Guidelines for artistic descriptions and statement of creative process

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Your artistic description will be published in the Scholars Day program, and it should be submitted in final, publishable form. It will also be used in the selection process.

Writing an artistic description

Goal:  An artistic description provides a short but clear statement of your intended performance.  It should, in about three sentences (no more than 75 words), tell your audience about the piece that you will sing, perform or read.

Best practices: A well crafted description will serve as a brief preview and introduction to your performance.  Comment on the hoped for effect on your audience.  Remember that the artistic description is short!!!

Example of a completed artistic description:

My poetry is written in free verse and combines Greek myth with environmental issues, commenting particularly on the problem of climate change in the 21st century. The voice of the persona in the poems is the wise fool.  The title of the poems are “Water,” “Ozone Dreams,” “Frigid Dejections,” and “Air Pollution Ballads.”  My purpose is to create an ambivalent identification between the audience and the persona and to heighten the sense of the absurd. [74 words]

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Writing a statement of creative process

A statement of creative process is your fleshed-out description of the artistic work you are submitting for Scholar’s Day.  It is a 150-300 word summary that will be used in the selection process.

Although the space for your statement is limited, it should contain these elements:
- A brief statement of your creative process including relevant methods or techniques.
- A brief discussion of significant texts, criticism or recordings that have influenced your creative work.
- A rationale for the choice of artistic work, showing how it builds upon or contributes to relevant traditions.  In other words, how would you situate your work within generally accepted traditions?

Particular disciplines have different ways of communicating the creative process.  For this reason, please work closely with your faculty advisor when organizing this statement.

Creative writing

  • How does your story/poem/essay fit into contemporary American literary styles?

Music

  • What musical traditions influenced your choice of piece(s) and performance?

Theatre

  • How does your work fit into the American one-act tradition?

General tips for an excellent statement:

  • Start with why your artistic work is provocative or intriguing (how it contributes), then fill in how you address techniques, traditions and influences.

  • Provide enough detail to give the reader/reviewer a good sense of your main points.

  • Show confidence and eagerness by using the first person "I" (if that is acceptable in your discipline) as well as using active verbs, concise style and positive phrasing.

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