Creative Pathways Bursary

Just two days before the deadline for the Somerset Art Works Creative Pathways Bursary (2nd March 2025), I nearly let it slip away. This wasn’t just any bursary, it felt like it was made for me. But all I could see were the reasons why I shouldn’t apply.

I’d been craving to kickstart a career as a freelance artist, to transform my passion into something tangible. Art gives me a sense of purpose, and the Somerset Art Works Creative Pathways bursary felt like the perfect springboard. I needed the structure, the mentorship, the guidance, and the accountability.

But when I looked at the application form, panic set in.

My ‘portfolio’ was a scattered collection of pieces from evening art courses I’d managed to fit around working. I didn’t have a website or an online presence, nothing that screamed artist in the way I thought I needed. The voice of doubt was loud: You don’t have a proper portfolio. You shouldn’t even try.

And honestly, I almost didn’t. I put it off. If you know me, you’ll know procrastination isn’t usually my style. I’m the one with everything done before the deadline. But this was different.

Not only had I never tackled an artist application before, but I also had no idea what an artist statement was, I’d never heard the term before. The idea of an art project proposal felt overwhelming. All I had were some vague ideas that had been swirling around in my head. Definitely not a fully-fledged proposal. A slight misstep was looking at previous awardees, their polished sophisticated work made comparison difficult.

Two days before the deadline, I mentioned the bursary casually to an artist. Their reaction was immediate and firm: You should go for it and apply. If you don’t get it, so what? It’s your first one. You can ask for feedback and use it to apply for something else.

The piece of advice that really stuck was to act as if I’d already started the creation process or even to act as if I’d already been awarded the bursary. How would I talk about my work and plans from that perspective?

That shift in mindset was a game-changer. The overwhelm didn’t seem quite so daunting.

With only a day left, I made the decision that I would apply.

I dove into the application, Googling ‘what is an artist statement,’ ‘examples of art project proposals,’ and anything else I could find. These were all new concepts to me. I tried to see it like building a cover letter, which I’d done plenty of in job applications. But this felt so much bigger, so much more personal.

There was no time to send it to someone for a second opinion. I had to trust myself, trust that I could pull something together and see what happened.

Putting it all together felt surreal, almost pretentious. Calling myself an artist felt like I was playing dress-up. I felt completely out of my depth.

Finally, just before 10 pm, I hit send. Now, I sat back and waited.

Would I even get an interview?

A week passed, then another. Still no word. I tried to be patient. Then, an email arrived.

I didn't open it immediately, but I saw the beginning of the text: Thank you for submitting your submission for this year's Bursary opportunity and the subject line: Creative Pathways Bursary.

Okay, I think you can guess where my mind went. Thank you for your application but sadly you haven't been successful. I braced myself, already picturing the standard rejection email. The power of the imagination, hey?

I braced myself - standard rejection email, right?

But then I opened the email: We’d like to invite you for an interview to get to know you and your practice better.

Wait. What? An interview? Me? The one with no portfolio?

Honestly, I couldn’t say I had a fully developed artistic practice yet, but suddenly I did!

I was a bundle of nerves. I asked for the questions ahead of time, which helped - mostly because they were based on my application.

The interview went well. I sensed they really liked my ideas and proposal.

Another week of waiting. I had a feeling I might get it, but at the same time, I wasn't entirely sure. Then came the email.

The words that finally made it real: Thank you for attending the interview. We’re delighted to invite you to become one of our four Creative Pathway Bursary artists for 2025!

I couldn’t believe it. I’d been awarded the bursary.

Now the whirlwind begins: signing contracts, thinking about a website, invoicing, even photography - all before I’ve created a single new piece.

I have a few ideas jotted down in my notepad, disparate thoughts about what I'd like to create, but I haven't a clue yet how I'll translate them into a tangible reality. Yes, it's only the first month (April 2025), but the project management side in me has already taken over.

I actually enjoy the admin part. I know some artists would trade their soul for someone to handle the admin, just so they can focus on their art. But I struggle more with the act of creating. Maybe it should be the other way around.

I’ve scheduled a one-to-one with the Digital Culture Network to talk websites (it’s free, bonus!), and I plan to use some bursary funds to get myself a proper website and domain. This very site you’re reading is part of that plan.

I've signed up for a few courses to up-skill in a few different mediums (mixed media, textiles, collage) and to give me some structure to create some art.

I’ve created a detailed to-do list, organised my folder, and even sent my first invoice - only my second time invoicing for my freelance work.

The main takeaways so far? To remind myself to enjoy the process and have fun with it. While I want to create art I genuinely like, I need to keep my expectations realistic and avoid setting the bar too high. Since everything is still new to me, my focus is on embracing the experience and finding joy in it.

It’s a lot to navigate, but I feel confident that I can manage my way through it. And honestly, this is where my freelance art journey starts.

The Somerset Art Works Creative Pathways Bursary is a professional development programme that aims to provide tailor-made support to artists to help them develop their practice and deliver exciting new work. The bursary allows selected artists to showcase their work and practices during Somerset Art Weeks and Somerset Open Studios. This year, they are awarding 4 Somerset-based artists aged between 18-30 or in the early stages of their career to demonstrate their developing practices and engage with audiences during Somerset Open Studios event (13th-28th September 2025).

Thanks for reading, if you have any comments or feedback, please feel free to share.