FAQ: Catapult + City of Port Adelaide Enfield Mentorship
How will I be supported in the mentorship?
The mentorship provides a total fee of $7,000 for the mentorship and $1,000 for the public presentation. Guildhouse acts as an administrator and advisory support for both the mentee and mentor. Guildhouse will issue mid and end reports to both mentee and mentor for participant feedback and connect throughout the mentorship.
PAE will support with the identification of suitable venues within the City of Port Adelaide Enfield for the delivery of the public program.
Mentees and mentors will be invited to join scheduled online catch-ups with other Catapult participants.
The mentorship is self-directed. However, Guildhouse will support the mentee and mentor where needed.
What might my mentorship aims look like?
- Reflect on your current practice and where you want to be positioned within the industry. What goals need to be reached to attain that position?
- Be prepared and welcoming of critical dialogue around your practice. Will your mentor’s expertise support your creative growth?
- Ensure you have time to dedicate to your mentorship goals. Can your proposal attain your goals and are they feasible within the program scope?
How do I choose my mentor?
As Catapult is an artist-led mentorship, your mentor will be an experienced and trusted advisor who offers support and constructive feedback.
Consider the following when selecting a mentor:
- What experience can the mentor bring to my practice?
- What qualities within the artist or their work would my practice benefit from?
- What are my goals and how do they align with my proposed mentor?
- Does the mentor have capacity and time to participate?
- Choose someone who is not only supportive but challenging.
How do I approach my mentor?
If you’re familiar with the mentor, present a short but concise plan for the mentorship. Outline your objectives, aspirations and what you hope their role will contribute and provide to your practice. From the outset, establish the structure (i.e. contact time) and their fee.
If you do not personally know your mentor, opt for an introductory email that outlines your experience, practice, the proposed mentorship structure and what is expected from both parties. If needed, Guildhouse can assist with introductions.
Why is Catapult unique?
‘You’ are your Catapult mentorship. The mentorship prioritises the growth and development of specific areas of your practice, as identified through goals. Both mentee and mentor will co-identify goals specific to the mentee’s intentions and experience.
The key mentorship outcome is the growth and development to specific areas of your practice, as identified through your learning goals. The mentorship prioritises meaningful exchange and development. The mentorship provides time and space to take creative risks, refine practice, build confidence and explore new directions.
The public outcome is an opportunity to share your learning with the City of Port Adelaide Enfield community.
As Catapult is not a project grant, it is advised that applicants familiarise themselves with the breadth of previous recipients before forming an application.
Do I need to know what my mentorship outcome will be at the time of application?
You are not required to described outcome details in the application, but you are welcome to indicate ambitions or intentions. The mentorship will culminate in a public program (such as an artist talk, workshop or demonstration) for the PAE community. This outcome will be informed by the mentorship’s activities and learnings. The outcome will be negotiated by the recipient, Guildhouse and PAE.
Advice for being a great mentee
Be clear in your needs but be flexible with outcomes. There may be some unexpected results as your mentorship runs its course, so remain open to the process. Respect your mentor and remain committed. Demonstrate that the mentor’s time is valued and that you’re thoughtfully engaging. The mentor will critique your practice and methodology, so be open to feedback. You will need to prepare for critical dialogue and constructive criticism. It is reasonable to not agree with all the advice a mentor provides. Discuss such areas openly and remain receptive to each other’s perspectives.
Advice for being a great mentor
Be genuine and generous. Provide advice that supports and challenges the mentee. Research the mentee and check that their goals are in line with your expertise. Be clear in your expectations, potential deliverables and the project timeline. Be forthcoming about the trials and tribulations in your practice, including your own mistakes. Providing a realistic picture of your work will allow the mentee to glean insight into the multifaceted nature of creative practice.
What does a mentorship timeline and budget look like?
Timelines and budgets often work together.
Timelines are a key aspect of the application and should highlight important dates. Your timeline needs to be realistic and convince assessors that you can deliver goals. Make sure the timeline is practical rather than aspirational. Set out a plan and then identify what is feasible. In case travel cannot occur, outline a contingency (e.g. Zoom calls), as assessors need to know that outcomes can be achieved regardless. Adjust your goals where necessary and format your timeline in a succinct list or table.
The budget must include balanced income and expenditure. When listing expenditure, consider the number of hours worked by mentee and mentor, travel, accommodation or material costs. Guildhouse suggests NAVA contractor rates as a guide, with the potential to be negotiated between parties – mentee $50-$60 per hour, mentor $120 per hour. Although the budget does not cover equipment, it extends to equipment hire and resource subscriptions.
Income is the $8,000 mentorship fee – which includes $7,000 for mentee and mentor fees, and $1,000 to support the development of the PAE public program outcome. Your budget can also include additional income streams (grants or personal monies).
Guildhouse believes in the payment of artists’ time and expertise. Budgets that do not allocate payment to both mentee and mentor will not be considered by the Selection Panel.
See our budget toolkit for more advice.
Developing support material
Images: Include high quality images of your work. Often, images are the first way that people connect with an artist’s practice. Guidance on taking photographs of your work can be found here, as images needn’t be professional quality to support an application.
Support Letter: Select someone with a good understanding of your practice who can speak positively about your capacity to deliver your goals. Ask well in advance and provide dot points to guide their letter, ensuring to make it relevant to the opportunity.
If my mentorship is not going to plan, how do I navigate this?
Always keep an open line of communication and discuss any issues as soon as they arise. Be clear about the difference between opposing opinions on subjective or creative matters, and the issues that might be preventing your mentorship from progressing. Set milestone dates to ensure you’re collectively achieving goals. Formalise an end date at the outset of your mentorship so there are clear parameters to work toward.
Although Catapult is self-directed, we are here to support. If needed, reach out to your key Guildhouse contact throughout the mentorship.
Will my mentorship be documented?
Guildhouse may engage a photographer or videographer to document the project outcomes. Participation in this process is a condition of undertaking the opportunity.
You are also required to submit visual documentation throughout the mentorship experience. Guildhouse collects information from the program to attract new applicants, promote the program to donors and to deliver on reporting requirements for our funders. We use these images on our website, in publications and on social media. This helps us to share the outcomes and impact of our work and to support more artists in the future.
Can I apply if I don’t reside in PAE?
No, this opportunity is funded by the City of Port Adelaide Enfield and is only available to residents of the City of Port Adelaide Enfield.
I’m also interested in applying for the regular Catapult mentorship program, can I apply for both?
Yes! However, you will only be eligible to receive one opportunity.
I’ve previously been a recipient of a Catapult mentorship, can I apply?
No – previous Catapult mentorship recipients are ineligible for the Catapult + PAE Mentorship.
If you previously participated in Catapult as a mentee, you are eligible to be a mentor.
I’ve got a question that isn’t covered here.
For further support in the first instance, read the Guidelines. If you still have questions, please contact Guildhouse’s Membership Coordinator via guildhouse@guildhouse.org.au or (08) 8410 1822.