Thanks to the generous support of our partners at Sundance Institute, CAAM will be awarding up to 15 emergency grants of up to $1,000 each for Asian American filmmakers who demonstrate financial needs as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic’s economic impact has been vast, and our independent film industry is no exception. CAAM understands that many filmmakers have lost income as a result of productions being stopped and that the uncertainty is ongoing.
Back in April, Sundance Institute created the $1 million Sundance Institute Respond and Reimagine Plan. This plan will redistribute funds to directly support the urgent needs of artists from historically marginalized communities disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. CAAM is proud to be selected as one of the storytelling organizations and artists collaboratives that will be distributing the funds. These grants will provide assistance to filmmakers who have experienced work loss and have needs in the areas of food insecurity, housing, healthcare, or mental health.
CAAM is honored to be selected based on nominations from a network of peer arts organizations, funders, and Sundance Institute alumni artists — a broad cross-section of expertises across media, arts, racial justice, theatre, humanities, philanthropic, social science, and human rights organizations.
The need to support the arts around the world will be ongoing as these organizations weather the continuing challenges of the pandemic. It’s our hope that the Sundance Institute Respond and Reimagine Plan will help support art and artists in our community and around the world.
Emergency Grant Eligibility
- Identify as Asian American
- Be a film professional who is experiencing dire financial emergencies due to the COVID-19 pandemic
- Have a professional relationship to documentary filmmaking or interactive media. For the purposes of this application, “professional” is defined as one or more of the following roles: director, producer, cinematographer, or editor
- Have successfully worked on at least one completed nonfiction film or interactive media project that was publicly exhibited in a curated and/or noncommercial environment, including online and/or physical programs
- Reside in any U.S. state or territory and be able to receive and cash a check, or receive funds electronically
- Provide a W-9 and Social Security Number (SSN) or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) after being notified of selection
- Currently enrolled students are not eligible to apply for funding
Click here to apply by Monday, August 31, 2020.
About the Fund
In April, the Sundance Institute Respond & Reimagine Plan was announced, a $1 Million fund created to directly support the urgent needs of artists, as well as organizations from around the world leading the field in support of artists from historically marginalized communities disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. Visit the Sundance website to see the full list of nonprofit organizations funded.
