Zealous Blog
All of our news, insights and inspirations in one place.
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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,…
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“Applying for awards often seems like a shot in the dark, but my experience with Zealous still reminds me that it’s worth putting myself out there to see what comes of it.” – Katie O’Rourke
Katie O’Rourke is a freelance graphic designer and illustrator based in Nantes, France, where she moved from Manchester last year. She collaborates with people and brands who make it their mission to do some good in the world. Katie bring…
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Tools to Manage Submissions – From Forms to Awards Management Platforms
Looking for a robust tool to manage growing submissions? We compare 5 solutions – from basic forms to full awards management platforms that scale with you.
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10 Photography Artists You Need to Follow
These innovative photography creators are redefining visual storytelling through bold portraits and captivating landscapes. Learn about the themes they explore and their standout works to redefine how we see the world through their lens.
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“I wish I knew that!” – Freelancers speak out
Real insights from seasoned creative freelancers on navigating freelance life, setting your prices, and finding your niche— reminding you that you’re not alone in figuring it all out.
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“Winning Amplify has given me confidence” – Zillah Bowes Interview
Zillah Bowes is a Wales-based filmmaker and multi-disciplinary artist who works mainly across film, photography and poetry, as well as installation and sculpture. Her work is often rooted in nature and frequently explores our relationship with the natural environment.
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The Definitive Guide to Monetizing your Award
Making money from your awards is a fine art. This guide shares top tips to get your pricing strategy right, why your process matters to your bottom line, best practice with timings and working out the right price.
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New BA Graduates To Watch Out For
With graduation season looming, we are so excited to celebrate some of the newest graduates from BA art courses from across the UK.
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How To Feel Fulfilled Balancing Creative Passions And A Day Job
Creating art and having a job is quite literally a balancing act. From learning how to find time to create, to continuing to find your passion, we have put together a list of some of our top tips to find…
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Introducing Zealous Elevate
As a company, we are all about building a more creative world together, but with funding cuts and the cost of living crisis, we know that this has become more difficult. We understand that not all organisations get the funding…
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How To Make Creative Networking Work For You
‘Networking’ is a word that can make introverted creatives feel uneasy. But in the creative industries, connecting with others is really important for building a successful career. Even if you prefer spending time alone, networking can lead to exciting collaborations,…
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Social Gardening (The Mind at Rest)
Winner of the Zealous Amplify: Environment public vote Luminara Florescu is a British born artist, curator, artist mentor and mother based in rural Somerset. Her winning piece, ‘Social Gardening (The Mind at Rest)’, is an immersive film installation which presents…
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The Earth is our Home
Mithail Afrige Chowdhury is a documentary and street photographer based in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
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I Wish I Knew That: Social Media
Are you an artist wondering how to use social media effectively? Take the advice of these founders, consultants, art critics and artists to nail your social media presence.
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Creativity makes our world a better place
Why it is important to champion creativity and how you have helped the creative industries so far.
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Alternatives to Submittable: Why Zealous Has You Covered
If you’re looking into signing up with Submittable or maybe you’re already using them, here are some reasons why you may want to try Zealous as an alternative to Submittable.
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How To Thrive from Rejection In The Creative Industry
You’ve spent hours upon hours applying for Open Calls and careers in the Creative Sector, only to receive a string of dreaded rejection emails back.
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Deep in The Eye and The Belly
Zealous Amplify: Environment 2nd place winner Sam Williams is an antidisciplinary, research based creative based in London. His work spans across working across moving-image, collage, choreography and text.
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Mastering Social Media with Carmela Vienna
Navigating the world of social media and creating an online presence can be tricky. Bethan sits down with marketing coordinator and social media whizz Carmela to get the intel on how to run a social media page successfully and get…
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ALLOWED
Zillah Bowes is a multi-disciplinary artist with a practice in film, photography poetry, installation and sculpture, often combining disciplines. With a spiritual enquiry around climate change and biodiversity, her work frequently explores the relationship between the individual and the natural…
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Find The Best Creative Opportunities
Discover the best online platforms for uncovering creative opportunities, from open call listing sites to creative job boards. Explore our recommendations to jumpstart your creative career journey.
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Women Artists You Should Know
On this International Women’s Day, delve into the transformative works of groundbreaking women artists who challenge norms and inspire change across artistic mediums.
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Meet our Zealous Amplify: Environment Winners
With Zealous Amplify: Environment coming to a close, we are so excited to tell you all about our winners!
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The Best Sculpture made by Kinetic Artists
Discover the avant-garde world of kinetic art through our curated list of the best emerging kinetic artists making innovative kinetic sculpture and installations.
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I Wish I Knew That: Selling My Work
Are you an artist wondering how to sell your work? Take the advice of these gallerists, artists and creative coaches to make successful sales.
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Founder Update 2024
2023 was another crazy year. Our commitment to the creative industries is unwavering. Discover how we continue to support you in 2024 with a price lock, more features, a commitment to ethical AI and clearer blogging, insights & communications.
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Hyperrealism Artists You Should Know
Creating work which is so lifelike is incredibly impressive. We think it is only fair to celebrate artists working in this genre.
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Meet the Amplify Environment Shortlist
As Zealous Amplify: Environment is reaching its final results, we are excited to share with you our 20 shortlisted artists.
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Zealous awarded a Top Performer in 2023
Software Review sites are a great way to make an informed decision of what tools you might want to consider for your project. Here’s how we did in 2023….
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Key sites to list your design awards on
Posting your design competition on a listing site might be a good way of sharing your contest to more people. We share our top directories to post your design competition on to get more entries.
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Unlocking your creativity with the author of “Everyone is Creative”
In this interview, Guy explores the true essence of creativity, challenging conventional notions and emphasizing its universal applicability. From tackling digital chaos to embracing discomfort for richer solutions, Guy’s insights guide you on a transformative journey to unleash your creativity…
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Ephemeral Artists You Should Know
Ephemeral art spans many mediums, but follows the same principles. It is work which only occurs once and often cannot be embodied in a single lasting object. These artists create brilliant examples of this.
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Is An Opportunity Right For You?
Zealous is full of incredible opportunities. However, before applying to an opportunity, it is important to think of whether what you are applying to is right for you.
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Video Artists You Should Know
Video art is something which can find itself embedded in many different practices, and these creatives are perfect examples of that.
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How To Run an Online Photo Contest (& Market It Like a Pro)
Learn the secrets to running an online photo contest with our expert guide to boosting entries and growing your campaign.
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I Wish I Knew That: Starting Out
Becoming a creative is a constant learning curve, and there are always things we wish we knew.
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Top listing sites for your Photography Competition
We’re here to help you get the word out for your photography competitions! Here’s a list of photography competition directories to start the process.
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Environmental Artists You Should Know
To celebrate the launch of Zealous Amplify: Environment, we have put together a list of 10 fantastic environmental artists to hopefully give you some inspiration for your submission.
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Introducing Zealous Amplify: Environment
Welcome to Zealous Amplify: Environment!
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Minimalist Artists You Should Know
With the idea that art should have its own reality and not be an imitation, the minimalist art movement allows the viewer to see what they see.
