Back in March, an opportunity crossed my path to apply for a 10-day Artistic Residency program in the Chicago area. It would bring together groups of artists of all kinds: playwrights, novelists, painters, musicians, etc. to live and create in individual cabins, while joining together for meals and fellowship communally. This would give all the artists the opportunity to exchange ideas, draw on others’ creative inspirations and provide a nurturing space to, in my case, write a new play. There were even scholarship opportunities available for focusing on various topics or interest areas. You were even allowed to list the times of year you preferred to be in residence. There was a lot of preparation involved for the submissions: writing samples, cover letters, artistic and philosophical statements and premise proposals for what you intended to work on.
Long shot? Of course. First time applying to a residency program opportunity? Yes, and with a lot of accompanying documentation that I hadn’t put together before. Probably tons of people applying? Probably, and not just writers - as I said, visual and performing artists as well, all vying for a limited number of slots and a finite amount of scholarship money.
That said, I actually had really high hopes for this one. Something kept telling me that this was the one, that dominos were falling the right way for me finally, I could have an opportunity to get away and really create - write the play that’s been nagging at me for a long time now, plus mix and mingle with other creatives from all over the country. This is it, this is the opportunity that was really going to jump-start the next phase in my playwriting journey…
So, as you might have guessed, I got a rejection notice today. It was very nice and polite, mentioned (as they all do) there were a “record number of applications,” and of course encouraged me to continue with my artistic endeavors.
My first thoughts: 1) Thanks for nothing. 2) That play festival I was in the middle of submitting three of my 10-minute plays that was requiring a ton of extra work for submission? Abandoned, for now. I’m not working on any more submissions today just to get yet another set of rejections 6 months later. 3) I’m done with writing. 4) No, I’m not, quit thinking that way. Hrmph.
My wife could tell something was eating at me when she picked me up after work. When I told her I had been rejected, she said no worries, just apply again next year. Oh, well, yeah I guess so. Why is she always the smart one?
Am I disappointed? Absolutely. Am I disillusioned? Kinda. I was for a while. But I think maybe I’ll start another round. Why break a perfect streak?
