Jacob Burns Film Center developed Creative Culture to champion diverse voices and foster a thriving artistic community from the region, across the country and around the world. Donor-funded fellowships and residencies help to ensure that people from every economic background have access to this rich experience.

FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM

Creative Culture provides 10-month-long fellowship experiences for emerging filmmakers looking to produce two short film projects in a collaborative community. Fellows receive access to production equipment and space, mentorship, and the JBFC’s industry network.

ELIGIBILITY FOR FELLOWSHIPS

Fellowships are open to all applicants who fit each individual fellowship’s eligibility requirements and show a strong interest in pursuing a career in the film/media arts. Priority is given to applicants who demonstrate the strongest present need for the fellowship. Short films made in Creative Culture’s fellowship program cannot be used to fulfill an academic requirement.

• The Valentine and Clark Emerging Artist Fellowship gives preference to applicants under the age of 30 who demonstrate a strong interest in pursuing a career in the film/media arts. Priority is given to applicants living in Westchester County, NY. Applicants must have a college degree. (Offered Fall & Spring)
• The Social Justice Filmmaker Fellowship is open to a filmmaker proposing a short film project that engages with issues of social justice by confronting inequality and creating dialogue. (Offered Only in Fall)
• The Health & Wellness Fellowship is open to applicants proposing a short film engaging with issues surrounding health and wellness. Since health is a broad issue, the project may explore experiences with addiction, depression, chronic disease, mental health, gun violence, research, or recovery to name just a few focuses applicable to this fellowship. (Offered Only in Fall) 
• In response to an often male-dominated industry, the Womxn Filmmaker Fellowship is for womxn identified or aligned filmmakers. The JBFC celebrates the spectrum of gender diversity and uses womxn as an inclusive word that welcomes cisgender people, trans people, genderqueer people, and non-binary people who identify with the word womxn, women, femme, or female in a way that feels significant for them. (Offered Fall & Spring)
• The Silver Sun Diverse Voices Fellowship is open to all filmmakers from underrepresented communities who demonstrate a strong interest in pursuing a career in the film/media arts. This fellowship which encourages community engagement, aims to foster thoughtful media-creation and provides talented emerging artists with the necessary time and resources to fully realize and share a creative project with mentors, peers, and students. (Offered Only in Spring) 
•  The Gary Winick Visionary Narrative Fellowship is open to all filmmakers working in the scripted space. This fellowship encourages experimentation and innovation in storytelling and provides talented emerging narrative voices with the time, space, and resources to fully realize and produce creative work in a collaborative community. (Offered Only in Spring)
• Artists working in all film genres (animation, documentary, narrative) are encouraged to apply.

Please note, the JBFC cannot sponsor any international applicant for a visa at this time.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

- Artist Statement: a written description of the applicant's work and its significance 

- Statement of Purpose: a written explanation of why the Creative Culture Fellowship Program is right for the applicant at this stage in their career.

- Project Proposal: a detailed plan for the project the fellow will complete during the fellowship period, including a rough timeline. The proposal should also provide information on the current status of the project, highlighting available materials (e.g. script or plot treatment), any casting or crew decisions to date, and any completed work on the project thus far. If applying for Social Justice Filmmaker Fellowship and/or Health & Wellness Fellowship, the proposal should demonstrate how project will engage with the theme of the fellowship. 

- Up to 3 work samples (can include a reel)

- Two (2) professional references

- C.V.

*Applications are evaluated on artistic merit, feasibility of the proposed project, and adherence to the application guidelines.

The deadline to apply for Spring 2020 Creative Culture fellowships is December 22, 2019. Candidates will be notified of their status by mid January, with a tentative start date of February 2020. 

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