ARTISTIC STATEMENT ASSIGNMENT
Revised 3/24/08

The Department of Dance at Western Michigan University has developed a plan to assess its programs. Part of the plan requires that each dance major develop an artistic statement. Beginning Fall 2005, each major will be required to write this statement in the first choreography course and last year of enrollment in the dance major as part of DANC 4450 Senior Seminar. Throughout their dance courses, students will have the opportunity to hone their artistic statements. Directions and suggestions for writing a successful artistic statement follow.

What is an artist statement?
An artist statement is a concise written document by the artist that explains the nature of his or her artistic work.

When is an artist statement used?
Exhibition purposes, grant applications, teaching position applications, fellowships, and more. It can be used in a number of ways, including to point the viewer to the concerns the artist considers to be important in the work, and to help publicists and critics write about the work.

Directions
Prepare your Artistic statement in paragraph form not to exceed 250 words.

Within this statement you must address the following questions:

• Why do you dance? What is your passion for dance? What role does dance play in your life?
• How do you view you own work as an artist in the context of dance history and current developments in dance?
• What are your aspirations for bringing valuable and original contributions to the field of dance?

Evaluation
Your statement will be assessed on how well it addresses the criteria listed in the Directions above and uses the departmental policy for writing in dance courses:

1. Demonstrates maturity and originality of thought reflected by the ability to analyze, synthesize and evaluate.
2. Sustains the development of a point or idea over the length of the assignment.
3. Uses organized paragraphs and transitional devices.
4. Makes conventional use of capitalization and punctuation.
5. Uses consistently the grammar, syntax and spelling of standard English, with particular attention to sentence structure and to agreement between subjects, verbs, pronouns and antecedents.

Points will be awarded as follows:

Category/Points Possible
1) Concise written document by the artist that explains the nature of his or her artistic work. 20 points
2) Clearly addresses the following questions: Why do you dance? What is your passion for dance? What role does dance play in your life? 20 points
3) Clearly addresses the following question: How do you view you own work as an artist in the context of dance history and current developments in dance? 20 points
4) Clearly addresses the following question: What are your aspirations for bringing valuable and original contributions to the field of dance? 20 points
5) Uses consistently the department guidelines for writing in dance courses including grammar, spelling, sentence/paragraph structure, and punctuation. 20 points
TOTAL POINTS POSSIBLE = 100

The statement will be graded Excellent (100-90 points); Good (89-80 points); Satisfactory (79-70); or Poor (below 70 points).

Suggestions for creating a successful artistic statement
Consider the following:
• Clarify the conceptual parameters of your work in your own mind before you begin to write the statement (If you are unsure of what your work is about, your readers will be, too.)
• Who is your audience?
• Avoid editorializing or over-explaining
• Keep your statement concise, succinct, straightforward and to the point.
• Avoid using jargon.
Other helpful hints:
• Have a friend ask you questions about your work. Answer the questions, record the conversation or take notes.
• Have someone who doesn't know your work ask you questions.
• Read the statements or writings of artists with whom you have an affinity.
• Write in the first person and avoid "art speak."
• Speak as honestly and straightforward as you can. Edit out phrases that are not specific to your work.
• There are experiences that are common to almost every artist that, although they may be powerful and profound for each individual, seem ordinary to the viewer.
• Keep it concise; one page is more than enough.
• Make the reader want to look at, and know more about your work.
• Your statement should be more than just a description of your process.
• Use quotations ONLY when they are absolutely relevant to your work.
• Have a faculty member read your statement while looking at the work.

Suggested examples:
http://www.emiogrecopc.nl/public/index_en.php?thissection_id=2 (artist/company)
http://www.nancykarp.org/company/company.html (artist/company)
http://www.exitspacedance.com/ (dance studio)
http://www.urbanbushwomen.org/home.html(company)
http://www.strebusa.org/pages/what.html(artist/company)
http://www.rivernorthchicago.com/about.asp (company)
http://www.reddleggdance.org/about.htm (artist/company)