Blog: By The Arts Council Denied! Again!

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Back in March I discussed my REJECTION by The Arts Council, where I'd asked for some CASH to Develop My Creative Practice in order to do some shows about DATA and all that. At the end of that particular blog I said I would not be COWED by this rejection and would try again.

True to my word I DID try again and, with the help of even MORE lovely pals, put together what I thought was a pretty good application. However, The Arts Council clearly disagreed and earlier this week sent me ANOTHER rejection letter. BOO!

I was pretty upset about it last time, mostly because I had half persuaded myself that I would GET it, but this time I was less optimistic, having seen evidence that they pretty much NEVER fund comics stuff, and so less saddened. I was a BIT saddened because, to be honest, the small amount of CA$H involved would have really helped me actually DO some stuff quite soon, but I was also a little bit RELIEVED as it meant that a) I had had a good old GO at it and b) could now carry on under my own steam. AS IS ALWAYS THE WAY.

Having spent several decades in The Krazy World Of Rock And Roll it has ever been the case that doing things YOURSELF is much much MUCH easier in the long run than trying to persuade a GATEKEEPER to do it for you. For example, putting a record out YOURSELF is a massive pile of work but it is as nothing compared to the SOUL CRUNCHING AGONY of trying to get somebody else to agree to do it and then, when they eventually DO agree, constantly trying to find out if they're STILL going to do so, and WHEN. I have had similar experiences with putting SHOWS on, publishing books, gig promotion etc etc etc ET FLIPPING CETERA. There are rare occasions when it works - for instance Wipeout Music have been BRILLIANT as my Music Publishers since FOREVER - but usually just getting on and Doing It Yourself is the best way.

And with that in mind I very much AM going to get on and do it myself. I'm doing a ten minute spot at The UK Science Comedy Festival on Sunday 14 July, where I'll be talking (at speed) about some of my RESEARCH and then I'm going to try and go out and do MORE of That Sort Of Thing. I'm not exactly sure WHAT or WHERE or HOW - that was what the GRANT BID was meant to help me with - but I'm going to try and find out! And obviously, if anyone out there knows of places where an Early Career Researcher (hem hem) could come and PLY THEIR TRADE talking semi-humorously about DATA and SUPERHEROES and SO FORTH, do please let me know!

posted 28/6/2024 by MJ Hibbett

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