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Cleveland International Film Festival receives NEA Art Works Grant to support Education and Exhibition Programs
Dec. 17, 2013: National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Acting Chairman Joan Shigekawa announced that the Cleveland International Film Festival is one of 895 nonprofit organizations nationwide to receive an NEA Art Works grant. The Cleveland International Film Festival (CIFF) is recommended for a $40,000 grant to support its exhibition and education programs.
Funding from the NEA will enable the presentation of the Film Festival’s primary educational programs, FilmSlam and FilmForums. The Film Festival’s longest running educational program is FilmSlam, which takes place on seven weekday mornings during the CIFF. FilmSlam impacts the lives of young people (including a record 6,009 junior high and high school students in 2013) by giving them the opportunity to see remarkable films by some of the world's most innovative filmmakers.
A volunteer committee of junior high and high school students and teachers helps select the FilmSlam program. And all films are linked to curriculum strands. Study guides (including an introduction to media literacy) are provided to teachers, and filmmakers speak after the screenings.
FilmForums are moderated and interactive panel discussions that feature filmmakers, community leaders, and scholars who are knowledgeable about the topic at hand. FilmForums offer CIFF patrons creative and unique opportunities to explore urgent, relevant, and complex social issues. These are issues that cannot and should not be ignored.
Acting Chairman Shigekawa said, “The National Endowment for the Arts is proud to support these exciting and diverse arts projects that will take place throughout the United States. Whether it is through a focus on education, engagement, or innovation, these projects all contribute to vibrant communities and memorable experiences for the public to engage with the arts.”
CIFF Executive Director Marcie Goodman noted, “The generous support of the NEA makes it possible for our organization to fulfill its mission of promoting artistically and culturally significant film arts through education and exhibition to enrich the life of the community. We are so grateful.”
Art Works grants support the creation of art that meets the highest standards of excellence: public engagement with diverse and excellent art, lifelong learning in the arts, and enhancing the livability of communities through the arts.
The NEA received 1,528 eligible Art Works applications, requesting more than $75 million in funding. Of those applications, 895 are recommended for grants for a total of $ 23.4 million.
For a complete listing of projects recommended for Art Works grant support, visit the NEA website at arts.gov.
The 38th Cleveland International Film Festival presented by Dollar Bank will take place March 19 – 30, 2014 at Tower City Cinemas in Tower City Center. For more information on the Cleveland International Film Festival, please visit www.clevelandfilm.org or call 216.623.3456.
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