Artist Accelerator

Artist

Accelerator

Established in 2021, the Artist Accelerator Program works with artists and industry to create a more transparent, equitable, and sustainable independent film and television ecosystem.

Through yearlong fellowships and scholarship track opportunities, which bring together underrepresented artists working across fiction and nonfiction film and television, the program aims to cultivate creative and professional growth, provide unrestricted artist grants, and bespoke project consultancies. Opportunities are offered through the generous support of The Asian American Foundation, The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, The Walt Disney Company, Gold House, the Doris Duke Foundation, and board members Lyn Lear and Cindy Horn.

Additionally, the program offers non-recoupable grants to Sundance Institute-supported artists and projects through partnerships with The Walt Disney Company, Gold House, and the Doris Duke Foundation.

The Artist Accelerator Program also engages in industry innovation and field leadership through partnerships and collaborations with artist support organizations, government agencies, and artist collectives.

Fellowship & Scholarship Programs

The Artist Accelerator Program offers year-long opportunities for artists to build community, receive bespoke project support, access funding and grow professionally.

Asian American Foundation Fellowship and Scholarship

Launched in 2022, the Sundance Institute Asian American Foundation Fellowship and Scholarship provides 12 emerging Asian-American artists with professional development, opportunities to connect with like-minded creatives to develop and grow one’s network, and Collab Community packages. Our goal is to have a positive impact on Asian-American representation in independent media and to strengthen connections to other organizations working in the space. The Program consists of two strands: the Sundance Institute Asian American Fellowship and the Sundance Institute Asian American Scholarship.

The Asian American Fellowship and Scholarship is developed with support from The Asian American Foundation (TAAF), and additional support from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.

Latine Fellowship and Scholarship

Launched in 2022, the Sundance Institute Latine Fellowship and Collab Scholarship provides 10 emerging Latine artists with professional development, opportunities to connect with like-minded creatives to develop and grow one’s network, and Collab Community packages.

The program aims to positively impact Latine representation in Sundance Institute programs and independent media. The Program consists of two strands: the Sundance Institute Latine Fellowship and the Sundance Institute Latine Collab Scholarship.

Developed with funding support from Lyn Lear and Cindy Horn, and additional support from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.

The Sundance Institute | The Walt Disney Company Artist Fellowship

Launched in 2023, the Sundance Institute l The Walt Disney Company Artist Fellowship provides in-depth support to four emerging filmmakers working in fiction or nonfiction. The fellowship fosters community and provides a deep, year-round learning experience with virtual and in-person exchanges as well as access to Disney executives to build their networks. The fellowship aims to positively impact the film and television industry with new cohorts of artists ready for engagement and employment.

The Sundance Institute | The Walt Disney Company Artist Fellowship is developed with support from the Walt Disney Company.

Building Bridges Artist Fellowship

Launched in 2024 and conducted in collaboration with the Islamic Scholarship Fund, the Building Bridges Artist Fellowship provides six emerging artists with professional development opportunities, Sundance Collab Community Packages, and access to Sundance Institute’s ELEVATE program for year-round professional and project development.

The fellowship aims to provide financial and creative resources, mentorship, and support to filmmakers, producers, and other creators focused on Muslim storytelling while also offering community and network support with other creatives in the industry.

The Building Bridges Artist Fellowship is developed with support from the Doris Duke Foundation.

Funding Opportunities

Artist Accelerator Program provides non-recoupable grants for projects which have been previously supported by a Sundance Institute Program (Feature Film Program, Documentary Film Program, Episodic Program, Ignite Program, Indigenous Program, and the Artist Accelerator Program). Each fund prioritizes projects where grants would have the most impact and be catalytic to the project reaching its next step.

The Sundance Institute | The Walt Disney Company Project Advancement and Completion Fund

Launched in 2022 with the generous support of The Walt Disney Company, this fund provides a $25,000 grant to fiction directors from traditionally underrepresented communities. This non-recoupable fund aims to leverage a project’s momentum and provide directors an opportunity to move their projects from development and into production. In addition to the financial support, grantees receive access to Artist Accelerator and Sundance ELEVATE programming and the opportunity to meet with Disney executives to build their networks.

One House Filmmakers Fund

Launched in 2023, the One House Filmmakers Fund provides unrestricted non-recoupable grants to Multicultural and underserved artists working on feature length nonfiction or fiction projects around the globe. In addition to the financial support, grantees receive access to Artist Accelerator and Sundance ELEVATE programming. The Fund is made possible through the generous support of Gold House.

Sundance Institute Completion Fund

The Sundance Institute Completion Fund in partnership with Zions Bank provides unrestricted grants to BIPOC and Women filmmakers working across fiction and nonfiction. Applicants must be planning to premiere their film in the first six (6) months of the calendar year to be eligible. Selections are by invitation only and open to nominated candidates that are receiving support via an Institute Program.

Field Advocacy

The Artist Accelerator Program engages in field advocacy and leadership through partnerships and collaborations with artist support organizations, government agencies, and artist collectives.

The Nonfiction Core Application Proposal Checklist

The Non-Fiction Core Application (v.2022) is a collaborative field-wide effort by funders, producers, fiscal sponsors, artist collectives, and artist support organizations to standardize a set of questions that are used in non-fiction funding, fiscal sponsor, or artist support opportunities. Led by Sundance Institute, in partnership with the International Documentary Association (IDA), the goal of Nonfiction Core Application Proposal Checklist Initiative to alleviate the burden of proposal re-writing on applicants, foster greater access to sources of creative and financial support, and build toward a more equitable and transparent nonfiction field.

The Impact Application Checklist

The Impact Application Checklist, developed in partnership with the Global Impact Producers Alliance (GIPA), is designed to standardize application questions for impact funding, and reduce the burden of application writing on filmmakers by offering funders a standardized and structured approach to asking impact-focused questions. Impact storytelling is crucial, not just for awareness but for real-world change, and the Impact Application Checklist ensures that funders and filmmakers have a shared framework to facilitate that work.