From the Executive Director
Vacation announcements have already started to fill my inbox, so let the Summer of Storytelling begin! We’ve kicked off our summer events calendar with activities from our members and partner organizations; no matter where you are, there is a place where you can find your tribe, grab up some joy, tell your story, feel the power.
- In this last eBulletin before we take our summer break, I wanted to share 5 things that have brought me joy recently, during this very tough year:
- 1. Akonadi Foundation’s So Love Can Win Fund. This is a call for storytelling projects that “advance and amplify narratives promoting togetherness and belonging. To combat feelings of isolation, So Love Can Win prioritizes projects creating art & culture spaces that bring people together and create opportunities for deeper understanding and inspire collective action.”
- 2. Senate Bill 133, where Colorado becomes the first state to launch A Corps, basically LLCs for Artists, legally banning investors from taking over their companies, changing their work, or stealing their creative rights. It is, of course, more complicated than that, but every A-Corps will define an artistic mission as part of its governance.
- 3. The Wallace Foundation Study, Preserving Cultural History and Stories, illustrating the importance of safeguarding the legacies of arts organizations rooted in communities of color. Take note world.
- 4. Invisible Infrastructure in an Era of Retrenchment: I’ve been participating in an Advisory Group for Alejandra Duque Cifuentes’ Arts Service Organization national research initiative. The work, as Alejandra has noted, “points to the nuanced and distinctive role that ASOs have played within the arts ecosystem, namely as network builders, knowledge hubs, accessible funders, next-generation supporters/trainers, and advocates.” This is the pavement we pound, the doors we bust open.
- Setting up calls with artists and technologists and other creative people I love — to talk about anything we want. Don’t plan ahead. Whatever comes up. Listen, share, connect — I highly recommend this. Unanticipated discoveries and ideas come to the light, and we hold them for a while, together. See what happens.
~ Wendy
Notes from the Field
Blackstar Film Festival Taking Place this August in Philadelphia
From August 6th through 9th, Philadelphia’s BlackStar Projects will celebrate the 15th year of its BlackStar Film Festival. The festival showcases films by Black, Brown, and Indigenous artists. In a Deadline article on the upcoming festival, Maori Karmael Holmes, the founder of the festival, discussed the festival’s newly reimagined visual identity, created with the design firm Pacific to “present a fresh identity,” according to Holmes.
Doc Society Climate Story Fund Applications Open
Doc Society has opened applications for its fund for nonfiction works that are centered around climate issues and geared toward motivating change. The fund is open to a wide range of mediums, including documentaries, podcasts, and impact campaigns — offering up to $125,000 in funding. The deadline for applications is Monday, July 6th.
Grants and Calls
Barbara Hammer Lesbian Experimental Filmmaking Grant
The Barbara Hammer Lesbian Experimental Filmmaking Grant provides a $5,000 award for U.S.-based lesbians making experimental moving-image work, including animation, documentary, narrative, and cross-genre projects. Established by pioneering experimental filmmaker Barbara Hammer in 2017, before her death, the grant is funded by Hammer’s estate and administered through Queer|Art.
Deadline: July 2nd
SFFILM Documentary Film Fund
SFFILM’s Documentary Film Fund provides grants of $10,000 to $20,000 to support feature-length documentaries in post-production. Projects should feature “compelling stories, intriguing characters, and an original, innovative visual approach.” In addition to funding, recipients will have access to the SFFILM Makers artist development program.
Deadline: July 7th
POV Call for Entries
PBS’s POV is seeking submissions of documentary and nonfiction films for its 2027 broadcast season. Categories include completed films and fine cuts, shorts under 40 minutes, and invited feature rough cuts. Selected films have the opportunity to air on POV, PBS’s showcase of independent nonfiction films.
Deadline: July 31st
Film Independent Project Involve
Film Independent’s Project Involve offers filmmakers the opportunity to form short film production teams across tracks including writing, directing, writing/directing, producing, cinematography, editing, programming, animation, and executive work. The program takes place in person in Los Angeles and offers hands-on filmmaking experience, mentorship, professional development, and a cash production grant.
Deadline: July 13th
Workshops, Festivals, Convenings
New York Asian Film Festival, July 10th – 26th, New York, NY
Maine International Film Festival, July 10th – 19th, Waterville, ME
Waco Independent Film Festival, July 16th – 19th, Waco, TX
Hamilton New York International Film Festival, July 20th – 26th, Hamilton, NY
Indy Shorts International Film Festival, July 21st – 26th, Indianapolis, IN
Woods Hole Film Festival, July 25th – August 1st, Woods Hole, MA
Media Policy Watch
On June 2nd, Colorado Governor Jared Polis signed Senate Bill 133, making Colorado the first state to allow artists to form A-Corps. The structure, initially developed by Kickstarter co-founder Yancey Strickler, allows artists to maintain creative control while receiving outside investment. The law requires artists to retain at least 51% voting control. It also contains protections for artists’ work licensed to the company, including reversion rights should the company dissolve. The Colorado Sun reported that California, Vermont, and New Jersey have expressed interest in adopting similar legislation.
Earlier this month, the Creative Rights Ensuring Artists’ Technique and Originality Are Reserved Act was introduced in Congress. The bill aims to protect visual artists from imitations of their work through “in the style of” AI prompts. Currently, many AI platforms allow the creation of visual content in the style of a specific artist. Congresswoman Van Duyne said of the bill, “Artists, illustrators, and designers in every district are watching their livelihoods be undercut by AI tools deliberately impersonating them, but right now, the law has no answer for it. These are people who have spent a lifetime building their creative identity — they deserve protection.”
In related news, chip maker Nvidia is being sued by the music platform Jamendo for the unlicensed use of their database to train AI music models. Jamendo provides free downloads and streaming of music from independent artists, with the opportunity for artists to sell commercial rights to their songs. According to Reuters, Jamendo alleges that Nvidia has violated their intellectual property rights using their music and metadata to train two of its AI models.
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Job Bank
Marketing & Sales Manager, Women Make Movies, NYC Metro Area
Teaching Artist – Advanced Photography Venice Arts, Venice, CA
Manager for Media Arts Education + Mentoring Programs, Venice Arts, Venice, CA
Deputy Director and Chief Operating Officer, Art Gallery of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Senior Finance Consultant, Arts FMS, Remote