While you’re waiting for the “right moment,” someone else just submitted their application.
Here’s an uncomfortable truth about creative careers: the perfect moment doesn’t exist. It’s a mirage that keeps talented people perpetually preparing instead of actually doing. And right now, while you’re reading this in June, thinking you’ll “get serious” about that project in September, application deadlines for 2025 opportunities are approaching fast.
Let me be blunt about what waiting costs you.
The Hidden Price of “Not Yet”
Opportunity Cost #1: The Application Calendar You Don’t See
Most major grant cycles close between September and November. EU Creative Europe applications? October deadline. Major foundation grants? Fall submissions for following year funding. That residency you’ve been eyeing? They’re reviewing applications right now for 2025 slots.
While you’re waiting for inspiration to strike or your portfolio to be “ready enough,” other artists are submitting. The brutal math: if you’re not preparing now, you’re automatically out of the running for next year’s biggest opportunities.
Opportunity Cost #2: The Compounding Effect
Every month you delay compounds. Not just in missed deadlines, but in lost momentum, skill development, and professional relationships. That exhibition proposal you’ve been “almost ready” to send for six months? If you’d submitted it in January, you might already have programming lined up for 2025. Instead, you’re still perfecting a document that was probably submission-ready months ago.
Opportunity Cost #3: Market Positioning
Art world attention spans are short. Trends shift. Funding priorities change. The project that feels cutting-edge today might feel dated by the time you finally launch it. Cultural conversations move fast—being part of them requires timing, not perfection.
Opportunity Cost #4: Learning Cycles
Every application teaches you something. Every rejected proposal gets you closer to an accepted one. But if you never submit because you’re eternally preparing, you miss out on the most valuable education available: real-world feedback from actual decision-makers.
The Art World’s Invisible Timeline (That Everyone Assumes You Know)
Here’s what your summer actually looks like when you understand how the industry works:
June-July: Research and Development Season
- Grant applications open for major 2025 funding
- Galleries finalize 2025-2026 programming schedules
- Residency applications close for next year’s programs
- Festival programming decisions happen for following year
August: Last-Chance Territory
- Final deadlines for fall applications
- Academic year programming locked in
- Holiday exhibition planning finalized
September-November: Submission Sprint
- Peak application season
- Budget planning for following fiscal year
- Partnership agreements established
The kicker? Most people treat June–August as “downtime.” Big mistake. This is when next year’s opportunities are won or lost. True – a lot of people go on annual leave between mid-July and mid-September, but they’re not on holiday for a whole month. Plus, they’re working before they log off and (usually hysterically) working when they come back in August just to keep up with all the deadlines in September. Don’t let that happen to you.
The 80% Rule (Or: Why Perfect is the Enemy of Good)
Here’s a framework that actually works: If your project or application is 80% ready, submit it. Seriously.
I’ve reviewed (and written!) my fair share of grant applications and exhibition proposals. The difference between funded and unfunded projects rarely comes down to perfect documentation or flawless concepts. It comes down to:
- Clear articulation of what you’re actually doing
- Realistic timeline and budget
- Evidence you can execute (not evidence you can plan indefinitely)
Your 80% application submitted on time beats your hypothetical 100% application that never gets sent.
June Audit: What You Should Evaluate Right Now
Project Inventory Check:
- What have you been “preparing” for longer than six months?
- Which ideas keep coming up in conversations but never get acted upon?
- What would you start tomorrow if you had adequate (not perfect) resources?
Resource Reality Check:
- What do you actually need vs. what do you think you need?
- Can you start with what you have and upgrade later?
- Are you waiting for resources or waiting for courage?
Documentation Assessment:
- Is your portfolio current enough for opportunities arising this fall?
- Do you have professional photos of recent work?
- Can you write a coherent artist statement in 30 minutes? (If not, that’s your first task.)
Your June-to-September Strategic Action Plan
Immediate Actions (This Week):
- Research fall deadlines for grants/residencies/exhibitions in your area
- Update your portfolio with recent work
- Draft three versions of your artist statement (50 words, 150 words, 300 words)
July Actions:
- Begin actual applications for fall deadlines
- Document your current work professionally
- Reach out to references and let them know you’ll be applying to things
August Actions:
- Submit early drafts to trusted advisors for feedback
- Finalize applications that are 80% ready
- Start planning for winter/spring opportunities
September Actions:
- Submit everything you’ve prepared
- Begin research for 2025’s second wave of opportunities
- Reflect on what you learned from the application process
The Real Talk About Market Timing
Yes, some timing considerations actually matter:
Holiday Exhibition Deadlines: Many galleries close submissions for holiday programming by July. If you want your work considered for end-of-year shows or, realistically, shows for the next calendar year (!), June is already late.
Academic Calendar Alignment: Universities plan programming 12-18 months ahead. For 2025/2026 academic partnerships, you should be in conversations now.
Budget Cycles: Most institutional budgets reset in January or July. Understanding when your target venues plan their spending helps you time proposals strategically.
But here’s what doesn’t matter: whether you feel “ready,” whether your studio is organized, whether you have professional headshots, or whether Mercury is in retrograde.
Stop Waiting for Permission
The creative industries don’t reward perfection; they reward persistence and strategic action. Your competition isn’t other artists or institutions—it’s your own tendency to delay.
That project you’ve been “almost ready” to launch? Start it today. That application you’ve been researching for months? Write the first draft this week. That email to a potential collaborator? Send it before you finish reading this.
The art world moves fast, but it also has predictable rhythms. June/July isn’t downtime—it’s prep time for next year’s biggest opportunities. While everyone else is “planning to plan,” you can be doing.
Your turn: What project have you been preparing for longer than you’ve been actually working on it? What would you start if you knew you had adequate resources right now?
The perfect moment is a myth. But time passes, whether you use it strategically or let it slip by.
What opportunity have you been waiting for the “right moment” to pursue? Hit reply and tell me what’s really holding you back—I read every response and often turn them into future articles.