Friendly Application Process

How we’ve tried to make applying to our projects as accessible as possible for as many people as possible.

At CRIPtic Arts, we have what we call a friendly application process. We have tried to design ways of applying to our projects that are accessible for as many people as possible.

As a disabled-led team, we understand the barriers disabled people face to applying for arts opportunities. If you want to apply in an audio or video format, we will transcribe your questions onto the form if you prefer. Beyond transcription, we don’t offer 1:1 support with applications, because everyone applying for opportunities with us is disabled – so this is not financially feasible. However, your application will be being assessed by a disabled panel, who understand the barriers to applications, and we have tried to design a friendly application process that is as universally accessible as possible to diverse, and neurodiverse, communities from the outset.

This is what our friendly application process includes:

Applications are reviewed and decisions are made by a team incorporating at least one neurodivergent person, and we do not expect them to be written in a neurotypical style.
Applications can be submitted via a Google Form, by emailing a Word document, as an audio-file, or as a video-file in English or BSL. Applicants can also upload an image or images (e.g. a mind-map or photo of handwritten answers) in response to questions.
Applicants will not be disadvantaged for using different spelling, grammar, speech, signed language, or structure, and if we can’t understand something, we will get in touch to ask what was intended.
Applicants can write responses to questions in full sentences or bullet points.
We will always allow applicants to write applications solo, with partners, friends, peers, support workers, or anyone else.
We know applicants might use AI to support with or write their application – however, we value unique approaches and self-expression and we’d prefer a less “well written” application that conveys your individual voice, over a perfectly written application that was produced by AI. Ultimately, we’re looking for the ideas behind what you tell us, not how you tell us them, and encourage you to ensure that comes through in your application.
Application questions contain an explanation of what we are assessing in the answer.
Application forms contain a guide character or word-count showing what we expect applicants to write, but the character-limit or word-limit is set considerably higher to acknowledge that not everyone can explain concepts with a low character limit.
We will always offer a Word doc with the form questions which can be used to draft answers.
Where possible we will provide a “mock answer” or bullet points to any longer written questions to give applicants an understanding of what we are hoping to receive. We’ll also include an explanation of what we are assessing in the answer.
If we want to move your application forward but parts of it haven’t been done in the way we expected, contain mistakes, or have gaps that concern us, we’ll come back to you and work with you in those areas before we make a decision.
We will give you an opportunity to tell us about any parts of the form with which you had difficulty so the team is aware.
Major projects will usually have a project application Q&A with one of the assessors online. This will be published to our website as a video afterwards. Where we are seeking to reach groups we are prioritising in our work, or are under-represented in our work or the sector, we may offer group-specific Q&A sessions or 1:1 sessions.
We will publish an email address to which people can send applications.
We will always have a fixed deadline, with the option for people to apply for an extension of up to a set number of days or weeks, as an access consideration where required. We will always publish the fixed deadline, instructions for applying for an extension, and the maximum extension available on the project. We won’t ever be able to extend beyond the maximum extension.
We will always publish an expected timeline for when and how people can expect to hear back from us about their application.
We will always be transparent about whether we can offer feedback to applicants and at what stage we can offer feedback (e.g. whether we can offer it to all applicants, shortlisted applicants, interviewed applicants).