busy families, young people, and disabled visitors. Here’s how cultural venues can capture every voice.
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Everything that could go wrong with your Award (and how to stop it)
Whether it’s marketing challenges, technical issues, or unresponsive judges, awards rarely go exactly as planned. This article covers solutions to the most pressing problems.
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Being Human in the age of Algorithms
What happens when curated content makes success look effortless? Join me for authentic stories about the messy reality behind achievement.
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How to price your Award using AI: Prompts for every program
Setting the right price for award submissions is a delicate balancing act. Charge too much, you limit applicants; charge too little, you risk overwhelming costs. Discover powerful AI prompts that create pricing strategies perfectly tailored to your awards program.
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Turning Disruption into Growth: A Zealous Roadmap for 2025
Each year I reflect on progress. This year I’m looking differently – at the creative industries today, our shared challenges & Zealous’s role in all of this.
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Meet the Zealous Amplify Future Judges
It is time to meet all of our Zealous Amplify: Future judges!
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The Absolute Guide to Running Awards
Download our free guide to master award management! Learn to avoid 5 common mistakes, market effectively, engage judges, optimize pricing, and create a smooth experience for entrants. Perfect for competition hosts looking to elevate their events.
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Online forms vs. Submission management platforms
While many event organizers start with a simple online form, as competitions grow in scale and complexity, a dedicated award management platform can provide a more structured and streamlined experience. Many organizers struggle with resource constraints, needing a solution that…
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Meet Arts Emergency
At Zealous, we love using our initiatives to support charities that echo the same messages that we do.
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From Launch to Selection: The right Competition Schedule for you
Planning an open call is exciting and a great chance to discover new talent. Whether it’s an award, residency, or commission, there are lots of things to consider.
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The Complete Guide to Managing Awards & Competitions
Whether you’re running competitions, grants, or awards, this guide covers the complete award management lifecycle from planning to execution.
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Running Open Calls: Essential Submissions Management Tips
Whether you’re hosting your first open call or looking to refine your process, our guest contributors share expert insights to help you succeed.
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Introducing Zealous Amplify: Future
We are coming in to our third year of Zealous Amplify! We are so excited to celebrate even more artworks from our Zealous community.
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The right venue for your open exhibition in London
Looking for the ideal East London venue to host your awards or exhibition celebration? Discover standout spaces, handpicked by Zealous, that promise to elevate your event and delight your guests.
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How to invite creativity back into your life
When did you last feel truly creative? 75% of us feel we’re not reaching our creative potential. This post explores how to reignite that spark in your life and work.
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Predictions for creative opportunities in 2025
Discover the top creative sector trends and predictions for 2025, from AI innovation to community-driven opportunities.
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Championing the Underrepresented: Matt Freidson
At Zealous, we get to meet lots of amazing people and connect with incredible organisations. One of those is Creative Future.
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Choosing the right awards management platform for staff recognition awards
Managing Employee Recogition Awards can be overwhelming without the right tools. This article introduces 7 tools that simplify submissions, judging, and voting to help you focus on creating meaningful events.
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These 5 metrics will help you grow your Awards
Running a successful competition means knowing what’s working – and what isn’t. Learn the 5 key metrics that will help you understand your candidates’ journey and grow your program effectively.
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Reframing Open Calls: How To Create Non-Competitive Spaces
In this article, we’ll explore how shifting perspectives on creative competitions could make them friendlier, fairer, and more inclusive spaces.
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Real engagement begins when your open call ends
Hosting an open call is truly an enriching experience. It allows for you to discover new talent and support them, create connections, and foster creativity. However, once the opportunity is over, the real challenge—and the true potential for impact—emerges. This…
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Meet Our Zealous Elevate Winner
With Zealous Elevate coming to a close, we are so excited to tell you all about our winner!
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How to craft the right awards commiseration email
As uncomfortable as it can be, sending out commiserations emails are part and parcel of running an opportunity. Luckily there are ways of turning disappointment into opportunity
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“As a self-taught, older artist working in an unusual medium, it’s extremely difficult for me to find opportunities to show my work and to network with artists and galleries. Zealous gave me that opportunity.” – Pinkie Maclure
Pinkie Maclure is a Scottish stained glass artist and musician, with a focus on working with stained glass.
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How to Run a Good Program with Reduced Resources
This article shares practical strategies for organisations to run impactful creative opportunities like open calls and competitions with limited resources.
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How To Check If An Opportunity Is Legitimate
We try our best to ensure opportunities listed through us are legitimate and ethical. We show all previous opportunities held by the organisations and make sure they are transparent with any fees and what you can get in return. However, it…
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The Questionnaire Conundrum: Unraveling the Complexities of Audience Data
Capturing data is vital. It shapes our programming, informs our funders, and, ultimately, determines our impact. Yet, with increasingly stretched resources, it is a time-consuming and expensive endeavour for organisations. In this article, we’ll unpack the purpose behind audience questionnaires,…
