TV / FILM — SEPTEMBER 2026

August 31, 2026

Ouray Film Sabbatical

Ouray International Film Festival |📍Ouray, CO

DEADLINE: September 5, 2026

INFO: At the Ouray Film Sabbatical, we offer creative support, rest, and community for filmmakers (in any role), film writers (critics, academics, journalists), and film programmers (festivals, theaters, and filmmaker education) – all through a fully funded residential experience in Colorado’s San Juan Mountains.

While many film programs are built around the development of a specific project, the Sabbatical is built around the person behind the work. Participants may arrive with a film, essay, program, or idea in progress, and the experience offers time and space to engage with that work. But project advancement is not the primary measure of the Sabbatical. Instead, participants are invited to step away from deadlines, deliverables, and professional momentum in order to reconnect with their creative lives and the questions that continue to draw them toward cinema. Ultimately, the Ouray Film Sabbatical is a casual and intentional space for rest, connection, and renewal.

How did the Sabbatical come to be?

This sabbatical was born out of the Ouray International Film Festival (OIFF), now entering its eighth year. After s iterations of our film festival, we have learned how much these remote mountains and the people who live here can transform artists. Now, we’re looking to extend that same connection to a sabbatical that can nourish the film community in one of the most beautiful corners of the Rockies.

Where is this located?

The Sabbatical is located in the stunning mountain town of Ouray, Colorado, known as the “Switzerland of America.” Located at an elevation of almost 8,000 feet, Ouray is a unique place that leaves creatives feeling refilled and ready for whatever is next in their journeys. With this sabbatical, we hope to share this experience of place and community that has come to define our festival. We cover airfare, lodging, and meals for all participants.

ourayfilmfestival.com/ouray-film-sabbatical

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Micro-Series Challenge

Sundance Collab x TikTok

DEADLINE: September 9, 2026 at 11:59pm PT

INFO: Ready to turn your series into the next must-watch micro-series? Sundance Collab is teaming up with TikTok to launch a global community challenge dedicated to the art of the micro-series. We are looking for bold, innovative creators ready to redefine short-form storytelling.

An industry jury will select five standout finalists to receive $5,000 each, a Sundance Collab course package, and a spot in an exclusive online workshop to sharpen their presentation with a Sundance Collab advisor. The finalists will then pitch their visions live, online, directly to the TikTok team.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES":

To enter, applicants must submit a micro-series concept package that includes:

Title
Genre
Logline (a single sentence capturing the core conflict and hook)
Character Bios (two to four main characters; name, age, personality, core motivation - no more than 500 words)
Synopsis (full series plot arc - up to 500 words)
Script - First 30 episodes (up to 45 pages in standard screenplay format)
Series Bible (1-3 pages)

KEY DETAILS:

All submitted materials must be created by the submitter.
Applications and supporting materials must be in English.
Applicants must be 18 years of age or older at time of submission.
One entry per person. Multiple entries will result in disqualification.
Co-writers/co-creators may submit as a team (up to two) via one submission. If a team is accepted, each team will share the $5,000 unrestricted grant, and each team member will receive a Sundance Collab course package.
Applicants may not use generative AI to create, develop, or revise their submissions.
Submitted entries cannot be edited or updated after submission.
By entering this challenge, all applicants grant TikTok a "first-look" opportunity at their series idea. TikTok will have 21 days from the date you are notified of your application status to determine if they want to extend an offer.

TIMELINE:

Deadline to submit: 11:59 p.m. PT on September 9, 2026
Finalists notified: October 30, 2026
Online Pitch Workshop: November 3, 2026
Finalists Pitch Event: November 6, 2026

PREPARATION: To learn more about the micro-series format, explore our online event, Behind the Screen: Inside the Making of the Hit TikTok Series, SCREEN TIME.

collab.sundance.org/catalog/Micro-Series-Challenge

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SPRING SUMMER 2027 RESIDENCIES

MacDowell |📍Peterborough, NH

DEADLINE: September 10, 2026 at 11:59 pm EST

INFO: About 300 artists in seven disciplines are awarded MacDowell Fellowships each year and the sole criterion for acceptance is artistic excellence. MacDowell offers residencies at no cost to artists and provides need-based stipends to help cover expenses incurred during the residency, including rent, utilities, childcare, and lost income. Travel reimbursements are also available.

MacDowell encourages applications from artists of all backgrounds and all countries in the following disciplines: architecture, film/video, interdisciplinary arts, literature, music composition, theatre, and visual arts. Any applicant whose proposed project does not fall clearly within one of these artistic disciplines should contact the admissions department for guidance. We aim to be inclusive, not exclusive in our admissions process.

QUESTIONS? Please contact admissions@macdowell.org.

macdowell.org/apply/apply-for-fellowship

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Writers’ Access Support Staff Training Program

The Writers Guild Foundation

DEADLINE: September 13, 2026 at 11:59pm PT

INFO: The mission of the Writers’ Access Support Staff Training Program is to provide writers who are BIPOC, LGBTQ+, disabled writers, and writers over the age of 50 with the tools and education to become a writers’ assistant and script coordinator, resulting in meaningful employment opportunities.

These positions have historically been an invaluable way to learn the writing process first-hand, with the ultimate goal of getting a writing job. Graduates of the program are added to an ongoing list of trained writers’ assistants and script coordinators (WA/SCs) that is made available to studios, networks, and showrunners, in order to increase the pool of eligible hires.

By offering this opportunity to writers who are typically excluded from the writers’ room, we hope to increase representation among television writers, and capture stories from all corners of the human experience.

PROGRAM OVERVIEW: Founded in partnership with TV writers and producers Tanya Saracho (Vida), Mike Royce (One Day at a Time), and Liz Hsiao Lan Alper (Day of the Dead), the Writers’ Access Support Staff Training Program is a first-of-its-kind initiative to support the full inclusion and employment of underrepresented groups in the television industry.

Each 14-week course incorporates a variety of lessons tailored to the positions of a writers' assistant or script coordinator. Instructors have developed a comprehensive syllabus to cover the ins and outs of these positions.

By the end of the semester, participants will have working knowledge to integrate into a writers' room and crucial connections to access these opportunities.

ELIGIBILITY: This program is designed to support the inclusion and employment of underrepresented groups in the television industry. Writers who are BIPOC, LGBTQ+, disabled writers, and writers over the age of 50 are encouraged to apply.

To qualify for this program, applicants must be:

At least 18 years of age.

Authorized to work in the U.S.

Able to demonstrate meaningful ongoing efforts to break in as a TV writer.

Interested in pursuing employment in a support staff role.

Able to participate in all program meetings and fulfill all program requirements.

Open to constructive criticism and respectful to all other participants and mentors.

No professional writing experience is required. However, we do expect that all applicants are well-versed in the fundamentals of writing for the screen prior to their participation in the program. This program is not a writing fellowship; it is a professional training program that focuses specifically on support staff roles.

Applicants who have previously worked as a writers’ assistant or script coordinator are not eligible to apply. Former writers’ PAs and showrunner’s assistants are exempt from this rule.

FAQs:

When and where does the program take place?

Typically, the course takes place between January and May of each year. Classes are currently hosted online via Zoom – Thursday evenings from 7-10pm PT. Optional in-person meetups and networking events are held exclusively in Los Angeles.

Do I need to live in Los Angeles?

No, applicants do not need to live in Los Angeles.

That said, candidates who reside in the Los Angeles area will receive priority during the admissions process. A maximum of 10% of the overall class will be reserved for participants who live outside the LA area.

wgfoundation.org/programs/writers-access-support-staff-training-program

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fall 2026 guest residency

Woodward Residency |📍Ridgewood, Queen, NY

DEADLINE: September 13, 2026

INFO: Applications are now open for the Fall ’26 Guest Residency in Ridgewood, Queens.

Established and emerging creatives working in literary arts, design, film, and multidisciplinary arts are encouraged to apply for this free four-month workspace residency. We also have a silent player piano in the space for musicians and composers.

RESIDENCY DATES: October 5, 2026 — Jan 26, 2027

ELIGIBILITY: Established/emerging artists and creative professionals in the fields of literary arts, design, music, and multi-disciplinary arts are encouraged to apply.

Please note that art forms that generate fumes (such as oil painting) cannot be accommodated. Also, with the exception of our piano residents who can use headphones, our space is best suited to less cacophonous artistic pursuits.

AWARD BENEFITS:

Access to the building from 9AM-5 PM, Monday through Friday for the duration of your Guest Residency.
Guest Residents will work in the communal Great Room, with library etiquette.
Open invite to weekly tea and cake gatherings, and occasional work shares and evening parties.
A supportive and engaged community of working creatives.

woodwardresidency.co/guestresidency

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SCREENWRITING LAB

Film Independent

DEADLINE / APPLICATION FEE:

September 14, 2026 / $45 for Film Independent Members
FREE for Filmmaker Pro Members (limited to one waived fee per Membership year)

INFO: The Screenwriting Lab is a two-week workshop held in the first quarter of the year, designed to provide individualized story and career development for emerging screenwriters with a fiction feature screenplay.

Each Screenwriting Fellow will be paired with a Creative Advisor, with whom they’ll work one-on-one and in group sessions to further develop their project over the course of the program. The Screenwriting Lab also helps to further the careers of its Fellows by introducing them to film industry veterans who can offer guidance on both the craft and business of screenwriting. A variety of guest speakers may screen and discuss their own films and offer career insights, and a final pitch event offers further opportunity for individualized feedback and discussion with industry executives.

WHO CAN APPLY?

The Screenwriting Lab is open to any writer applying with a completed draft of a feature-length project they wish to workshop during the program, with an eye toward production. More details available in the FAQ section below.

HOW TO APPLY:

Applicants must submit the following materials for consideration:

A cover letter detailing what drew you to apply to the Screenwriting Lab and why this is the right time for you to participate in the program (500 words max)
One complete, feature-length screenplay
An artist statement explaining the genesis of the story, your creative vision and intentions for the film (750 words max)
A look book (optional)
A logline (25 words) and synopsis for the film
Bios of attached key cast and crew, if any – Attachments are not required for consideration
Project status and history, including any relevant development history, awards received or labs and/or markets attended with the project
A narrative directing sample, if you plan on directing the film with which you are applying

FAQs:

Screenwriting Lab is for writers only; other collaborators are not invited to participate.
Writing partners/teams are welcome to apply and need only submit one application.
We are open to filmmakers at any level of experience.
International applicants are eligible; the script must be translated into English for consideration.
Adaptations are eligible; the applicant must retain rights to the underlying material.
At this time, documentary, short film and television projects are not eligible to apply.
We will reconsider projects that have previously been submitted, provided the writer(s) can demonstrate progress on the project and/or professional development.
Filmmakers may apply to multiple Film Independent Artist Development programs and there is no requirement to have participated in any one program before another.

Please note: Each applicant must be the author of the script they submit.

THE FINE PRINT:

Beyond the application fee, there is no cost or tuition to participate in any of Film Independent’s Artist Development programs.

Film Independent Membership is not required when applying to Artist Development Labs. However, all participants accepted into the Labs are required to join Film Independent at the standard annual General Membership rate of $105.

Applicants will be notified three to four weeks prior to the start of the program.

Applicants who are invited to participate in the program should plan to be in Los Angeles for the duration of the Lab. Film Independent is unable to subsidize any travel, lodging and/or visa expenses for any participants attending from outside of Los Angeles. Participants are expected to attend all sessions in person.

For more information, please email: artistdevelopment@filmindependent.org.

To learn more about Film Independent Fellows and their projects, visit our Talent Guide.

filmindependent.org/programs/artist-development/screenwriting-lab/

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Guggenheim Fellowship

DEADLINE: September 15, 2026 at 11:59 EST.

INFO: The Guggenheim Fellowship is a mid-career award supporting the work of individuals who have made notable contributions to more than fifty fields across the arts, humanities, natural sciences, social sciences, and interdisciplinary areas.

Each year, roughly 200 Fellows are selected through a rigorous competition that assesses both past accomplishments and future plans. Recent success rates have averaged around 5%.

ELIGIBILITY:

Applicants must:

Be citizens or permanent residents of the United States or Canada
Be mid-career professionals who have made notable contributions to their field
Propose a significant project and demonstrate that they are prepared to complete it at the highest level of excellence
Apply as individuals or in pairs (i.e., two individuals working on the same project)

The following are not eligible to apply:

Individuals who have already received a Guggenheim Fellowship
Students currently enrolled in secondary, undergraduate, graduate, or postgraduate programs
Organizations, institutions, or other established groups

To learn more about the individuals we support, we recommend consulting the list of recent Guggenheim Fellows here.

gf.org/program/how-to-apply

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winter 2027 residency

Monson Arts |📍Monson, ME

DEADLINE: September 15, 2026

INFO: Monson Arts’ residency program supports emerging and established artists and writers by providing them time and space to devote to their creative practices. During each of our 2-week and 4-week programs throughout the year, a cohort of 5 artists and 5 writers are invited to immerse themselves in small town life at the edge of Maine’s North Woods and focus intensely on their work within a creative and inspiring environment. They receive a private studio, private bedroom in shared housing, all meals, and $500 stipend ($250 for 2-week programs). The Abbott Watts Residency for Photography offers access to the photography studio and darkroom of Todd Watts in nearby Blanchard, adjacent to the former home of Berenice Abbott. Click here to read more about this unique opportunity specifically for photographers.

Applications for a residency at Monson Arts are open to anyone at any stage of their career, working in visual arts, writing, and related fields (i.e. audio, video, photography, woodworking, movement, screen and playwrights). Open calls for residency applications currently take place 3 times throughout the year with deadlines on January 15, May 15, and September 15. Each application period corresponds to specific residency offerings 3-6 months out.

Residents’ studios are located in newly renovated Main Street buildings that have been designed specifically for visual artists and writers. All of our studio spaces are outfitted to be as flexible as possible so that we can accommodate a variety of creative practices. Our visual arts studios are spacious and light-filled with large work tables and sinks. Shelving and portable storage carts are available as needed. Access is available to woodshop and metal shop facilities in nearby buildings for any fabrication needs. Our writing studios are comfortably furnished with work tables, office chairs, bookshelves, and reading chairs. For those working in time and sound based media: apply to the Writing category if quiet contemplation would be best for your project or the Visual Arts category if you need room and the opportunity to make and play sounds out loud.

Residents live in newly renovated historic homes throughout town, within walking distance to studios and everything that downtown Monson has to offer. These are mostly 3 bedroom structures that are fully furnished and comfortable all four seasons of the year. Houses all have shared kitchens, bathrooms, and common areas with laundry machines, telephone, and other amenities as well. Wifi is available in all of our buildings through high speed fiberoptic service.

WINTER RESIDENCY SCHEDULE:

1/11 – 1/21 – 2 Week Residency
1/25 – 2/18 – Residency (With Abbott Watts Resident)
2/22 – 3/18 – Residency

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS:

Up to 5 images / 5 minutes of media OR 5 pages of writing examples
A letter of intent for your time at the residency (3000 Characters)
C.V. or Resume (limited to 6000 characters)
Two reference names

monsonarts.org/residencies/overview/

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STARZ #TAKETHELEAD WRITERS’ INTENSIVE

National Association of Latino Independent Producers (NALIP) x NewFilmmakers Los Angeles (NFMLA) x STARZ

DEADLINE: September 15, 2026 at 11:00am PT

INFO: NALIP and NFMLA are excited to collaborate once again with STARZ for the fifth season of the STARZ #TakeTheLead Writers’ Intensive—an empowering program aimed at nurturing new voices in television. This initiative provides emerging writers the opportunity to refine their skills and develop original spec scripts with hands-on guidance from top-tier mentors, executives, and experienced writers.

In 2026, four writers will be selected to participate in both phases of the program. In Phase 1, participants will connect with 15 industry professionals from a wide array of TV backgrounds while crafting a spec episode treatment. In Phase 2, each writer will write a full spec episode script based on an existing STARZ series and receive support from an industry mentor.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS:

Selected participants must be available for the duration of the following dates

Phase One

October 12th, 2026 - October 16th, 2026
1 Week, 32 hours total (Mon - Fri)
A one-week intensive featuring meetings & sessions with industry creatives and professionals
Participants receive feedback & support to develop an episode treatment
The program culminates with a STARZ jury reading treatments

Phase Two

October 19th, 2026 - November 20th, 2026
4 Weeks, 4 Hours/Week
Meetings with STARZ executives to hone spec script
Feedback from STARZ mentors to refine spec script
Final review and final set of notes for spec script

BENEFITS:

A $5,000 USD grant will be awarded to writers selected for the program
An opportunity to connect with industry professionals and creatives.

APPLICATION/APPLICANT REQUIREMENTS:

Must be the credited sole writer with at least one fully completed short or feature narrative film, which has been accepted into a film festival, OR have a story department-related credit (e.g., writer's assistant, staff writer, showrunner's assistant, script coordinator) on an episodic project
Must be or become a member of NALIP and/or NFMLA
Must be at least 18 years old at the time of application and legally authorized work, and participate in the Intensive in the United States
Must accept and agree to program rules, terms & conditions, and sign the program release
Must be available for all program dates outlined above

APPLICATION/APPLICANT MATERIALS:

All submission materials must be in English. If the project is in another language, please include a written English translation
The first ten pages of an original episodic ½-hour or 1-hour script
A treatment of the original episodic ½-hour or 1-hour script submitted
A resume (no more than one page)
A writer's statement (no more than one page) detailing what inspired you to apply to this program and your professional goals
A bio of the writer, including any relevant projects, awards, accolades, festival recognitions, etc

tvwritersintensive.com

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WOMEN DIRECTING MENTORSHIP

SeriesFest x Shondaland

DEADLINES / FEES:

Regular -- September 15, 2026
Final - November 1, 2026

INFO: SeriesFest and Shondaland are honored to partner on our eighth cycle of the Women Directing Mentorship: A competition designed to discover aspiring female directors with unique voices and provide a launchpad for their careers. Founded in 2019, The Women Directing Mentorship is anchored by the prestigious opportunity to shadow a director on an episode of a Shondaland original series.

The 2027 winner will be announced at the thirteenth annual SeriesFest in Denver, Colorado! Creatives and the Television Industry will gather from around the world at SeriesFest: Season 13 to celebrate the impact of the Women’s Directing Mentorship Program during the annual festival.

ELIGIBILITY:

To qualify, you must have 3 years of professional experience (in any professional role, not just Director). This can include having experience directing independent shorts, series, and films.
Applicants who have previously directed a network series are ineligible.
Must be 21+ years of age.
Applicants should to be based in the United States or the United Kingdom.
No directing teams will be considered. We encourage you to apply individually.

ENTRY MATERIALS:

Work Sample
A short film or a feature
Personal Introduction Video
3–5 minute video introducing yourself, your unique voice and style, and why you think you’re the right fit for the Women Directing Mentorship. Be creative! (see examples below)
Reel
Reel under 15 minutes or a short film showcasing your directing work. This reel can include student work.
CV/Resume
Entry Fee

PRIZE:

The director selected for the Grand Prize will shadow a director for an episode of a Shondaland production. The cycle 8 winner and semi-finalists will receive an all-access badge to SeriesFest: Season 13 in 2027.

SeriesFest and Shondaland are committed to amplifying the finalists and recipient through editorial features, social media, and national press opportunities. Explore examples of media coverage on Variety, Forbes, Indiewire and more here and on SeriesFest.com and Shondaland.com.

If your work is selected, you must fulfill the following requirements by the date(s) designated by SeriesFest:

(1) You must execute a release agreement wherein you:

Indemnify and hold harmless SeriesFest, LLC, its parent company, its affiliates, and subsidiaries and any of their respective directors, officers, employees, and representatives against any claim arising out of exhibition of your film at SeriesFest.

(2) Agree to participate in a reasonable number of customary promotional and publicity activities [including press junkets, telephone interviews, sending press packages, and public appearances to promote the SeriesFest]

(3) You own the project IP and have the rights to any affiliated source material

seriesfest.com/women-directing-mentorship/

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BLACK BOY WRITES & BLACK GIRL WRITES MENTORSHIP INITIATIVE

DEADLINE / FEE: September 30, 2026 / $75

INFO: The Black Boy Writes & Black Girl Writes Mentorship Initiative, which launched at the start of 2021, is dedicated to supplying industry access and resources to preWGA Black screenwriters.

The program is international and you don’t have to live in Los Angeles to be considered. Most of the programming is virtual, but out-of-town and international mentees will be flown in at the beginning of the year for the class kick-off and again for the end-of-year class retreat.

The goal of the program is to position and equip Black writers with the resources and knowledge to acquire representation, a staffed writing position, and/or optioned content.

PRIZES:

Monthly Writer Roundtables with established writers/industry leaders. Past participants include D’Lo Louis (Proximity Media), Deneise Davis (One of Them Days), Ahmadou Seck (VP Scripted, MACRO), Golden Globe Winning Writer Kemp Powers (Soul, One Night in Miami), Kay Oyegun (This is Us), Oscar Winner Peter Ramsey (Co-Director, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse).
Writing workshops to fine-tune their scripts and prepare them for fellowships, generals, and staffing opportunities.
General meetings with Networks and Production Companies. Past participants include Hartbeat, Gilga, FX, Netflix, Hooray Media, Nick Jr., Mattel, Plan B, Macro, and MarVista.
Each mentee will receive the latest in Final Draft software.
Mentees will have access to program mentors/industry professionals: Jackie Penn (4400, The Catch, Turner & Hooch), Andre Ferguson (Power Book II: Ghost), Chris Sanford (Reasonable Doubt), Kira Talise (Wonder Man), Past guest mentors include Steven Canals (Creator, Pose), and Sara Finney Johnson (Creator, Moesha and The Parkers).
At the end of the program, each mentee will have the opportunity to be read by Mike Gauyo’s agents at Culture Creative and Lit Managers at M88, for representation consideration.
Community with the Black Boy & Black Girl Writes Mentorship Alumni Network.

RULES & GUIDELINES:

All applicants must be pre-WGA to qualify. Meaning you must not be a member of the Writers Guild of America.
The first round of the application process will require a bio, one TV half-hour script or one TV one-hour script (of any genre), and a short essay. Multi-cams are accepted.
Half-hour scripts can't be more than 35 pages. One-hour scripts can't be more than 65 pages.
Applicants who reach the third round will interview with Mike Gauyo and his Chief of Programming, Heather Daughtry, before the new cohort is selected.
Mentees accepted into the program must be able to attend all programming events. Exceptions will be made for individuals that have emergency conflicts.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

Do I have to live in Los Angeles?

The program is international and you don’t have to live in Los Angeles to be considered.

What are the program committments?

This mentorship program is a year-long initiative that provides a pathway to eliminating barriers to entry. Most of the programming is virtual, however, mentees are required to attend two in-person events: the commencement weekend for the class kick-off, and the end-of-year retreat to close out the program.

Is there an age requirement?

Applicants must be at least 18 years of age.

Can I submit my feature film?

No. Please submit either a TV half-hour script or one TV one-hour script, of any genre.

Half-hour scripts can't be more than 35 pages. One-hour scripts can't be more than 65 pages.

scrybe.to/competitions/black-boy-writes-black-girl-writes-mentorship-initiative

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JANUARY - MARCH 2027 RESIDENCIES

Elf School of the Arts |📍Hayesville, NC

DEADLINE: September 30, 2026 at 11:59pm ET

APPLICATION FEE: $10

INFO: Applications for January-March residencies at Elf School of the Arts are open September 1-30!

Accepted mediums are book arts, drawing, forging, jewelry/casting/lapidary, mixed media, music, painting, papermaking, photography, printmaking, textiles, weaving, welding, woodworking, and writing.

Residencies range from 1-12 weeks, hosting 4 artists at a time, at no charge. Each resident receives a private bedroom and studio, with a shared kitchen and living space - creating an intimate, focused environment for deep creative work and meaningful exchange.

pci.jotform.com/form/262368100253146

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SHORE SCRIPTS SHORT FILM FUND

Shore Scripts

DEADLINES:

Regular - September 30, 2026
Final - October 30, 2026

INFO: The 2026 Fall Season of the Shore Scripts Short Film Fund will award a $15,000 cash production grant to one short script and $4,000 cash in finishing funds to one short film in post-production.

The Short Film Fund offers an opportunity for emerging screenwriters and filmmakers to receive much-needed financial support to get their work produced and distributed. Our partnerships with ARRI Rental, Oscar-nominated producer Maria Gracia Turgeon, and Tribeca short film programmer Kimberley Browning elevate the films that come through our Fund with free camera equipment, mentorship, and film festival strategy.

Many of our 28 previously funded short films have screened at some of the top film festivals in the world, including Sundance, Tribeca, BFI London, Austin, Cannes, Encounters, and Palm Springs. One even won a BAFTA! Several of those writers and writer/directors have gone on to gain representation, sell screenplays, get staffed on Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, & BBC shows, and develop their shorts into features and TV shows.

SUMMARY OF BENEFITS:

The Grand Prize Winner will receive a cash production grant of $15,000, free camera equipment rental from ARRI Rental for the duration of production, and support from Shore Scripts from development to distribution.
The Finishing Funds Winner will receive a cash grant of $4,000 in finishing funds for a short film currently in post-production, and support from Shore Scripts through post-production and distribution.
Both Winners will connect with two-time Oscar-nominated producer MARIA GRACIA TURGEON for project and career guidance, receive a film festival strategy package from Tribeca programmer KIMBERLEY BROWNING, and have the opportunity to have their completed films circulated to select members of our Industry Roster.
Top 5 Finalists (production grant) will receive feedback on their script from one of our esteemed Judges.
Top 15 Finalists (production grant) will have the opportunity to have their scripts circulated to select members of our Directors Roster.
Finalists (finishing funds) will receive feedback on the rough cut of their film from one of our esteemed Judges.

shorescripts.com/shortfilmfund/

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Pandora Short Film Grant

DEADLINE: October 1, 2026

INFO: The Pandora Short Film Grant is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that awards an annual $12,000 Grant to an early-career US filmmaker for the production of their short, narrative film. In addition, the Grant winner and three Finalists receive camera rental hookups from our sponsor, Panavision (worth thousands of dollars), hookups from our sponsor, Kodak, mentorship from award-winning filmmakers, and as much support as we can give to help the selected films get made. We accept projects that are at script stage as well as projects that have already filmed and are looking for finishing funds.

WHY? Narrative short films are notoriously hard to raise money for—the minimal financial returns make it rare for investors to fund a short. And yet, short films are a vital part of our cinematic landscape and an important medium for emerging filmmakers. We aim to give a big boost to early-career US filmmakers with bold visions.

WHO CAN APPLY? Our Grant is open to all US early-career filmmakers. We kindly ask you to not apply if you’ve directed a feature film with a budget over $250K or directed or produced television. This allows us to give a shot to someone who hasn’t been heard from yet. We put more weight on artistic vision than long film-industry resumes. The winner and finalists are chosen blindly based on script and pitch materials with no consideration of age, gender, ethnicity or sexual orientation.

PRIZES:

The winner receives:

$12,000 Grant
Camera package from Panavision (worth $15,000).
Optional $1,000 Kodak Film Grant to go towards the purchase of film stock and lab expenses if you choose to shoot on film.
Mentorship from an award-winning filmmaker (see our 2026 Mentors below). Mentors are paired with a Winner or Finalist based on creative or stylistic similarities
Fiscal sponsorship—making others who donate to the film able to count their donation as a tax write-off.

3 finalists will receive:

Special consideration given to enter Panavision’s New Filmmaker Program wherein you’d receive a camera package at little or no cost.
$500 off production insurance through Athos.
Mentorship from an award-winning filmmaker (see our 2026 Mentors below). Mentors are paired with a Winner or Finalist based on creative or stylistic similarities.
Fiscal sponsorship—making others who donate to the film able to count their donation as a tax write-off.

pandora.org/#about

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2027 Fellowship

Lighthouse Works |📍Fishers Island, NY

DEADLINE: October 1, 2026

APPLICATION FEE: $25

INFO: Lighthouse Works is seeking applications for our 2027 fellowship season.

Our Fellowship Program supports cultural practitioners working at the vanguard of their creative fields. We welcome applications from artists working across a wide range of disciplines and are best equipped to accommodate visual artists, writers, choreographers, and composers.

Fellowships are six weeks in length and take place on Fishers Island, New York. Fellows receive room and board, private studio space, and a $1,750 stipend. Artistic excellence is the primary criterion for selection.

Fellows live together in our residence, where each has a private bedroom and shares the kitchen, bathrooms, and common spaces. The house is kept stocked with food, with dietary needs accommodated, and on most evenings, our team prepares dinner for the Fellows and joins them at the table.

Our studios sit beside Silver Eel Cove, where the ferry arrives and departs Fishers Island. Each Fellow has a private studio with abundant natural light and views of the water.

While in residence, Fellows’ primary responsibility is the pursuit of their work. We ask only that each Fellow participate in an Artist Talk during the opening weekend of the fellowship and an Open Studio at the session’s conclusion.

HOW TO APPLY:

Artists at any stage of their careers are encouraged to apply through our online application system.

Applicants are asked to complete an application form, submit work samples, and provide a CV and work sample statement.

Lighthouse Works staff reviews applications for completeness before they are evaluated by independent juries of artists, writers, and other experts in the relevant fields. The juries identify a group of finalists, who are invited to interview before final selections are made. All applicants will be notified of the committee’s decision by the notification date listed for the application period.

Artistic excellence is the primary criterion for acceptance into the Fellowship Program.

lighthouseworks.us/fellowship

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MESA REFUGE 2027 RESIDENY

Mesa Refuge |📍Point Reyes Station, CA

DEADLINE: October 4, 2026 at 11:59pm PST

APPLICATION FEE: $35

INFO: Mesa Refuge brings transformative stories, ideas, and knowledge to the world by supporting a diverse community of writers and activists through residencies at our coastal California retreat. We welcome a diverse group of writers—both emerging and established—who define and/or offer solutions to the pressing issues of our time. Particularly, it is our priority to support writers and activists whose ideas are “on the edge”, taking on issues including (but not limited to): nature, environment and climate crisis; economic, racial and gender equity; social justice, incarceration and restorative justice; immigration; health care access; housing; democracy and more.

We accept all genres, however, we prioritize nonfiction books, long-form journalism, documentary film and podcasts. The potential impact and distribution of your project is also important.

We aim to support a diverse community of writers and welcome applicants that represent a broad spectrum of race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, immigration status, religion or physical ability. We prioritize applications of first time residents. If you are a Mesa Refuge alum, please inquire about Alum Weeks.

APPLICATION: We are a small nonprofit and our application fee of $35 helps underwrite the cost of application review. As an organization committed to equity, however, we do not want the application fee to be a barrier to apply. To request a fee waiver, please email nkansky@mesarefuge.org

The questions on our application are mostly short-answer. We require one writing sample (no longer than 2,000 words or 10 pages), a current resume, headshot photo (horizontally oriented), brief bio and two references (we do not require letters of recommendation). Applicants will be contacted in early 2027.

Please consult our FAQ page to learn more about applications and our facility.

LOGISTICS: Mesa Refuge is located in Point Reyes Station, CA (about 1.5 hours north of San Francisco). Our residencies are two-weeks long and there is no residency fee. Three writers are in residence at a time, living together in a house that has both private and shared spaces. You will need to provide your own transportation to and from the residency and most meals. Additional residency expenses like travel, transportation and food, are your responsibility.

mesarefuge.submittable.com/submit

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2027 fellowship

Amplify Arts |📍Omaha, NE

DEADLINE: October 4, 2026

INFO: Amplify’s Fellowship program champions artists working outside conventional art spaces to investigate the layered civic histories, cultural traditions, and living ecologies that shape our region. Designed to support site-responsive installations, book and publishing projects, films, performances, and other publicly engaged project-based work, the Fellowship provides $10,000 in project support, individualized project mentorship, and feedback in a small cohort-based learning environment.

For the 2027 Fellowship, preference will be given to projects that engage with the theme of Migration by exploring how movement shapes our communities, environments, and collective futures. We welcome project-based work that examines migration not only as the movement of people, but also as the circulation of ideas, languages, labor, waterways, seeds, species, capital, and culture.

We especially encourage projects that invite public participation or engagement. This may take the form of site-responsive installations, performances, workshops, or other shared experiences, as well as the circulation of books, printed matter, films, digital media, archives, or other forms of knowledge. We value projects that create opportunities for people to encounter, contribute to, or engage with ideas in ways that foster dialogue, learning, and reflection outside conventional art spaces.

FELLOWSHIP: The Fellowship is one year beginning in January of 2027 and ending in January of 2028. Fellows are expected to actively participate in all regularly scheduled cohort meetings and contribute to a culture of generosity, curiosity, and shared learning. Prospective applicants should approach this program willing to expand their practice with curiosity and critical feedback from other Fellows and mentors.

Fellows will be paired with mentors from outside the Omaha area early in the program in a matchmaking process that responds to each artist’s questions, methods, and ambitions. Mentors will be selected from a pool of curators, artists, and arts professionals with substantial experience in developing project-based work.

ELIGIBILITY: Any artist, artist collective, or collaborative group maintaining a residence within the Omaha/Council Bluffs Metro Area, including Washington, Douglas, Cass, Sarpy, and Saunders counties in Nebraska, and Pottawattamie, Mills, and Harrison counties in Iowa, is eligible to apply.

Applicants must be at least 19 years old and submit a complete application, including an Artist Statement, Project Description, Project Budget, Work Sample, and Works Cited page to be considered. A formal education is not required to apply.

Collectives and collaborative groups with a significant history of working together are also eligible.

TIMELINE:

September 8, 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm: Virtual Application Information Session
September 15, 12:00 pm - 2:00 pm: Virtual Application Office Hours
September 17, 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm: Virtual Application Office Hours
October 4, 11:59 pm: Application Closes
October 5 - October 18: Application Review
October 19 - October 23: Applicant Interviews
October 30: Application Status Updates Delivered

amplifyarts.org/events-blog/2027-fellowship

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Sesame Workshop Writers’ Room

Sesame Workshop

APPLICATION PERIOD: September 7 - October 5, 2026

INFO: Sesame Workshop Writers’ Room is a writing fellowship from the creators of Sesame Street. And we’re looking for YOU!

Emerging storytellers who are selected to join the Writers’ Room will receive hands-on writing experience guided by Sesame Street veterans and other children’s entertainment and media industry leaders. Each participant will develop and write a pilot script for their own original kids’ concept. Past fellows have gone on to develop their own original content with Sesame Workshop, as well as write for Sesame Street and various programs at Nickelodeon, Disney, DreamWorks, and more!

ABOUT THE PROGRAM:

Up to 6 writers will be selected
Sessions are expected to take place virtually from February 2027 to June 2027.
Learn from industry writers, producers, agents and executives
Learn and complete all steps of creating an original pilot episode script
Learn and complete all steps of creating a 3-5 minute speculative script based on Sesame Street
Includes 8 three-hour instructive sessions with an accomplished industry professional, 3 one-hour mentoring sessions with Sesame Street writer, and 15 one-hour office hours sessions on creating original children’s content.
Up to two writers will have the exciting opportunity to see their script brought to life in a live table read featuring Sesame Street performers

APPLICATION CHECK LIST:

Application form: Application must be submitted by October 5th, 2026 12PM EST. Applications for the 2027 Fellowship Program will open on Monday, September 7th, 2026.
Original script sample: 12-page maximum; should NOT contain Sesame Street elements, characters, or intellectual property; can be an excerpt from a larger piece wholly written by the applicant; must model a 3 act story structure; and be kid-friendly content for viewers up to age 12…we’re looking for great characters and stories that inspire kids to be smarter, stronger and kinder! Please submit only one script with your initial application. If you advance to the second round, you may receive an email with instructions on submitting a second script sample at that time.
Resumes: 2-page maximum. Anything longer will be disqualified.
More info on your script: what’s the bigger picture/idea of your script sample? (up to 100 words)
Personal statement: tell us about yourself, for example, why you want to write for children’s educational media, and how your lived experiences influence the stories you want to tell in children’s media, etc. (up to 250 words)

ELIGIBILITY CHECK LIST:

Participants must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident
No extensive media writing experience, such as having written more than six episodes for a produced network or streaming scripted/narrative series
Participants must be 21+ years old
Participants must be able to attend and complete writing assignments for all 11 sessions, and attend the 15 office hours sessions, which will be held virtually from February 2027 to June 2027. The final session and showcase will be held in-person in New York City.

sesameworkshop.org/our-work/fellowships/writers-room

TV / FILM — AUGUST 2026

July 30, 2026

call for films: SAWCC Short Film Night

South Asian Womxn’s Creative Collective (SAWCC)

DEADLINE: August 2, 2026

INFO: Ever wanted to see some movies, but wish they were… short? Introducing SAWCC Short Film Night!

SAWCC is looking for South Asian women and gender-expansive artists to share their stories. They want to curate a mix of films and media from animated shorts to documentaries to scripted films – you name it, they’re interested!

Directors will be asked to speak on a (short) Q&A after the screening and we will give preference to those who can attend the event.

EVENT DETAILS:

Friday September 18 from 7-9pm at Stuart Cinema
37-18 Northern Blvd, Long Island City, NY 11101

docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScFQWJC9hlHaobJmlrL0DuVlvLKioUiFIdBVEIBzB2QkpY1TA/viewform

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Black Boy Writes & Black Girl Writes Mentorship Initiative

DEADLINE / FEES:

Early Bird - August 15, 2026 / $25
Regular - August 31, 2026 / $50
Final - September 30, 2026 / $75

INFO: The Black Boy Writes & Black Girl Writes Mentorship Initiative, which launched at the start of 2021, is dedicated to supplying industry access and resources to preWGA Black screenwriters.

The goal of the program is to position and equip Black writers with the resources and knowledge to acquire representation, a staffed writing position, and/or optioned content.

PRIZES:

Monthly Writer Roundtables with established writers/industry leaders. Past participants include D’Lo Louis (Proximity Media), Deneise Davis (One of Them Days), Ahmadou Seck (VP Scripted, MACRO), Golden Globe Winning Writer Kemp Powers (Soul, One Night in Miami), Kay Oyegun (This is Us), Oscar Winner Peter Ramsey (Co-Director, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse).
Writing workshops to fine-tune their scripts and prepare them for fellowships, generals, and staffing opportunities.
General meetings with Networks and Production Companies. Past participants include Hartbeat, Gilga, FX, Netflix, Hooray Media, Nick Jr., Mattel, Plan B, Macro, and MarVista.
Each mentee will receive the latest in Final Draft software.
Mentees will have access to program mentors/industry professionals: Jackie Penn (4400, The Catch, Turner & Hooch), Andre Ferguson (Power Book II: Ghost), Chris Sanford (Reasonable Doubt), Kira Talise (Wonder Man), Past guest mentors include Steven Canals (Creator, Pose), and Sara Finney Johnson (Creator, Moesha and The Parkers).
At the end of the program, each mentee will have the opportunity to be read by Mike Gauyo’s agents at Culture Creative and Lit Managers at M88, for representation consideration.
Community with the Black Boy & Black Girl Writes Mentorship Alumni Network.

RULES & GUIDELINES:

All applicants must be pre-WGA to qualify. Meaning you must not be a member of the Writers Guild of America.
The first round of the application process will require a bio, one TV half-hour script or one TV one-hour script (of any genre), and a short essay. Multi-cams are accepted.
Half-hour scripts can't be more than 35 pages. One-hour scripts can't be more than 65 pages.
Applicants who reach the third round will interview with Mike Gauyo and his Chief of Programming, Heather Daughtry, before the new cohort is selected.
Mentees accepted into the program must be able to attend all programming events. Exceptions will be made for individuals that have emergency conflicts.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

Do I have to live in Los Angeles?

The program is international and you don’t have to live in Los Angeles to be considered.

What are the program committments?

Is there an age requirement?

Applicants must be at least 18 years of age.

Can I submit my feature film?

No. Please submit either a TV half-hour script or one TV one-hour script, of any genre.

Half-hour scripts can't be more than 35 pages. One-hour scripts can't be more than 65 pages.

scrybe.to/competitions/black-boy-writes-black-girl-writes-mentorship-initiative

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NEWNARRATIVES

New Filmmakers LA

DEADLINE: August 18, 2026 at 3:00pm PT

INFO: Originally launched in partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery 150 in 2021, NewNarratives, presented by NewFilmmakers Los Angeles (NFMLA), enters its sixth year in 2026 as an initiative dedicated to discovering the next generation of independent storytellers. The program identifies exceptional emerging creative voices and provides the funding, mentorship, industry access, and visibility needed to transform ambitious ideas into impactful films and series. By investing in artists whose stories transcend borders, challenge convention, and expand the cultural conversation, NewNarratives helps cultivate the future of global independent storytelling.

Thanks to the continued support of the Rhulen Family Foundation, honoring acclaimed independent producer Anthony Rhulen (The Butterfly Effect), NewNarratives will award $35,000 USD in cash grants during the 2026 cycle across three distinct funding opportunities designed to support projects at various stages of development and production.

NEWNARRATIVES GRANTS:

The main NewNarratives Grant category will award four (4) grants of $5,000 USD each to support emerging filmmakers developing short films, feature films, or episodic series (fiction, documentary, live-action, animation, or experimental) at any stage of the creative process. Eligible projects may be in concept development, early development, pre-production, production, post-production, or audience strategy and distribution planning.

NEWNARRATIVES ENVIRONMENTAL STORYTELLING GRANT:

Supported by Athens Services, this category will award one (1) grant of $5,000 USD to a short film (fiction, documentary, live-action, animation, or experimental) currently in post-production that meaningfully explores themes of climate, environmental sustainability, conservation, or humanity's relationship with the natural world. This grant celebrates filmmakers using the power of storytelling to inspire greater awareness, dialogue, and action around the environmental challenges shaping our communities and our future.

NEWNARRATIVES ABSURD AI STORYTELLING GRANT:

Supported by Absurd, this category will award one (1) $10,000 USD grant to an emerging filmmaker developing a short or feature film, across fiction, live action, animation, or experimental work, at any stage of production. The grant will be accompanied by a three-month fellowship supporting the awarded artist as they explore using Absurd’s AI storytelling tools as a way to reimagine what independent filmmaking can look like with AI. Absurd will begin onboarding beta users on August 3, 2026.

AWARD ANNOUNCEMENT: September 8th, 2026 at 11:00am PT

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS:

Applicant must have written, directed or produced at least one project that has been accepted into a film festival or industry recognized development competition (such as a screenplay contest)
NewNarratives grant applicants’ projects must be a live-action narrative, experimental, animated and/or documentary short or feature or episodic series, in any stage of production. For the NewNarratives Environmental Storytelling Grant and the NewNarratives Absurd AI Storytelling Grant, the project must adhere to the guidelines outlined in those grant categories
Applicant may only submit one project in total, including projects on which you share a credit. Content must be written or created by the applicant. The proposed project must be original and unreleased
Application’s material must be written in English
Applicant must be able and willing to complete the project if funding is awarded
Applicant must be willing to sign project submission release
Applicant must be or become a Rising Creator or Champion level member of NewFilmmakers Los Angeles

REQUIRED SUBMISSION ITEMS:

Work sample of previously completed narrative, experimental or documentary feature, short or episodic project or a script that has been selected for an industry recognized development competition (such as a screenplay contest)
Video work samples must include English subtitles for any content not in English language
All submitted project materials must be in English
Treatment (no longer than 2 pages)
Concept deck (no longer than 12 pages)
Project synopsis of project (no longer than one paragraph)
Working title
Submitter biography
Submitter statement
All items must adhere to applicable character count limits
If applying for the environmental awareness grant, you must submit a link to your short film that qualifies per the guidelines and is in its post-production phase

newfilmmakersla.com/NewNarratives/

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Merrell Brand-Supported Storytelling Program

Sundance Collab x Merrell

DEADLINE: August 18, 2026 11:59 pm PT

INFO: In collaboration with Sundance Collab, Merrell is launching a global storytelling program built to bring its brand platform, It Starts Outside, to life through emotionally grounded, culturally resonant films.

This program explores the simple power of being outside through stories about people, perspective, and transformation. Moving beyond traditional advertising, the focus is on social-first storytelling rooted in real moments, real communities, and human truth.

Through a series of original social-first short films, selected filmmakers will explore how stepping outside can spark connection, renewal, and personal change.

THE CHALLENGE: We are seeking five filmmakers from around the world to each create their own original, 60-90 second film designed specifically for vertical social platforms. Your mission is to explore Merrell’s core belief, It Starts Outside, for a world that is increasingly lived indoors. From our homes to our screens, we are more disconnected than ever. The outside is the antidote. It is where we find reset and reconnection to culture, community, perspective, and even ourselves. It is Merrell’s purpose as a brand to share the simple power of the outside with everyone. We are seeking filmmakers who share that belief and mission and want to inspire the world to do the same.

Selected filmmakers will enter an intensive online program over three days in September designed to learn about collaborating with a brand. The filmmakers will then receive $20K to make and deliver their greenlit concepts, cutdowns (:06, :15, :30), and stills between October and December, with designated program check-ins.

THE CREATIVE BRIEF: IT STARTS OUTSIDE:

Submission Requirement: How would you approach this brief? (Up to 500 words)
Objective: Create a concept or “take” for a 60-90 second, vertical film that captures a complete, emotionally resonant story rooted in the "simple power of being outside". We are not looking for a "commercial;" it is a human story where the outside acts as a catalyst for change.
Foundation: Merrell believes transformation begins the moment we step outside. The outside is not defined by terrain, performance, or distance. It is defined by what it unlocks in people.

Your story should reflect:

Transformation: A moment of reset, reconnection, or personal shift.
Connection: A sense of belonging, community, or renewed relationship.
Human truth: An observed, emotionally grounded moment that feels real.

Built from Merrell’s 2026 repositioning and “It Starts Outside” brand platform, the core creative territory is not 'outdoor adventure' in the traditional sense. The strongest stories will show what changed in a person because they went outside, whether it's emotionally, physically, mentally, creatively, spiritually, psychologically, or other. This does not necessarily equate to a final achievement.

TIMELINE:

Selected artists notified by Wednesday, September 16, 2026
Merrell Brand-Supported Storytelling Program (periodic online sessions): September - December 2026
Merrell Brand-Supported Storytelling Intensive (online): September 30- October 2, 2026
Production: October 2026
Post-Production: November 2026
Delivery: December 14, 2026

To learn more about the brief and how to apply, join our upcoming Insider Session with Merrell’s Creative Director, Alex Ho and Sundance Collab Director, Patty West on August 11.

collab.sundance.org/catalog/Merrell-Brand-Supported-Storytelling-Program

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Shore Scripts Short Film Fund

Shore Scripts

DEADLINE:

Early – August 20, 2026
Regular — September 30, 2026
Final — October 30, 2026

SUMMARY OF BENEFITS:

The Grand Prize Winner will receive a cash production grant of $15,000, free camera equipment rental from ARRI Rental for the duration of production, and support from Shore Scripts from development to distribution.
The Finishing Funds Winner will receive a cash grant of $4,000 in finishing funds for a short film currently in post-production, and support from Shore Scripts through post-production and distribution.
Both Winners will connect with two-time Oscar-nominated producer MARIA GRACIA TURGEON for project and career guidance, receive a film festival strategy package from Tribeca programmer KIMBERLEY BROWNING, and have the opportunity to have their completed films circulated to select members of our Industry Roster.
Top 5 Finalists (production grant) will receive feedback on their script from one of our esteemed Judges.
Top 15 Finalists (production grant) will have the opportunity to have their scripts circulated to select members of our Directors Roster.
Finalists (finishing funds) will receive feedback on the rough cut of their film from one of our esteemed Judges.

shorescripts.com/shortfilmfund/

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Sundance Episodic Program 2027

Sundance Institute

DEADLINE: August 25, 2026

INFO: The Sundance Institute Episodic Program is an entry point for emerging to mid-career writers and creators across all scripted series platforms. Through a rigorous lab experience and customized support, the program provides artists with the knowledge and industry access to move their projects and careers forward.

The Episodic Lab offers writers an opportunity to workshop an original pilot and develop their writing and pitching skills. Working with accomplished showrunners, producers, and executives, the fellows participate in one-on-one story meetings, pitching sessions, craft workshops, and writers rooms, which altogether provide creative and strategic tools to develop their pilots and navigate the industry.

AWARDS + PRIZES: From these submissions, one project will be selected and awarded a separate monetary grant provided by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation that spotlights a series with an illuminating emphasis on any subject of science, including but not limited to medicine, energy, technology, and invention.

RULES + TERMS: The official rules (“Rules”) govern the submission of materials to the Sundance Institute (“Institute”) 2027 Episodic Program (the “Program”). The submission window opens on July 13, 2026 at 12:00 a.m. Pacific Time (“PT”) and ends on August 25, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. PT (“Application Period”).

Each applicant (as defined below) has the opportunity to create and submit an original television script (“Script”) and other pertinent information (together, the “Application”) to Institute to be considered for acceptance into the Program. Institute may select up to ten (10) Applicants to receive the opportunity to further develop their Script either through 1) virtual workshops leading up to the in-person episodic lab (or through an online platform, if necessary, as determined by Institute) (“Lab”), or 2) a virtual intensive which will take place entirely online (“Intensive”), as set forth more fully below.

By agreeing to the Terms And Conditions found on the Program submission form located at https://filmfreeway.com/SundanceEpisodicLab2027, the person or people submitting the Script (each an “Applicant”, who may also be referred to herein as "you" or "your") acknowledges and agrees that they have obtained consent from any and all co-writers or other individuals with rights in and to the Script (hereafter called the “Script Owners”). By submitting the application, Applicant agrees that they have read, understood, and will comply with the Rules set forth below:

ELIGIBILITY:

The Program is open to international and U.S. participants, subject to international travel guidelines and restrictions. By submitting an application, each Applicant agrees to be bound by these Rules and the decisions of the Selection Advisory Committee, which are final and binding on all matters relating to this Program. The Program is subject to all applicable federal, state, and local laws.

ADDITIONAL ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

Applicants must be 18 years of age or older at time of application.
The Script must be the Applicant’s original creation or adapted from optioned source material. The Script must be written in the English language.
The Script draft must be revised or new, not already produced; not already sold to a third party; and not distributed online or otherwise.
Applicants cannot have already had an episodic project (pilot or pitch) that has been produced by a studio or network in the past.
The Script shall not infringe the copyright or any other proprietary right of another individual or entity. The Applicant is responsible for all rights pertaining to the project (including the Script).

filmfreeway.com/SundanceEpisodicLab2027

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MediaMaker Fellowship

BAVC Media

DEADLINE: August 30, 2026 at 11:59pm PT

INFO: The MediaMaker Fellowship is devoted to supporting documentary filmmakers using bold cinematic language and innovative impact strategies to grapple with critical issues of our time.

Our cohort is a collaborative, community-driven space that places diversity, representation, and ethical relationships with storytelling at the forefront of our practice. We aim to build a safe space for filmmakers to workshop their films, establish critical bonds and relationships, and gain valuable insights as they go on to build their careers in the field. We seek candidates who have the potential to impact our understanding of how documentaries can transform the world, as well as expanding the quality of the art of nonfiction.

OFFERINGS + STRUCTURE:

This ten-month-long program supports the development of documentary projects that are nearing post-production, and includes:

$10,000 distributed to each Fellow over the course of the Fellowship (plus additional travel per diems)
Professional mentorship and strategy sessions focused on documentary storytelling, career sustainability, fundraising, distribution, and more.
Two San Francisco convenings (travel paid) comprised of immersive tailored workshops, intimate feedback sessions, and presentations by leading filmmakers and industry figures.
All-access pass, round trip flight, accommodations, and a customized itinerary for two film festivals or industry conferences assuming travel is safe and advisable. All plans are subject to change according to pandemic restrictions and best practices, as well as the availability of festival programs.
Consistent workshops and check-ins, 1-3 hours in length, scheduled in advance, throughout the year.
A built-in support network.
Opportunities for continued mentorship and support in the future as a MediaMaker alum.
All Fellowship applicants and Fellowship alumni are eligible for five hours of one-on-one mentorship through the BAVC MediaMaker Connect Mentorship Program.

ELIGIBILITY:

The MediaMaker Fellowship program is particularly interested in supporting a diverse cross-section of media creators from across the U.S. who are in the process of directing their first or second feature-length documentary. Candidates who have directed a feature previously should take care to clearly demonstrate in their application that this project represents a significant creative leap compared with any previous work and make a strong case for why they need a collaborative fellowship experience at this stage of their career. Above all, ideal candidates should demonstrate a strong capacity for artistic growth and willingness to participate in peer mentorship and collaborative learning experiences with a diverse cohort of other filmmakers.
The applicant should be the Director and the creative lead of their project – applying as an individual. They must be the only person on their filmmaking team who is applying this year. If they are part of a Co-Directing team they should discuss this program with their partner and together determine which person would most benefit from and have the capacity to participate in a fellowship of this nature at this juncture. This Fellowship required significant time and energy over the course of nine months and applicants should be prepared for the commitment to their cohort if selected. Full time students are not eligible for the fellowship.
The project you are applying with should be a feature length film (shorts, series, and podcasts are not eligible), non-commercial (meaning the film is not being created for a market audience with the intent of generating income through the promotion of products, services, or organizations), primarily documentary or non-fiction in nature (this includes hybrid docs which are encouraged to apply), and should have the potential for social impact (social impact can be defined in many ways and is in no way restricted to policy outcomes).
Eligible films will have at least begun production and may have started post-production. A project would be considered too far along to benefit from the Fellowship if a fine cut is expected before the end of the program year. Projects should be in a place to benefit from workshopping (scenes, story, structure, edit, etc.) with the cohort and seasoned guest filmmakers. This is not a fellowship for filmmakers who are still in early development on their project.
Though there is no citizenship requirement for the Fellowship, at this time the program cannot support Fellows who are primarily based outside of the U.S. Applicants must primarily reside in the United States and not expect to reside outside of the U.S. for a major part of the year.

bavc.org/programs/mediamaker/

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Screenwriting Lab

Film Independent

DEADLINE / APPLICATION FEE:

August 31, 2026 / $65 for non-Members
September 14, 2026 / $45 for Film Independent Members
FREE for Filmmaker Pro Members (limited to one waived fee per Membership year)

WHO CAN APPLY?

HOW TO APPLY:

Applicants must submit the following materials for consideration:

A cover letter detailing what drew you to apply to the Screenwriting Lab and why this is the right time for you to participate in the program (500 words max)
One complete, feature-length screenplay
An artist statement explaining the genesis of the story, your creative vision and intentions for the film (750 words max)
A look book (optional)
A logline (25 words) and synopsis for the film
Bios of attached key cast and crew, if any – Attachments are not required for consideration
Project status and history, including any relevant development history, awards received or labs and/or markets attended with the project
A narrative directing sample, if you plan on directing the film with which you are applying

FAQs:

Screenwriting Lab is for writers only; other collaborators are not invited to participate.
Writing partners/teams are welcome to apply and need only submit one application.
We are open to filmmakers at any level of experience.
International applicants are eligible; the script must be translated into English for consideration.
Adaptations are eligible; the applicant must retain rights to the underlying material.
At this time, documentary, short film and television projects are not eligible to apply.
We will reconsider projects that have previously been submitted, provided the writer(s) can demonstrate progress on the project and/or professional development.
Filmmakers may apply to multiple Film Independent Artist Development programs and there is no requirement to have participated in any one program before another.

Please note: Each applicant must be the author of the script they submit.

THE FINE PRINT:

Beyond the application fee, there is no cost or tuition to participate in any of Film Independent’s Artist Development programs.

Applicants will be notified three to four weeks prior to the start of the program.

For more information, please email: artistdevelopment@filmindependent.org.

To learn more about Film Independent Fellows and their projects, visit our Talent Guide.

filmindependent.org/programs/artist-development/screenwriting-lab/

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storyknife writers retreat

Storyknife |📍Homer, AK

DEADLINE: August 31, 2026

APPLICATION FEE: $45.00

INFO: Women’s stories are vital and important. Currently, those stories whether expressed in poems, plays, novels, essays, or memoirs are not published, reviewed, or promoted as often as the work of men. Storyknife provides women with the time and space to explore their craft without distraction. Every aspect of a residency at Storyknife is steeped in a profound generosity of spirit so that each writer knows she and her work are valuable. Storyknife residents carry away both this affirmation and a living community of women writers to assist their valuable work wherever they go.

Residencies at Storyknife in Homer, Alaska, are either for two or four weeks. Resident’s food and lodging is covered during the period of their residency, but travel to and from Homer, Alaska, is the responsibility of the resident. Residents stay in individual cabins & dine at the main house. An on-staff chef is responsible for food preparation.

Four week residencies begin on the 1st of each month and end on the 28th, April through October. Two week residencies are held in April, June, and August and begin on the 1st of each month and end on the 14th OR begin on the 15th and end on the 28th.

Please make sure that you subscribe to our newsletter below or follow us on Facebook or Instagram.

ELIGIBILITY:

Applicants must:

Be woman-identified
Be 21 years of age or older
Apply as an individual artist, not a collaborative group or team
Writers who have been in residency for a minimum of two-weeks at Storyknife must wait five years before they can re-apply for another residency.

Please note that for the 2027 residency season, the Board of Directors of Storyknife strongly suggests that all residents must be vaccinated and appropriately boosted against COVID-19.

You will provide a work sample and answer four questions (each answer 300 words or fewer).

How have you sought to educate yourself as a writer? (Formal education not a prerequisite, but evidence of curiosity and learning in your applicable genre is.)
What is your experience with publishing your work? (Publishing is not a prerequisite but is considered a goal for writers who attend Storyknife.)
What project will you pursue while in residency? (Please note that you will be free to work on whatever writing you wish during residency. We simply are interested in what you think you’ll be pursuing.)
Why would a writing residency benefit you at this time especially?

WRITING SAMPLE REQUIREMENTS:

Writing samples should reflect work completed within the last two years. All writing samples must be uploaded through Submittable. Written work samples will be uploaded directly within the application.
Applicants can submit published or unpublished writing samples.
All writing samples must be combined into one PDF file.
A writing sample not to exceed 10 pages (prose: double-spaced 12 point font, poetry: single-spaced 12 point font acceptable). Prose includes screenplays and stage plays which also must conform to the 10 page limit.
This is an anonymous jurying process. Any writing samples with identifying material will be disqualified (including in the file name). Do not include your last name, address, or publication credits in your writing sample (including the file name). This only refers to the writing sample, not the answers to the questions.

TRAVEL FUNDS: In 2027, there will be multiple opportunities for travel cost stipends. Those that want to be considered for travel funds will indicate so on their applications.

QUESTIONS? If you have questions regarding your eligibility or preparing your application, contact executive director, Erin Hollowell, at ehollowell@storyknife.org.

storyknife.org/how-to-apply

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2026 BLACK LIST PARENTHOOD WRITERS FELLOWSHIP

The Black List

DEADLINE: September 1, 2026 by 11:59pm PT

INFO: The Black List is thrilled to announce that it has partnered with the Van Leer Foundation, Equimundo, The Human Safety Net, and the American Institute for Boys and Men to launch the 2026 Black List Parenthood Writers Fellowship.

The Parenthood Fellowship will support four writers in developing compelling, evidence-informed film or television scripts about parenthood as a transformative human experience. Scripts must focus on the beginning of life, stories about pregnancy and becoming a parent and how the transition into motherhood and fatherhood reshapes who we are - especially during the rollercoaster of the first 5 years. Each writer will receive a $15,000 grant, creative mentorship, and expert input, with the goal of shifting cultural narratives and inspiring broader recognition of parenthood’s human and societal value.

During the Fellowship, each recipient will be paired with an experienced creative mentor to support their rewrite, with whom they will meet three times. The writers will also be connected with a panel of experts who will provide the latest science and evidence on parenthood cutting across neuroscience, biology, psychology, anthropology and more to counter misconceptions and outdated tropes on parents and parenting. A cohort mentor will convene the writers monthly as a group for additional feedback and programming.

Fellows will have six (6) months to complete a revision of their script. The latter half of the Fellowship will focus on pitch development and industry education. At the end of the Fellowship, each recipient will provide a revised version of their script and will be invited to attend the 2027 Lights! Camera! Impact! Storyteller Gathering during the Venice Film Festival with their pitches. Lights! Camera! Impact! is an annual forum celebrating the power of storytelling hosted by The Human Safety Net in the heart of San Marco Piazza in Venice.

To be considered for the fellowship, writers must submit a completed feature-length screenplay or television pilot with strong parenthood themes. The script must be submitted in English; if the script is a translation, please indicate the original language it was written in and/or what language it will be produced in.

In order to submit, the writer’s project must be hosted on www.blcklst.com and have at least one Black List reader evaluation attached to their project. Writers can use existing reader evaluations and/or purchase a new evaluation. During the submission process, writers will also be asked to briefly explain why parenthood is an important theme in their work and how it resonates in their script.

Fifty (50) fee waivers are available for eligible projects. Writers can apply for a waiver on the program submission page. Receiving a waiver will allow a writer to submit a project for consideration at no cost to themselves. Waiver distribution will be prioritized by both demonstration of financial need and the underrepresented subject matter of the project. Writers will be asked to provide a brief explanation for why they need a waiver upon application. Waivers are only available for new projects that have not yet been hosted on the Black List website. Waivers will be approved at the partners and the Black List’s discretion.

Each fellowship recipient will retain complete ownership of their work.

WHAT MAKES A COMPELLING PARENTHOOD STORY?

The Fellowship is looking for projects with writers that are passionate about themes of early parenthood, becoming a parent, and/or caregiving. Scripts will be considered both for craft excellence and concept originality. Most of us are told our first story by our parents. Yet the story of becoming a parent: the fear, the transformation, the hilarious absurdity, the quiet heroism is rarely told. One of the most defining chapters of our lives often goes unseen. We are looking for projects that feel surprising, urgent, capture curiosity and reframes our understanding of why parenthood matters.

In order to ensure representation of diverse parenthood experiences, we will be selecting at least two projects that focus on fatherhood and/or male caregiving. These are stories that show that men are wired to care too. Stories that challenge the common sit-com trope of the incompetent dad. Stories that amplify the idea that caring men is not something that we need to create but rather something that we've always had all around us. We can all tell stories about a man who showed up for us, who cared for us. How do they look, how do they exercise their care muscles? How do they choose to lean into our superhuman power for interdependence?

We also want to ensure that we are selecting projects that reflect the international landscape of parenthood. We will select at least one project that is set in Europe, in one of the countries where The Human Safety Net is active, and that project will focus on families who are at risk of social exclusion with children aged 0 to 6.

RESOURCES:

“Tip Sheets for Content Creators: Writing with care about men and boys, family and caregiving” (Equimundo)
“This is Us? How TV Does and Doesn’t Get Men’s Caregiving” (Equimundo, Geena Davis Institute)
“What is Nurturing Care? Basic briefings on the concepts of early childhood and the core framework guiding all work” (Nurturing Care for Early Childhood Development)
“Brain Architecture: An ongoing process that begins before birth” (Harvard's Center on the Developing Child)
“The Best Start in Life: Early Childhood Development for Sustainable Development” (SDG Academy)
"Why Dads Matter" (University of Maryland, College of Education)

THE SELECTION PROCESS:

Writers who meet the submission requirements will be able to opt into consideration via the Black List website until midnight PST on September 1, 2026.

Based on the strength of their scripts as determined by the Black List’s script evaluations, a long list of up to forty (40) projects will be invited to submit a one-page personal statement, a professional resume, and a short essay on how their project engages with themes of parenthood. From those projects, up to ten (10) projects will be named to the short list. All short list writers will be interviewed by the Parenthood Fellowship committee.

Following those interviews, four fellowship recipients will be selected no later than October 30, 2026. The Fellowship will commence in November 2026.

NEW TO THE BLACK LIST?

If you are new to the Black List, register for a free account by clicking the “sign up” button in the upper right hand corner of your screen. Once you are logged in, you will be able to upload your script, purchase the mandatory minimum of one evaluation, and submit your script for Fellowship consideration. If you have any questions, please check out our FAQ or email us at support@blcklst.com.

REQUIREMENTS:

You must post an original screenplay or pilot teleplay (one hour or one half hour) on www.blcklst.com, with at least one (1) evaluation, and opt-in to the Program during the Submission Period. The materials should tell stories about parenthood as a transformative human experience. Scripts must focus on the beginning of life, stories about pregnancy and becoming a parent and how the transition into motherhood and fatherhood reshapes who we are - especially during the rollercoaster of the first 5 years.
You must agree to: (1) these Submission Requirements; (2) all terms relating to the Program posted on Black List’s website, which you should review and read in full; and (3) the Submission Agreement, which governs the submission of your material to Sponsors and Black List. The Submission Agreement includes important, legally binding terms and conditions, including arbitration of any disputes, which you must read in full before accepting.
If requested, you must submit (by a date determined by Sponsors and Black List) the following materials, which are also governed by the Submission Agreement:
- Contact and other personal information;
- Personal statements and any requested additional information; and
- Executed originals of the Submission Agreement.
If selected for the Program, as a condition of your participation, you must agree to Sponsors and Black List’s terms of participation.
You must be at least 18 years of age and not a minor in the state or country of your residence at time of submission.
If the submitted materials are written by a team consisting of one or more writers: (i) each member of that writing team must comply with these Submission Requirements, including agreeing to the Submission Agreement described above; and (ii) all members of the writing team must opt-out of the Program if any other member becomes ineligible (including as a result of failing to timely agree to the Submission Agreement or failing to timely provide the materials listed above).
The submitted materials must be wholly original to you and you must be the sole owner of all rights. The submitted materials must not in any way infringe upon the copyright of any person or entity or, to the best of your knowledge in the exercise of reasonable prudence, constitute libel, defamation or invasion of privacy or any other rights of any third party. You understand and agree that Black List will share any information that you provide in connection with the Program with Sponsors.

blcklst.com/programs/2026-black-list-parenthood-fellowship

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The Renegades Launch Fund

Picture Story Studios

DEADLINE: September 1, 2026

INFO: Founded by indie production company Picture Story Studios, The Renegades Launch Fund provides emerging filmmakers with funding, practical education, production tools & templates, peer mentorship and community. We are building the kind of ecosystem many filmmakers need but struggle to find outside traditional institutions.
The system we ourselves wish existed.

Strong scripts stall every day because filmmakers lack access to budgets, schedules, collaborators, named talent, honest feedback, and a realistic next step. The Launch Fund was created to help close that gap and make sure your script doesn’t die on your hard drive.

Look, our mission is simple: connect storytellers to each other, demystify the industry, share resources, make great films that exist & more importantly, THRIVE outside of the mainstream system. This is our direct personal investment in those stories.

In our inaugural year, we received 112 submissions from 12 countries. Several of our selected projects went on to receive larger grants, awards, and industry recognition - and we take pride in amplifying those projects and providing that springboard.

Our readers and mentors are working filmmakers whose credits include A24, HBO, Netflix, Amazon, and more. Our feedback is personal, useful AND above all, affordable.

We work hustle jobs ourselves, we get it and we believe no artist should choose between advancing their career and paying rent that month.

Our fees are intentionally kept low and that’s the way we like it.

We are genre-agnostic. We care about voice, originality, emotional impact, production viability, and a filmmaker’s ability to articulate why this project needs to exist.

If the work is bold and unapologetic, we want to meet you.

Formerly The Renegades Micro Production Grant

AWARDS + PRIZES:

Grand Prize Winners: Two

*Package Worth: $2,095

One feature screenplay and one short screenplay will each receive:

$600 USD
A customized professional production schedule (by an industry AD who works on some of your favorite shows!)
A two-hour production and strategy consultation with Picture Story Studios
Six months of membership in The Renegades Filmmaker Community
Promotion through The Renegades newsletter, website, social media, and partner network
Tailored written feedback from a working director, writer or producer
Free submission to the next Launch Fund cycle
Consideration for a scholarship place at the inaugural 2027 Catskills Writers Retreat, subject to program availability and final terms

Runners-Up: Two

*Package Worth: $1,395

One feature screenplay and one short screenplay will each receive:

A customized professional production schedule
A one-hour production consultation with Renegades founder Natasha Rivera
Tailored written feedback
Six months of membership in The Renegades Filmmaker Community
Promotion through our newsletter, website, social media, and partner network
Free submission to the next Launch Fund cycle

Every Applicant Receives:

Brief written feedback from a human reader who thoughtfully engaged with the project
3 months of membership in The Renegades Filmmaker Community for access to writers groups, free seminars, networking events, and future funding opportunities

We take pride in our reviews and you'll never see a copy&paste communication from us.

Feedback is returned within three months of the notification date and is offered as guidance, not gospel. You know your story best. Take what serves the work and leave the rest.

filmfreeway.com/TheRenegadesProductionGrant

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WOMEN DIRECTING MENTORSHIP

SeriesFest x Shondaland

DEADLINES / FEES:

Regular -- September 15, 2026
Final - November 1, 2026

ELIGIBILITY:

To qualify, you must have 3 years of professional experience (in any professional role, not just Director). This can include having experience directing independent shorts, series, and films.
Applicants who have previously directed a network series are ineligible.
Must be 21+ years of age.
Applicants should to be based in the United States or the United Kingdom.
No directing teams will be considered. We encourage you to apply individually.

ENTRY MATERIALS:

Work Sample
A short film or a feature
Personal Introduction Video
3–5 minute video introducing yourself, your unique voice and style, and why you think you’re the right fit for the Women Directing Mentorship. Be creative! (see examples below)
Reel
Reel under 15 minutes or a short film showcasing your directing work. This reel can include student work.
CV/Resume
Entry Fee

PRIZE:

seriesfest.com/women-directing-mentorship/

TV / FILM — JULY 2026

June 30, 2026

2027 WBD Access Writers Program

Warner Bros Discovery

DEADLINE: July 12, 2026 at 11:59pm PT

INFO: The 2027 Warner Bros. Discovery Access Writers Program provides a pathway for writers seeking to enhance their skills in the episodic television writing space, learn about the business of television from executives and industry guests, and attend a master class on storytelling and collaborative creative writing.

Applicants are eligible to apply if they've staffed on one or zero seasons of US network or streaming television shows.

All applicants must submit 2 original samples. These two samples must be in the same genre (e.g. two drama scripts, two comedy scripts). The program is open to all those who are 18 years or older, live in the United States and have the right to work in the United States. Finalists will interview in Fall 2026. All applicants will receive a status update by the end of December 2026.

Selected participants will need to be available to come to Los Angeles for in-person bootcamp weeks in January 2027 (plus addition TBD weeks in Q1 and Q2 2027) as well as attend virtual curriculum throughout the program, which will run throughout the winter/spring of 2027. Dates are subject to change and travel costs for those located outside of Los Angeles will be covered by the program. Please note: this program is primarily virtual, but those who get staffed on television shows may need to relocate to undergo these WGA jobs in person.

Please note: all submitted samples must be live action, original scripts, not spec scripts and not animation scripts.

wbdaccess.submittable.com/submit

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CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: TV WRITING LAB

SeriesFest x Next50

DEADLINE: July 14, 2026

INFO: SeriesFest is thrilled to announce this year’s TV Writing Lab in partnership with Next50 Foundation! We’re looking for emerging episodic writers to join us for an exclusive Writers Retreat in the fall of 2026 in Colorado.

The TV Writing Lab in partnership with the Next50 Foundation seeks unproduced 20-45 minute pilots that challenge the perception of aging and scripts must be void of stereotypes traditionally associated with aging.

Seeking series that move beyond outdated or one-dimensional portrayals. Instead of familiar tropes, we’re excited to see nuanced, authentic, and surprising representations of older adults.

Intergenerational stories are not only welcome—they’re encouraged!

AWARDS & PRIZES:

Three Series Projects will be selected to take part in a 3-day intensive in the fall of 2026 led by Call to Adventure Media where their pilot scripts will be workshopped by industry mentors and experts. Activities include one-on-one meetings, small group workshops, mini writers’ rooms, and networking opportunities.

What is included: Accommodations and Ground Transportation in Colorado
What is not included: Airfare and Meals

IMPORTANT DATES:

Oct 3 Notification Date
Nov 3–5 TV Writing Lab

SUBMISSION MATERIALS:

Pilot script (all genres are welcome) Between 18 – 40 pages

Seeking stories that thoughtfully challenge and expand perceptions of aging—think along the lines of Grace and Frankie, Hacks, or Shrinking. Show us dynamic, complex characters and fresh perspectives that reflect the richness of life at every stage.
Scripts must not include stereotypical portrayals of aging

The ‘frail’ and helpless older adult or sickly elder in need of constant care
Grumpy curmudgeon
Sweet grandparent with no character or lines

Series Format Deck

The Series Format Deck is a 2-15 page document that includes a logline, series regular and recurring character descriptions, and Season One story arch or future episode descriptions.

Writer’s Bio & Resume

ELIGIBILITY:

To be eligible for the contest, entrants must be aged 21 years or older. Limit one entry per person. Each entry must include only one (1) script. Entries must be written in English. Scripts must not be encumbered by any obligation to, or option held by a third party.

seriesfest.com/next50-lab/

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Loghaven Artist Residency

Loghaven |📍

DEADLINE: July 15, 2026 by 11:59pm EST

APPLICATION FEE: $25 (If this presents a financial barrier for you, please email us by noon on July 15) at info@loghaven.org.

INFO: Loghaven Artist Residency’s mission is to serve artists by providing them with a transformative residency experience and continued post-residency support. The residency is located on ninety acres of woodland in Knoxville, Tennessee. Artists live in five historic log cabins that have been both rehabilitated and modernized to create an ideal setting for reflection and work, and they have access to new, purpose-built studio space. All Loghaven Fellows are awarded stipends to support the creation of new work during the residency.

ELIGIBILITY: Practicing artists of all backgrounds and at any stage of their career are eligible to apply for a Loghaven residency. International artists and artists currently enrolled in a degree-seeking program are not eligible. Due to the living stipend and other support Loghaven provides, artists applying for a residency must already have the ability to work in the United States and receive income from Loghaven Artist Residency and the Aslan Foundation, per US tax law. Artists must be at least twenty-one years old and live more than 120 miles away from Knoxville.

This distance requirement is designed to ensure that artists are able to be fully immersed in their residency experience and can take advantage of the retreat-style environment. Please note that all eligibility requirements must be met at the time of application.

We invite applicants in the creation stage of their specified project or work cycle to apply in the following disciplines:

Writing (poetry, fiction, nonfiction, screenwriting, and journalism)
Visual Arts
Dance
Theater
Music Composition
Architecture
Interdisciplinary Work

DIVERSITY STATEMENT: Loghaven actively seeks to assemble diverse cohorts. Loghaven does not discriminate on the basis of race, age, religion, gender expression, sexual orientation, national origin, citizenship status, marital status, veteran status, medical conditions including HIV, or sensory, physical, or mental disability.

RESIDENCY SESSIONS:

Monday, February 1 – Friday, February 26, 2027 (4 weeks)
Monday, April 12 – Friday, May 21, 2027 (6 weeks)
Monday, June 14 – Monday, June 28, 2027 (2 weeks for Loghaven Fellows)
Monday, July 12 – Monday, July 26, 2027 (2 weeks for teaching and faculty artists at the university level)
Monday, September 13 – Monday, September 27, 2027 (2 weeks)
Monday, October 18 – Friday, November 12, 2027 (4 weeks)

APPLICATIONS:

The application panel will meet in August and September, and applicants will be contacted by November 1.

A national selection committee composed of artist peers and other arts professionals selects artists. Applicants are judged by the same criteria across disciplines. Panelists are looking for artistic excellence, defined by a depth of conceptual content, sustained impact, and boldness of vision. The panel seeks those with sophisticated technical knowledge, whether the applicant displays a high level of traditional skill or, conversely, subverts that knowledge in new or challenging ways. The panel values potential in emerging artists and evidence of commitment and evolution in more established or mid-career applicants.

REFERENCES:

All applicants are required to submit two professional references. Please provide the name, contact information, and a very brief description of the nature of your professional relationship for each reference. Loghaven contacts references only if the application advances. References would be contacted in the fall by either email or phone and would not submit a formal letter.

WORK SAMPLES:

Determine which discipline best fits your work and follow the instructions below to upload the required work samples.

There are three fillable fields for each work sample upload. Required fields are marked with an asterisk. Include the title of the work in the “Title” field. In the next field, indicate if the submitted work sample is more than four years old by answering Yes or No. In the final field, you may include an optional, short description of the work sample.

Provide all submissions in English or accompanied by a translation.

If the attached work sample is longer than the limits for your discipline, please indicate the section you would like the panel to review. If you do not indicate a section, the panelist will review it from the start until the time limit is reached.

VISUAL ART - Submit eight JPEG images that best represent your work. They can be no more than three MB per image. Each image should contain only one artwork. Two additional optional submissions: Installation documentation (either images or video) or detail shots. If your work is based in video, please submit up to two or three works totaling no more than fifteen minutes of video. Video can be submitted in MP4 or MOV format or by Vimeo or YouTube link.
MUSIC COMPOSITION - Submit two or three audio samples of representative work. Each should be no more than 30MB each and should be in MP3 format or in MP4 or MOV format or by Vimeo or YouTube link. The work samples should total no more than fifteen minutes of video or audio. If available, please include a score submitted as a PDF.
DANCE - Submit two or three works totaling no more than fifteen minutes of video. Each work sample should be submitted in MP4 or MOV format or by Vimeo or YouTube link.
THEATER - Submit either two or three videos or PDFs. If you submit via video, they should total no more than fifteen minutes together in MP4 or MOV format or by Vimeo or YouTube link. If you submit via PDF, they should total no more than 250MB or two or three PDFs of scripts or librettos, totaling no more than twenty pages.
POETRY - Submit eight to ten short poems or excerpts of poems. The total should not exceed 15 pages and should be submitted as a single PDF.
FICTION, NONFICTION, & SCREENWRITING - Submit two or three work samples. The total should not exceed 20 pages, and should be double-spaced and in PDF format. Though not required, we recommend that at least one work sample be in the genre that you wish to work in during your residency.
ARCHITECTURE - Submit two to three examples of previous design-based architecture projects in the form of PDFs, video, or a combination of the two. The applicant may submit work samples including but not limited to models, drawings, and images of completed work. The applicant may submit multiple pages for each project, but the total number of pages submitted should not exceed ten and should be in PDF format. If submitting video, work samples can be in MP4 or MOV format or by Vimeo or YouTube link. The total length should not exceed ten minutes. The applicant should include a brief, 250-word description of each project with the other submitted materials. In this description, please include whether this project was ever constructed. Please review the FAQs before applying in the discipline of Architecture for additional application guidelines.
INTERDISCIPLINARY WORK - If you are submitting only images, you may submit up to eight JPEGs that best represent your work. They can be no more than three MB per image. Each image should contain only one artwork. If you are submitting other types of media or a mix of media, please submit no more than five work samples. The work samples can include images (jpegs should be no more than three MB each), PDFs, video (MP4/MOV should be no more than 250 MB), Vimeo link, YouTube link, or audio (MP3 should be no more 30MB each).

COLLABORATIVE GROUPS: Loghaven invites collaborative teams of up to and including nine people to apply. Each collaborative team will submit one application to be considered for a residency at Loghaven. Teams will apply together by selecting the “Loghaven Artist Residency Collaborative Team Application“ within the Loghaven Slideroom portal. Please note that all team members intending to take part in the residency and receive a stipend must fill out a team member informational form within the larger team application. Collaborative groups share working space and may be expected to share living space.

QUESTIONS: Please review the FAQs on the Loghaven website for answers to many common questions. If you have a question that is not answered there, please email info@loghaven.org, and a staff member will get back to you as soon as possible.

loghaven.org/residencies/apply/

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THE KYOTO RETREAT

DEADLINE: July 17, 2026 |📍 Kyoto, Japan

APPLICATION FEE: $95

INFO: For writers, Kyoto's tranquil gardens and winding cobblestone streets evoke narratives waiting to be penned. The changing hues of autumn during October and November paint the city in vibrant reds and golds, providing a stunning backdrop for contemplation and storytelling. Walking through the bamboo groves of Arashiyama or along the philosopher's path can stir reflections on nature, philosophy, and the human experience.

Although there will be several scheduled events during your stay, the primary purpose of the retreat is to give you an opportunity to immerse yourself in various aspects of Japanese culture and to meet other creatives. You are not required to make new work during the retreat. We want you to have ample time to explore Japan and get inspired in a calm, nurturing environment.

OUR SELECTION PROCESS: We select artists, curators, and writers at all career stages, working in drawing, painting, sculpture, photography, film, video, new media, installation, fiction and nonfiction writing, poetry, interdisciplinary, and social practice. Individuals must be over 21 years old to apply. Our application requires you to submit a CV or resume, a brief statement about your creative interests and a description of how you anticipate using the time if selected for The Kyoto Retreat. You can also provide up to 10 work samples.

FLIGHTS & ACCOMMODATIONS: If you are selected for the retreat, you will receive a roundtrip flight to Kansai International Airport (KIX) or Osaka International Airport (Itami Airport, ITM). You will have a private bedroom in a shared, private house for four weeks (November 1 - 30, 2026). You will also receive $800 USD to supplement your meals and local transportation. Please visit our FAQs for more information.

kyotoretreat.com/about

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2026 Series Scriptwriters Program

National Hispanic Media Coalition (NHMC)

DEADLINE: July 27, 2026 at 11:59 pm PST

INFO: After 20+ years of the program and over 200+ graduates, NHMC is proud to announce that our application window has opened for the 2026 Series Scriptwriters Program.

Our program is one of the oldest and longest-running POC writers programs in the industry. Aspiring Latine writers with a strong desire to write for streaming & television are encouraged to apply! The virtual program will run from Monday September 22nd through Saturday, November 14th.

Program participants will receive the tools and guidance from industry mentors, simulate a writers room, build a community, and make industry executive connections, all while developing their script idea by the end of the program. Alumni of the program have gone on to work on series produced by Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, AppleTV, Hulu, HBOMax, NBCUniversal, Paramount, and more.

ELIGIBILITY:

You must be 18 years or older
You must have access to reliable internet connection to participate in daily video conferencing
Entertainment industry experience is not required
Writing teams cannot apply

The Series Scriptwriters Program is fully virtual, running Monday - Friday evenings, and Saturday mornings during Pacific Standard Time over 8 weeks. With the estimated hours being Monday - Friday: 6-8pm PST / 9-11pm EST & Saturday: 11-3pm PST / 2-6pm EST.

REQUIRED APPLICATION CRITERIA:

Resume (maximum 1 page)

Please submit a current professional resume. Make sure to include any relevant writing experience. However, this is not exclusively a writing resume, do include any experience that you feel enhances what you bring to the table as a writer even if it’s not directly writing-related.

Bio (maximum 200 words)

Think of your Bio and Statement of Purpose as non-fiction writing samples. These are equally as important as your script in giving us a sense of your unique voice. With your bio, think of it as part of what you might say in your elevator pitch about yourself. Tell us a story about who you are beyond what you have included on your resume.

Statement of Purpose (maximum 500 words)

Use this section to answer the following questions: Why do you write? What motivates you to tell those stories? What is your personal connection to your material? Why is writing for the small screen your passion?

List of Writing Samples

Please provide a list of your completed writing samples - title and logline (1-2 sentences max) only. On this list please include reference to any pilots, specs, features, shorts, short stories, published articles, etc, which you’ve written. If any of the work was with a writing partner or team, make note of which items were written as a collaboration. Note: All samples you list should be work you feel is polished enough to be read by execs, showrunners, etc.

Writing Sample

Please submit a properly formatted pilot or spec script. We will accept the following:

1-hour (max 59 pages)
Half-hour (max 35 pages)

Your sample can be any genre including, but not limited to:

Drama
Dramedy
Comedy
Horror
Animation

Writing Samples NOT Accepted:

Features
Short Film script
Novels
Plays
Poems
Any other alternative samples

Logline (1-2 sentences)

This is a brief summary of your script that establishes the main character, what obstacles they have to overcome in pursuit of what they want, and gives us a sense of the hook of your story.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

Q: Do I have to be Latino to apply?

A: No, the program is open to people of all races and ethnicities.

Q: Is the NHMC Series Scriptwriters Program open to all ages?

A: No, you must be at least 18 years of age to participate in the program.

Q: How much does it cost to apply?

A: Thanks to our sponsors, the NHMC Series Scriptwriter's Program is a completely free program from the application to the program itself.

Q: Do you have to be a U.S. Citizen to apply to the program?

A: No.

Q: What kind of writing sample should be submitted? Is there a length restriction? Can I submit more than one?

A: Please submit a properly formatted pilot or spec script. We will accept the following:

- 1 hour (max 59 pages)
- Half-hour (max 35 pages)

Your sample can be any genre including, but not limited to:

- Drama
- Dramedy
- Comedy
- Animation

Only ONE writing sample can be submitted.

Q: Will the judges provide feedback on the work that I submit for my application?

A: Due to the amount of applications received, judges are unable to provide feedback on submitted work.

Q: Will you return my application materials that were submitted if I am not accepted?

A: No, any materials submitted will not be returned to the owner.

nhmc.org/writers/

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the cohort

Writers Guilld of Canada 🇨🇦

DEADLINE: July 27, 2026 at 5:00 pm

INFO: The Cohort is an annual Writers Guild of Canada (WGC) initiative for six (6) emerging to mid-level WGC members from diverse backgrounds.

Eligible applicants are encouraged to submit a script to apply for the program. Each participant will be paired with an experienced WGC member for a mentorship focused on re-writing/polishing the script. In addition to script mentorship with a seasoned screenwriter who will be matched based on each writer’s project, the WGC IDEA Committee will organize workshops and group sessions with showrunners, screenwriters, and other industry professionals, designed to provide career mentorship to participants.

At the end of the program, the Cohort will have the opportunity to participate in a stakeholder-centered event(s) to promote themselves and their scripts.

The WGC defines diverse writers as belonging to any of the following groups: Indigenous peoples, Black, people of colour, LGBTQ2S, and people with disabilities.

THE GOALS OF THE COHORT PROGRAM ARE:

To provide mentorship to writers from diverse backgrounds.
To support writers from underrepresented communities in their immediate and long-term career goals.
To connect experienced Canadian media professionals with diverse screenwriting talent.

ACCESSIBILITY INFO:

The Cohort program will require writers to participate in Zoom meetings. In-person gatherings may be arranged.

We encourage writers to share their access needs at the time of application to ensure we are able to make the necessary arrangements. Accessibility requests will only be used by the WGC staff to plan accordingly and will not be disclosed to the IDEA Committee in the selection process. For questions about accessibility, please contact WGC Director of Membership and Research, Natalia Escobar Bohorquez (n.escobarb@wgc.ca).

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA:

Eligible applicants must meet all the requirements below:

Be a WGC member in good standing.
Own all underlying rights to their original script.
Be a resident of Canada and hold valid legal status to work in Canada for the entire six-month duration of the program. Eligible statuses include Canadian Citizens, Permanent Residents, Protected Persons, or temporary residents holding a valid open work permit.
Have no more than 420 produced minutes of written work (excluding credits for webisodes and ineligible formats).
Have had a contract under the WGC’s jurisdiction on or after 2015. Alternatively, members that joined the WGC with non-signatory contracts on or after 2015 but have not attained a contract under the WGC’s jurisdiction since, will also be deemed eligible to apply.
Identify as diverse, according to the Guild’s definition in the “APPLICATION FORM”. Members must be identified as such with the WGC. To self-identify as diverse with the Guild, please e-mail Natalia Escobar Bohorquez (n.escobarb@wgc.ca) prior to submitting your application.

Please refer to the “FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS” section for additional information, including examples to further illustrate eligibility requirements. If you have additional questions regarding the eligibility criteria, contact WGC Director of Membership and Research, Natalia Escobar Bohorquez (n.escobarb@wgc.ca).

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS:

FILLABLE FORMS:

Application Form, Submission Release, and Declaration of Ownership. See the explanation in the “TO APPLY” section.

SUPPORT MATERIAL:

Script: Screenwriters must apply to the program with an original, English-language script based on an original concept. Specs of existing shows or bibles will not be considered.

Drama, comedy, and children’s and youth programming scripts are eligible. Projects may be feature films, half-hour series, one-hour series, miniseries, or movies of the week. They may be live action or animation.

While the program welcomes and encourages stories that include diverse perspectives, themes, and characters, this is not a requirement.

The following are ineligible: Talk shows, game shows, reality-based series, documentary series, news, stand-up, and sketch comedies.

Letter of Intent: Applicants are asked to submit a letter of intent (no longer than one single-space page).
We ask that you self-identify in your letter and tell us about your particular background, your path, and the career goals you hope to advance through the program (e.g., getting an agent, having a stronger sample, learning how to promote your script).
The program was specifically developed to lift the voices of our underrepresented diverse screenwriters. This letter is our way to better understand the experiences, challenges, and best ways the WGC can support writer who identify as Indigenous, Black, people of colour, LGBTQ2S, and people with disabilities.

The content of your letter will be confidential within the WGC IDEA Committee. If your script is selected, we may extend an invitation to share your experience as a diverse writer with our membership.

wgc.ca/sites/default/files/2026-06/2026_06_17%20The%20Cohort%20guidelines_Forms.pdf

TV / FILM — JUNE 2026

May 31, 2026

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: TV WRITING LAB

SeriesFest x Next50

DEADLINE:

Regular - June 3, 2026
Late - July 14, 2026

AWARDS & PRIZES:

IMPORTANT DATES:

Oct 3 Notification Date
Nov 3–5 TV Writing Lab

SUBMISSION MATERIALS:

Pilot script (all genres are welcome) Between 18 – 40 pages

Seeking stories that thoughtfully challenge and expand perceptions of aging—think along the lines of Grace and Frankie, Hacks, or Shrinking. Show us dynamic, complex characters and fresh perspectives that reflect the richness of life at every stage.
Scripts must not include stereotypical portrayals of aging

The ‘frail’ and helpless older adult or sickly elder in need of constant care
Grumpy curmudgeon
Sweet grandparent with no character or lines

Series Format Deck

The Series Format Deck is a 2-15 page document that includes a logline, series regular and recurring character descriptions, and Season One story arch or future episode descriptions.

Writer’s Bio & Resume

ELIGIBILITY:

seriesfest.com/next50-lab/

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The Disruptors TV WRITERS ROOMS MENTORSHIP PROGRAM

The Disruptors

DEADLINE: June 5, 2026 by 11:59 pm PST

INFO: Our program aims to disrupt the status quo in Hollywood and to uplift and normalize narratives that have historically been underrepresented on television. This work is part of Cultural Power’s broader effort to advance values-based narratives that influence how people understand identity, power, and possibility.

For Disruptors 2026, we've restructured our program. From a writers' room experience, to free monthly public TV writing workshops, and the return of our Disrupting The Algorithm podcast, we hope that Disruptors 2026 continues to be a place for up-and-coming writers to continue to hone their creative skills.

MENTORSHIP SUPPORT:

For our mentorship program, 9 selected fellows will participate in a mock TV writers' room! Led by experienced TV writers, these mock writers' rooms are designed to help fellows gain real-world experience while working on their own pitching package for their original idea. From August 11th to October 1st, selected fellows will meet twice a week in their designated TV writers’ room led by a mentor/showrunner. You will be assigned deadlines and learn the ins and outs of the TV writers' room experience. Simultaneously, fellows will be able to work on their own pitching packages. At the end of the mock writers' rooms, fellows will be able to participate in a Disruptors Pitch Fest.

Selected fellows will receive a $3,000 stipend. You must live in Los Angeles, CA, or be able to get yourself to the area for in-person gatherings. Unfortunately, we will not be able to cover any travel to potential in-person gatherings.

The application to the TV WRITERS ROOMS MENTORSHIP PROGRAM will go live on May 4, 2026.

TIMELINE FOR THE DISRUPTORS TV WRITERS ROOMS MENTORSHIP PROGRAM

May 4: Application goes live
June 5: Application closes
Mid-July: Selected fellows will be alerted
August 10: Mentorship program kicks off
Aug. 11-Oct. 1: 8-week-long mock TV writers' rooms
October: Fellows work on their pitching packets
November: Disruptors Pitch Fest

ELIGIBILITY:

1. Live in the Los Angeles area and be available to attend potential in-person gatherings (COVID-19 conditions permitting). If you do not live in the Los Angeles area, you can still apply but we will not be able to provide transportation or lodging to in-person events.

2. Must submit 2 script samples in script form. Can be a movie, television, web series, or play scripts. No poems, long-form essays, or articles. At least one of your samples should be the TV series script you plan to workshop during the program (in-progress work is only acceptable for the TV sample you plan to workshop).

3. Never been staffed in a professional TV writer’s room.

4. Be able to fill out a W9 for payment (SSN and LLC's accepted).

Disruptors Fellowships are open to candidates of all backgrounds, without preference or restriction based on any protected characteristic.

HOW TO APPLY:

Complete all sections of this DISRUPTORS TV WRITERS ROOMS MENTORSHIP PROGRAM online application before the June 5, 2026 (11:59 PM PST) deadline.
Submit a 2-3 minute YouTube video or a one-pager telling us why you want to be part of the DISRUPTORS TV WRITERS ROOMS MENTORSHIP PROGRAM. What makes you an Artist Disruptor? What TV genres/formats interest you the most? How will you help promote voices and perspectives that are currently underrepresented on TV? What would you like to gain from this fellowship?
Submit a short bio (no more than 250 words).
Send two 10-page (minimum) samples of your work (20 pages total from two separate projects) in any of the following formats below. At least one of your samples should be the TV series script you plan to workshop during the program (in progress work is only acceptable for the TV sample you plan to workshop).
- Original scripted ½ hour comedy or dramedy pilot
- Original scripted 1 hour drama pilot
- Full length stage play excerpts
- Web series episodes
- A feature film screenplay
- Any other writing formats will automatically get you disqualified.
List 3 references of artists or community members you've collaborated with.

artistdisruptors.org

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LGBTQ+ Pitch Fellowship

Roadmap Writers

DEADLINE: June 10, 2026 by 11:59pm PT

APPLICATION FEE: $3

INFO: Roadmap Writers is proud to launch a new LGBTQ+ Pitch Fellowship dedicated to elevating queer voices in film and television. The initiative will give LGBTQ+ creatives the opportunity to submit a three-minute recorded pitch, a one-page personal essay, and the first 25 pages of their script to be considered for exclusive virtual pitch roundtables with queer executives during the final week of June. The goal of the program is to create meaningful access for queer storytellers while connecting them directly with queer industry professionals.

At a time when audiences are craving more authentic representation, queer creatives continue to bring some of the most vital, emotionally honest, and culturally important perspectives to the entertainment industry. There is still a strong need for stories that move beyond stereotypes and reflect the complexity, joy, challenges, and humanity of LGBTQ+ experiences. By pairing writers with queer executives who understand the importance of authentic representation, Roadmap Writers hopes to foster stronger creative partnerships and help bring more inclusive storytelling to the screen.

This initiative reflects Roadmap Writers' ongoing commitment to supporting diverse voices and helping emerging talent break into the industry. The LGBTQ+ Pitch Fellowship is not just about one week of pitches; it's about creating opportunities, building community, and helping queer creatives gain visibility in an industry where representation behind the scenes matters just as much as representation onscreen. Through programs like this, Roadmap Writers aims to champion the next generation of LGBTQ+ storytellers and help shape a more inclusive future for film and television.

During the week of June 22nd, our Five Winners will pitch to queer execs from Amazon, ABC, Gersh, These Pictures, Circle Management, Buchwald Agency, and more! Winners will also have the opportunity to pitch to working queer writers.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:

You must submit the following:

3-Minute Recorded Pitch

A 3-minute elevator pitch is a concise, persuasive summary of your script designed to hook the listener.

Your pitch should consist of three distinct, high-impact components:

The Hook & Setup: Introduce the core premise, the primary protagonist, and the inciting incident. Establish the world, the tone, and the central conflict.
The Journey & Stakes: Outline the main obstacles your protagonist faces, the allies they meet, and the escalating tension. Clearly define what they have to lose if they fail.
The Climax & Resolution: Tease the ultimate climax and the emotional or thematic payoff. Conclude with a strong statement on why this movie must be made right now.

Personal Statement

Submit a Personal Statement (500 words max) that communicates your brand as a writer!

Your statement should:

Describe how your diverse background shapes and informs your storytelling
Highlight your strength as a storyteller
Share who you are as a writer and the types of stories you create

And yes – please remember, the statement must be no more than 500 words!

Writing Sample

Your Writing Sample should be the first 25 pages of an original feature or TV pilot. A strong writing sample should be market-ready, which means:

A well-polished draft
Properly formatted with minimal typos
Clearly showcases your unique voice

Market-ready does not mean commercial – feel free to submit the script that best reflects who you are as a writer.

roadmapwriters.com/pages/roadmap-writers-lgbtq-pitch-fellowship-2026

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PROOF OF CONCEPT SHORT FILM GRANT

Black Film Space x cliveRd.

DEADLINE: Extended to June 12, 2026

INFO: Black Film Space is collaborating again with cliveRd. to support and fund projects made by independent Black filmmakers.

Our Proof of Concept Short Film Grant is seeking one short film script under 20 minutes/pages that aims to serve as a teaser/preview for a feature film with narratives that feature nature.

In order to be a competitive applicant your film must include a nature element.

This can include, but is not limited to:
Nature as a setting
Nature as a character
Nature as a supporter and/or obstacle for the characters in your project
Nature as a theme

The grant total will be $8,000, in addition, the winner will have the option to shoot at a private estate in Jamaica—an exclusive, complimentary location provided by cliveRd. The location can be used to tell the stories of multiple peoples not just of Jamaica. Some examples of how the location could be be used include:

Characters getting lost in a wooded area
A battle fought in the mountains
A project about characters on a beach
A project about characters on a farm

The project will be selected based on the filmmaker’s ability to present a strong script that shows great promise as a proof of concept for a feature film. We will also consider other factors such as the merit of previous work, and financial need.

Before applying, we strongly recommend reviewing this page in full and attending—or watching the orientation replay—to ensure you submit a competitive application.

APPLICANT GUIDELINES:

Applicants must have the following:

At least one visual sample that showcases previous work
Present a completed script for their short film
Present a completed treatment for their feature film
Present a detailed plan on how they plan to execute their film with details on production, casting, their team, postproduction, their festival strategy, etc.
Must be able to receive grant funds through a United States based bank account
Must be in pursuit of their feature film within AT LEAST a year of receiving the grant. There is a possibility that cliveRd will show continued interest depending on the quality of the feature film script and readiness of the filmmaker to complete their feature
Must submit a narrative, scripted film. Documentary films/non fiction works will not be considered

GRANT WINNER REQUIREMENTS:

The production timeline for the completed short must be within six months of receiving the grant
Applicants must function in one of the following three roles: writer, director and/or executive producer
The filmmaker must be willing to exhibit their proof of concept short at Black Film Space’s Awards ceremony the following year in September 2027
cliveRd and Black Film Space must be credited as producers on the short film
Filmmakers must be available for follow up discussions with cliveRd. on their progress of their short and their feature film

blackfilmspace.com/cliverd

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Project Involve 2026

Film Independent

DEADLINE: June 14, 2026

INFO: For 30 years and counting, Project Involve has been Film Independent's most vital and impactful program. We're proud to be a leader in the ongoing mission to build a more inclusive and equitable industry by supporting emerging filmmakers from communities underrepresented in film and entertainment.

This robust program provides invaluable hands-on filmmaking experience from project inception to completion. Participants are paired with mentors at the top of their respective fields, and receive personalized guidance to help move their projects and careers forward.

Each year, 30 filmmakers from diverse backgrounds are given the opportunity to hone skills, form creative partnerships, create short films and gain industry access needed to succeed as working artists.

THE PROGRAM:

Running January through October, Project Involve offers career-changing opportunities and experiences.

Mentorship — Working industry professionals share knowledge and give guidance on craft and career.
Conversations — 10+ master workshops offer insight on the art and business of filmmaking.
Short Films — Fellows are given resources to produce short films that debut at a special First Look Screening event.
Events — Fellows attend Film Independent's signature education programs, screenings, networking events and more.
Fellowships — Fellows may be selected to receive cash grants from industry sponsors.

SHORT FILM PRODUCTION:

Project Involve Fellows develop and produce six original short films, from pitch through First Look Screening.

January–March: Treatment selections, story development, teams formed, projects pitched
April-May: Pre-production
June: Principal photography
July–October: Post-production

Real, valuable filmmaking experience is at the heart of our program. Film Independent provides script consultation, individualized mentorship, equipment, casting and post-production services to facilitate the development of Fellows' shorts.

In addition to a cash production grant, filmmakers are provided with resources for raising additional funds that will help bring their projects to fruition.

Past shorts produced in the program include Dear Mama... (2023 NAACP Image Award Winner); Blackout (2022 NAACCP Image Award Nominee); Black Boy Joy (2020 NAACP Image Award Winner, currently airing on HBO); Lonely Blue Night (2020 AFI Fest Short Film Audience Award, currently airing on HBO); Liberty (2019 SXSW Narrative Short Film Jury Award, 2019 Special Prize of the Generation 14plus International Jury for the Best Short Film at the Berlin International Film Festival, 2019 AFI Special Jury Prize – Live Action) and Emergency (2018 Sundance Special Jury Award, 2018 SXSW Narrative Short Film Jury Award).

LAIKA ANIMATION TRACK:

Six Fellows. Two years. One incredible animated short film.

We also offer a two-year Project Involve LAIKA Animation Track, which includes six distinct tracks.

Four tracks run through both years of the program: director/lead animator, supporting animator, producer and editor. The writer and cinematographer tracks run during the first and second year of the program, respectively. Ideal candidates are emerging filmmakers from diverse backgrounds and/or communities traditionally underrepresented in film and television. Strong consideration will be given to those who have demonstrated talent and collaborative effort in animation.

In year one, Fellows build relationships with their cohort and mentors, develop their short film project together and participate in program activities, while year two of the program will focus on the production, shooting and editing of the filmmakers' short.

LAIKA Animation Fellows participate in Project Involve and are provided with a production grant to create a 3-minute, stop-motion animated film during the two-year program. In addition, each of the five Fellows will receive a cash stipend in recognition of their two year commitment to the program.

Film Independent Membership is required to participate, and Fellows must reside in the Los Angeles area for the duration of the program. If you're a filmmaker who is passionate about animation, this program is for you.

ELIGIBILITY AND APPLICATIONS:

Each year we support a new, inclusive group of filmmakers with unique visions and diverse perspectives.

Project Involve accepts filmmakers into specific tracks that, together, form short film production teams. When applying to Project Involve, you apply to one specific track: writing, directing, writing/directing, producing, cinematography, editing, programming, animation or an executive track.

Strong consideration is given to those whose work samples and statements of interest demonstrate talent, responsibility and collaborative effort. Film Independent Membership is required to participate, and Fellows must reside in Los Angeles for the duration of the program.

To view deadlines and apply, visit our applications page, or check out our FAQ page to learn more. To view sample application material and/or essay criteria for the various Project Involve tracks, click here.

filmindependent.org/programs/project-involve/

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2027 Marble House Family Residency

Marble House Project |📍Dorset, VT

DEADLINE: June 14, 2026, by 11:59pm ET

INFO: Marble House Project is a multidisciplinary artist residency program that fosters collaboration and the exchange of ideas, by providing an environment for artists across disciplines to live and work together. The residency is dedicated to ecological principles and integrates sustainable practices, including small-scale organic food production and waste conservation. Residents sustain their growth by engaging with the grounds while working on their artistic practice. Marble House Project is founded on the belief that the act of creating, whether in the studio or in nature, is how human potential expands and community thrives.

Marble House Project accepts approximately 50 residents and is open to artists living in the United States and abroad. You must be at least 21 years old. Each session accommodates eight artists and is specifically curated to bring together a diverse group of creative workers, to maximize potential for collaboration and dialogue while in residence and beyond.

Artists will be notified by email by the end of September.

RESIDENCY DATES FOR 2027

July 19th - August 2nd. Family Friendly Residency.

ABOUT MHP:

All residents live together in the historic, eight-bedroom Manley-Lefevre house, a communal space organized around responsibilities-sharing systems which highlight sustainability and community. The residency is an opportunity to develop and carry out practices of mutual support, group conversation, and to cultivate adaptive relationships with the environment. This can take the form of discussions with guest multidisciplinary artists, thinkers, and activists and other individual and group activities that benefit our community of residents.

Residents will be paired and asked to cook for shared dinners at least three times over the course of their residency, Monday-Friday. . Each session culminates with a short video interview and artists are invited to publicly share their work with our community and each other. Marble House Project provides private bedrooms, food, private studio space, and artist support. We are not able to cover costs related to travel or materials. There is no fee to attend the residency.

Applications are accepted in all creative fields including but not limited to writing, dance and choreography, performance, music composition and sound, film and video, visual arts, and culinary arts. Applications are reviewed by a jury of alumni and artists are selected based on quality of work, commitment to practice, and project description. Please choose the application that best describes your work. Two artists may apply together as a collaborative, and should complete one application with information about both artists Within each application you will be asked to select the session dates best for you.

If you are applying to the ecology residency you must have a project that aligns with this theme. You may also apply to the other residency sessions as well.

If you are applying to the family friendly residency, you must have a child with you between the ages of 4 to 14. You may also apply to other residencies as well but will be unable to bring your child.

Marble House Project does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its activities or operations. For exact dates, more information or questions about the residency, visit our FAQ page. If you still have questions you may contact info@marblehouseproject.org.

Personal information is not shared with our jury and will remain confidential. This includes email, home address, phone number and any information regarding your family, anything else you would need to tell us and how you heard about Marble House Project. All of our outreach questions also remain confidential and blind to our jury.

For more information on the ecology or family friendly residency please visit marblehouseproject.org/residency-details

marblehouseproject.submittable.com/submit

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The Ryan Hudak LGBTQ+ Dramatic Writing Award

New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA)

DEADLINE: June 16, 2026, 5:00 pm ET

INFO: The Ryan Hudak LGBTQ+ Dramatic Writing Award is an $8,000 cash grant to be awarded to one (1) New York State-based playwright or screenwriter who self-identifies as LGBTQ+.

The Award honors the life and work of Ryan Hudak. Ryan was a gay playwright, theater maker, filmmaker, and a valued member of NYFA’s staff who served on the executive and development teams. Tragically, Ryan passed away in May 2022 after a long battle with Leukemia at the age of 32. The Award is open to playwrights and screenwriters who live in New York State, including those who live within the five boroughs of New York City.

ELIGIBILITY: The Ryan Hudak LGBTQ+ Dramatic Writing Award is open to New York State playwrights and screenwriters, including those who live within the five boroughs of New York City.

Applicants must:

Be a working playwright or screenwriter. Acceptable forms of playwriting or screenwriting include stageplays, screenplays, teleplays, libretti, radioplays, audiodramas, puppet plays, and experimental web series. While librettists may apply, audiotapes are not eligible.
Self-identify as LGBTQ+.
Be a current full-time resident of New York State for a minimum of 12 months at the time the application closes.
Be the originators of the work, i.e. screenwriters or playwrights, not interpretive artists such as actors. Collaborations are not eligible.
Be at least 25 years of age at the time the application closes.
Not be enrolled in a degree-seeking program of any kind.
Not have received The Ryan Hudak LGBTQ+ Dramatic Writing Award previously. Past recipients of other NYFA grant programs are eligible to apply.
Not be a NYFA employee, members of the NYFA Board of Trustees or Artists’ Advisory Committee, and/or an immediate family member of any of the above.

nyfa.org/awards-grants/the-ryan-hudak-lgbtq-dramatic-writing-award/

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Accelerate Fellowship

Inevitable Foundation

DEADLINE: June 17, 2026

INFO: The Accelerate Fellowship is a four-month rewriting sprint that gives disabled film and television writers $30,000 in funding and bespoke mentorship to develop a spec script to market.

Through writers groups, one-on-one mentorship, guidance from the Inevitable Foundation staff, and access to leading film and television writers, the program offers disabled writers everything they need to get their script ready to take to market. This year’s program will also encourage nuanced disability representation in the projects themselves.

BENEFITS:

Unrestricted Funding - A $30,000 unrestricted grant to cover living expenses so Fellows can focus full-time on writing.
Conversations & Workshops - Frequent conversations with leading writers and showrunners help Fellows get bespoke advice and build new connections.
Bespoke mentorship - Ongoing writing workshops, check-ins with the Inevitable team and pairing with mentors allow Fellows to sharpen their writing and pitching skills.
Community of Peers - Connecting with other disabled screenwriters both inside and outside of the Fellowship program will build a supportive community tha

ELIGIBILITY:

What are your eligibility requirements?

General eligibility requirements:

Self-identifies as disabled.
18 years of age or older.
Currently pursuing a career in writing for film or television.
Not enrolled in an accredited degree program.
Currently or previously has worked in the entertainment industry.

Applicants must also meet at least one (1) of the following criteria:

Has an agent or a manager
Member of the WGA, Animation Guild or equivalent union
Has sold a script, TV show, or pitch before
Has staffed on a TV show or received a writing credit on a movie
Has been or currently are in development with a major production company, studio, or network
Has placed in a prominent screenwriting competition
Has participated in or been selected for any screenwriting or filmmaking lab, program, or residency

APPLICATION:

How do I apply for the Accelerate Fellowship?

If you are interested in the program, please fill out our Program Eligibility Questionnaire. If you meet the program eligibility requirements, we will email you if you are eligible.

What’s included in the application process for the Accelerate Fellowship?

The application process has been condensed to a single round and will be open from May 28, 2026 through June 17, 2026. After confirming your eligibility, you will be invited to:

Provide information about yourself and your writing career
Submit a writing sample, with a title and logline
Tell us more about the project you intend to work on through the fellowship
Answer a few short answer questions about your goals for the program

Semi-final applicants will then be invited to interview in early-to-mid August.

Do I need to be disabled to receive an Accelerate Fellowship?

Yes. The Fellowship is for individuals that self-identify as disabled. This includes physical, intellectual, developmental, visible or invisible disabilities, and mental health conditions.

Do you accept Accelerate Fellows from outside the United States?

Yes, however, Fellows must be available for meetings within the working day of US Pacific Time. Please note that interested parties from outside the United States are subject to additional review in order to comply with U.S. Treasury Department regulations.

Do you select writing teams as Accelerate Fellows?

Yes, however, if only one member of the writing team is disabled, only that person can receive the unrestricted funding associated with an Accelerate Fellowship. Your writing partner will still be invited to participate in mentorship, writers rooms and other program benefits. If both members of a writing team for the project you are applying with are disabled, you must apply as a team and split the unrestricted grant. Applicants that do not disclose the writers on the project in their application will be disqualified.

Does my script need to be finished to apply?

No, however, we will take the stage of a project and your goals for the program into account when making selections to ensure that you can make sizeable progress with your project during the program.

Do the projects need to be in specific genres?

You are free to submit a project from any genre, although we are currently seeing the most interest from the market in comedy, horror, thriller, rom-com, and young adult projects. You are welcome to submit traditional dramas but they are harder to get made in the market currently.

How commercial does the project need to be?

We are interested in projects that have a commercial sensibility, which we define as having a sizable audience that can be marketed to. While your project doesn’t need to be a blockbuster, it should have a clear and identifiable audience that is enthusiastic and large enough to support its success.

THE PROGRAM:

What does a normal week look like for an Accelerate Fellow?

As an Accelerate Fellow, every week can look different depending on what your specific project needs are.

Writers Rooms: We will have a biweekly hold for a writer’s workshop where you are able to submit materials a week in advance to receive feedback from your cohort in the room. If no one submits materials, we will release that hold for the week, but if another fellow submits work, we expect you to read and come prepared with thoughtful feedback.
Check-Ins: You'll have a recurring check-in with program staff every three weeks. The time is yours to use however feels most useful. Fellows have used it to discuss project notes, follow up on mentor requests, get career advice, or just vent about the industry.
Mentorship: Towards the beginning of the program, Inevitable Foundation staff will send out requests to potential mentors who you will help curate. If a mentor accepts, they are committing to two conversations with you, ideally centered around pushing your fellowship project forward.
Writer’s Therapy: You will be invited to join informal chats with some of the industry’s leading screenwriters and showrunners. These are off-the-record Q&A sessions where you are able to get unfiltered insights into the career journeys of some of the greats.
Community Building: Semi-regular informal & formal meetups—both digital and in-person—with current Accelerate Fellows and program alumni.

Can I complete the Accelerate Fellowship while employed?

Yes, with some caveats. The goal of the Accelerate Fellowship is to help you get more professional work as a writer (both development and staffing), so we’ll never ask you to turn down opportunities. However, to ensure the impact of the program, we do ask applicants to make sure they have enough time to commit fully to all the Fellowship entails, which we will assess in the application.

Can I complete the Accelerate Fellowship while in another fellowship or award program?

You can, but because of the workload associated with the Accelerate Fellowship and other industry fellowship programs, we don’t recommend trying to complete both at the same time.

Can I be chosen as an Accelerate Fellow if I’ve already benefited from another Inevitable Foundation program?

Yes. All our programs are designed to be complementary, and applying for/receiving benefits from one program does not exclude you from any others. Former Accelerate Fellows are not eligible to apply.

Does Inevitable Foundation own any of the material written by Fellows?

No, Fellows retain all of the rights to their work, including anything created or workshopped during the Fellowship.

Does the project need to incorporate disability into the script?

While incorporating disability into your fellowship project is not required, we encourage projects that have nuanced disability representation and a commercial sensibility.

SELECTION:

Who makes selections for the Fellowship?
Inevitable Foundation’s staff, who work at the intersection of entertainment and disability, are in charge of evaluating applicants and selecting the Fellows.
When are new cohorts of Fellows selected?
The next cohort of Accelerate fellows will be selected Summer 2026.
How long is a Fellowship?
Each Accelerate Fellowship includes 4 months of funding and programming, and you are not required to participate in programming or submit any materials after that time. However, alumni are welcome at some community and industry-focused programming and are always encouraged to reach out to Inevitable staff as a resource.
Are scripts with attached actors, producers, or companies more likely to be selected?
No. In fact, the fewer attachments a project has, the better. The goal of the program is to either complete a first draft or do a major rewrite on the project, and the fewer cooks in the kitchen, the easier that will be. Once your script is the best it can be, you’ll be better positioned to find the best attachments for the project.

REPORTING + MORE:

What are the reporting requirements for the Accelerate Fellowship?
Fellows will be asked to complete an exit interview and experience survey at the end of the Fellowship to provide feedback on their experience.
What are the Accelerate Fellowship Terms and Conditions?
Read the Accelerate Fellowship Terms and Conditions
Have another question?
Email us at programs@inevitable.foundation

inevitable.foundation/accelerate

_____

CAPE Showrunners Incubator

Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment (CAPE)

DEADLINE: June 18, 2026 at 11:59pm PT

INFO: The CAPE Showrunners Incubator, powered by STARZ #TakeTheLead and The Asian American Foundation (TAAF), provides upper-level writers with the opportunity to receive exclusive mentorship and real-world training and education to become successful showrunners for series television.

When CAPE first started tracking the number of Asian and Pacific Islander (API) showrunners almost a decade ago, we counted around 20 API showrunners. At the most recent 2023 API Showrunners Brunch co-hosted by the Asian American Writers Brunch (led by Melinda Hsu and Jennifer Lee) and CAPE, we invited over 70 API showrunners. The numbers are improving, but we can do better.

The CAPE Showrunners Incubator completed its inaugural year in June 2024 and gave 8 TV writers on the brink of showrunning the opportunity to receive exclusive mentorship and real-world training and education.

ELIGIBILITY TERMS AND REQUIREMENTS:

Applicants should be consistent with CAPE’s work to empower Asian and Pacific Islander voices in entertainment by championing people, stories, and culture.
Applicants must be 21 years or older.
Upper-level TV writers will be prioritized, but other writers with imminent shows in development will be considered.
All finalists must agree to participate in all sessions and meetings, which will be conducted in July-August 2026, both in-person and virtually, on Wednesday evenings and Saturday afternoons:
- Session 1: Wednesday, July 15
- Session 2: Saturday, July 18
- Session 3: Wednesday, July 22
- Session 4: Saturday, July 25
- Session 5: Wednesday, July 29
- Session 6: Saturday, August 1
- Session 7: Wednesday, August 5
- Session 8: Saturday, August 8
Applicants must not have participated in the WGA Showrunner Training Program.

EACH ONLINE APPLICATION WILL CONSIST OF:

Resume
Letter of Recommendation from an individual who has meaningfully collaborated with you on a recent project. Examples include showrunners, executives, or creative partners.
PDF format only OR sent by email to programs@capeusa.org. All emailed letters must be received by the deadline.
IMDb Link
$30 Non-Refundable Application Processing Fee
Personal Statement (1000 words maximum) addressing the following questions:
- What obstacles or barriers have you faced in your career advancement, and how did you address them?
- How can your position help advance Asian and Pacific Islander representation in the entertainment industry?
- In regards to your career development, where do you hope to be in 5 years? In 10 years? How can the CAPE Showrunners Incubator help you reach these goals?

TIMELINE:

Monday, June 1, 2026: Applications Open
Thursday, June 18, 2026: Applications Close
Mid-June: Selection Period
- All applicants notified by Tuesday, June 30
Wednesday, July 15: Program Start
Saturday, August 8: Program End

capeusa.org/showrunners

_____

NBC TV WRITERS PROGRAM

NBC Universal Launch

DEADLINE: June 21, 2026 by 11:59 pm PT

INFO: The NBC TV Writers Program is our premier program for emerging episodic television writers with the goal of creating the next generation of showrunners and content creators.

The program develops writers whose distinct points of view and lived experiences provide unique perspectives to the writers’ room.

During the program, writers develop an original pilot to which they retain all rights. They are paired with NBCUniversal development and current programming executives who mentor them, as they write their original pilot and polish samples for staffing consideration.

Writers also attend weekly evening workshops to enhance their creative and professional skills, including branding, pitching, and interviewing, as well as expand on their knowledge of the ever-changing television landscape. Additionally, they have opportunities to learn from and build relationships with industry professionals, including network and studio executives, showrunners, agents, and managers.

At the conclusion of the program, participating writers will be considered for available staff writer positions on NBCU Television and Streaming as well as Universal Studio Group series.

Applicants are encouraged to review the FAQs carefully as they are designed to guide you in creating a strong submission.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

Applicants must be authorized to work legally in the United States. Visa sponsorship is not offered to program participants.
Applicants must be at least 21 years of age as of January 1, 2027.
Entertainment industry experience is not required.
In-person weekly workshops take place during the first 12 weeks from the program’s start date. During this time, program participants must reside in the Los Angeles area. The workshops take place during the evening.
Writers who have received a staff writer credit on more than one streaming, cable, or broadcast television scripted series are ineligible and cannot apply.
The program does not accept writing teams.

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS:

Those applying must submit a complete application package, which includes the following items:

APPLICATION must be completed in its entirety. Incomplete applications will not be considered.
2 ORIGINAL PILOTS that capture the writer’s unique tone, style, and point of view. Applicants retain ownership of these 2 pre-existing pilots which will be used solely for review and evaluation purposes, as part of the application process.
Applicants must select and designate one pilot to prioritize for the first round of review and consideration. Should an applicant proceed to the next round, their second submitted pilot will be reviewed.
Submitted pilots should adhere to the following:
(1) For comedy pilots, follow a four-act structure or Cold Open + three-act structure; for drama pilots, follow a six-act structure or Cold Open + 5 act structure;
(2) Must be between 25-45 pages in length for 30-minute formats (typically comedy) or between 45-60 pages for 60-minute format (typically drama);
(3) Have a clear beginning, middle, and end.
The applicant must be the sole owner of all original material submitted.
All script reads are blind so only provide the title on the title page of the pilots. The applicant’s name, email, address, phone number, or any other identifying information should not appear in the filename, on the title page, or any other page of the script.
RELEASE FORMS must be completed, signed, and dated, in order for submissions to be accepted. Incomplete release forms will result in disqualification. Digital signatures are accepted.
RÉSUMÉ outlining chronological paid employment history (may include entertainment and non-entertainment positions) and any writing-related honors/awards. Positions must have been held within the past 15 years (two pages or less). Only list compensated positions with the exception of entertainment industry internships and full-time volunteer work at non-profits. If listing writing projects, only include projects that were produced and/or optioned. The applicant’s résumé will provide us an understanding of their work history and insight into their individual life experiences.
PERSONAL ESSAYS articulate the applicant’s unique perspective and background as it relates to their storytelling. Applicant must answer both (2) essay questions, and each essay must not exceed 400 words.

(OPTIONAL) LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION from entertainment industry professionals who have read the applicant’s material and can comment on the applicant’s writing ability. Letters of recommendation are strongly encouraged, but not required. Acceptable letters must be on business or personal letterhead, dated in the current calendar year and include the author’s title and/or industry affiliation. No more than two letters per application will be accepted. Letters must accompany the submission and may not be submitted separately via email or mail. Any recommendation letters emailed or mailed to the Program separate from the writer’s application will not be accepted. Letter(s) from agents, managers, attorneys, etc. are considered a conflict of interest and will not be considered.

Any candidate who does not meet the aforementioned criteria will be disqualified.

NOTIFICATION: Due to the volume of submissions received, only those applicants who are selected to participate in the program will be notified. Applicants who are not selected will not be notified. Please check our social media pages for updates on the selection process. Selections will be announced a few weeks before the Program commences.

You acknowledge that the Submitted Material may be similar or identical to, in whole or in part, existing or future ideas, concepts, or proposals, or other material of any kind submitted to or independently developed by television networks or platforms of NBCUniversal Media, LLC or its related and/or affiliated entities (“NBCU”), and you agree that NBCU’s use of such similar or identical material does not entitle you or any third party to any rights, compensation or negotiation if NBCU determines it has an independent legal right to use such material.

nbcuniversallaunch.com/tv-writers-program

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Academy Nicholl Fellowships

Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences x The Writers Guild Foundation

DEADLINE: July 20, 2026 at 5 pm PT (or when 2,000 scripts have been submitted)

SUBMISSION FEE: $100 for the first 750 submissions, $120 thereafter

INFO: Each year, the Academy Nicholl screenwriting competition awards up to five $35,000 fellowships to amateur screenwriters. To enter, submit a feature-length screenplay and entry fee via the online submission when the competition is open for submissions. Fellowship winners are invited to participate in awards week ceremonies and seminars, receive individualized Academy member mentorship and are expected to complete at least one original feature film screenplay during their Fellowship year.

GUIDELINES: This opportunity is for emerging screenwriters submitting an original feature screenplay. You may be eligible if:

You meet the Academy’s rules for non-professional screenwriters.
Your script is an original feature screenplay.
Your script is 80–125 pages.
Your script is written in English.
Your script is in standard industry format.
You are not submitting the same script through another Nicholl public submission partner.
This is only a quick overview. Please read the full eligibility rules before submitting.

BEFORE YOU SUBMIT: Before starting the submission process, make sure you have:

A PDF of your feature screenplay with your name removed from the script (this ensures a blind read)
The correct writer name or writing team information.
Confirmation that you own or control the rights to submit the script.
Time to review the full eligibility rules.
Payment ready for the submission fee. ($100 for the first 750 submissions, $120 thereafter)
Submission fees are non-refundable.

FEE + PRICING TRANSPARENCY:

The submission fee helps WGF run a thoughtful, responsible review process for up to 2,000 scripts. The submission fee is $100 for the first 750 submissions. After the first 750 submission spots are filled, the submission fee will increase to $120 for the remaining submission spots until WGF reaches the 2,000-submission cap or the submissions portal closes on July 20, whichever comes first.

Most of the fee goes directly toward paying the writers who read and evaluate submissions.

Approximate use of submission fees:

Reader stipends: 71%
Reader training and support: 15%
Technology and transaction fees: 9%
Admin and legal: 5%
Submission fees are non-refundable.

wgfoundation.org/nicholl

_____

Sofia Coppola Short Film Award

Decentralized Pictures

DEADLINE: June 30, 2026

INFO: We’re thrilled to announce a new short film award in collaboration with Sofia Coppola to recognize an emerging filmmaker that projects a unique artistic perspective.

Sofia Coppola is one of the most influential filmmakers of her generation. From The Virgin Suicides to Priscilla, her distinctive style has been celebrated for creating dreamlike atmospheres, intentional pacing, and precision with mood and setting that continues to influence cinema.

This award draws from that legacy: like Sofia’s unique voice, we’re aiming to identify and celebrate a filmmaker with a distinct creative point of view, confident visual sensibility, and an instinct for storytelling that feels personal and unmistakably their own.

AWARD PACKAGE:

$20,000 to produce a short film
Mentoring support
P&A support (budget to be determined by DCP)
Distribution of completed film on DCP+

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS:

Submission Fee: See Minimum Entry Fee on Awards detail page (Includes Moderation Fee + Peer review fee)
A compelling short video sample that reflects the filmmaker’s unique perspective and storytelling style—whether a previously produced scene, visual excerpt, or proof of concept. Anything that showcases your production abilities.
Project Description/Lookbook
- One page document describing film the applicant wishes to produce with the award funding (synopsis, visual references)

ELIGIBILITY:

Open globally to all filmmakers
All demographics, identities, and backgrounds
All genres accepted
All submissions must be in either English or have English language translation for all materials.
All films must adhere to the General Rules & Instructions found in the DCP Terms of Service.

SELECTION PROCESS:

Community will shortlist finalists using DCP’s transparent voting platform evaluating unique voice, visual quality, and originality
Final recipient will be selected by Sofia and the DCP Board

IMPORTANT: All films must reasonably be produced for the allocated $20K budget.

DATES:

Submission End: June 30, 2026 (Minimum of 100 submissions required. Submission end date will be extended if minimum submissions not met)
Community Review End: 14 days after Submission End
Final Recipients Announced (target): 14 days after Community Review has ended
Finished Film (target): TBD

Optional but encouraged: Submit a pitch video in either voiceover or selfie style that may include:

Who you are as a filmmaker
What inspired you to submit your project to this award?
Who are your influences as a filmmaker?

By entering, each entrant warrants and represents the following with respect to their Submission: (a) entrant is the sole and exclusive owner of the Submission; (b) the Submission will not infringe on any rights (including, without limitation any intellectual property rights) of any third parties; (c) any third parties appearing in the Submission have given entrant appropriate consent and used as permitted herein; and (d) all information the entrant provided herein is true and accurate.

Rules subject to change at any time without warnin

app.decentralized.pictures/awards/

_____

Zhao-Chen Family AAPI Voices Fund

Kartemquin Films

DEADLINE: June 30, 2026 by 11:59pm CST

INFO: Kartemquin Films is a collaborative community that empowers documentary makers who create stories that foster a more engaged and just society.

Applications for Round TWO of the Zhao-Chen Family AAPI Voices Fund at Kartemquin Films are officially open.

Funding will be competitive and project applicants must:

Must highlight stories centering Asian/Asian American/Pacific Islander stories;
Be working on a high-impact story that reflects the varied experiences of AAPI communities based in the US;
Be working on a short documentary project (no features or series will be accepted at this time); and
Be prepared to enter into a co-production agreement with KTQ;

For this Fund, we are looking to support:

Projects by filmmakers who have meaningful connections to the communities on which their project focuses; and
Stories that are struggling to secure funding or may not be clearly “commercially viable”

KEY DATES & FUNDING DECISIONS TIMELINE - ROUND 2, 2026

The timeline will be as follows (subject to change, please check back for updates):

Applications Review Period: Summer 2026
Notification of Decisions: mid to late September 2026
The Accelerator begins in October and runs for 12 months

Questions? You can find a list of FAQs here. Email us at aapivoicesfund@kartemquin.org.

kartemquinfilms.submittable.com/submit

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TUBI X BLACK LIST HORROR INITIATIVE

The Black List x Tubi

DEADLINE: June 30, 2026

INFO: Tubi and the Black List are looking for the next great horror film!

The Black List and Tubi have expanded their partnership with a new initiative to provide both emerging and established writers with the opportunity to submit feature scripts within the horror genre with the intention for Tubi to produce and distribute the selected script. Writers can submit their entries beginning March 1, 2026 and the submission period will run through June 30, 2026.

The selected script will first be purchased by Tubi taking into account the intended film budget but for no less than the WGA upset price; from there, Tubi will determine what additional writing steps may be necessary. The Black List will also be an executive producer on the film.

100 fee waivers are available for this program! In order to qualify for a fee waiver, you must have a completed horror feature script. Please be patient as it might take some time before we can respond to your request. Fee waivers will be distributed at the discretion of the Black List and Tubi.

This opportunity is open to writers at every level, WGA and otherwise, and we encourage all voices to submit their feature script for consideration.

SELECTION PROCESS:

On August 1st, a short list of at least ten scripts will be selected and the writers of those scripts will be invited to submit a resume and a personal statement. The Black List and Tubi will review those projects. The Black List and Tubi will then identify a top tier of scripts from the short list and will interview those writers before confirming selection of the final script.

IMPORTANT DATES:

March 1, 2026 - Submissions Open
June 30, 2026 - Submissions Close
August 1, 2026 - Short List Notifications
October 2026 - Final Selection Notification

FAQ:

Who is eligible to apply?

This program is open to writers at every level of their career - WGA writers are welcome to apply along with emerging new voices. You must be 18 years old and your script must be in English.

What kind of script should I submit for the Horror Initiative?

We are only accepting horror features for this program.

How do I apply for a fee waiver?

100 fee waivers are available the Horror Initiative - you may apply for a program-specific fee waiver via the program submission page. In order to apply for a fee waiver, you must have a completed feature-length horror script and have a writer profile on blcklst.com.

Please note that scripts go through an eligibility evaluation process before a decision on your fee waiver submission is made, which may take up to one week. Should your script be approved for a fee waiver, your script will automatically receive one free month of hosting and one evaluation, and your script will be automatically opted into consideration for this program. If your fee waiver request is denied, you are still welcome to submit your feature script to this program via the traditional opt-in process on blcklst.com.

Fee waivers will be distributed at the discretion of the Black List and Tubi.

How many scripts will be selected for the Horror Initiative?

The Black List and Tubi have partnered to discover one feature script for Tubi to purchase and develop, with the intent of greenlighting that script for production and distribution.

What is the script selection process for the Horror Initiative?

On August 1st, a short list of at least ten horror feature scripts will be selected and the writers of those scripts will be invited to submit a resume and a personal statement. The Black List and Tubi will review those projects. The Black List and Tubi will then identify a top tier of scripts from the short list and will interview those writers before confirming selection of the final scripts.

Can I submit more than one script?

Yes - you are welcome to submit more than one script to this program.

Can I submit a pilot or a play?

No - this program is only for completed feature scripts.

Can I submit a script as a writing team?

Yes - this program is open to writing teams.

Is this program open to writers based outside of the United States?

Yes - this program is open to writers everywhere as long as the script is written in the English language.

Do I have to host my script for the whole partnership period for Horror Initiative?

No - as long as your script is hosted on blcklst.com and it is online when you submit it for consideration to the Horror Initiative during the submission window (3/1/2026 - 6/30/2026), you’re all set! Please note that you will need to have at least one evaluation of your script in order to submit it for further consideration in the Horror Initiative.

blcklst.com/programs/tubi-black-list-horror-initiative

TV / FILM — MAY 2026

May 1, 2026

FRED ROGERS PRODUCTIONS WRITERS' NEIGHBORHOOD

DEADLINE: May 2, 2026 at 12:00am PT

INFO: The Fred Rogers Productions Writers' Neighborhood for emerging writers focuses on how to build and sustain a career as a freelance writer in children's media. Program participants will learn from the current writers, story editors, head writers, and producers working on the children's series FRP currently produces for PBS KIDS, including Donkey Hodie, Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood, and Alma's Way, as well as other top industry creatives.

We look forward to bringing in a diverse group of talent because building one's career is not just about "who you know," but also "who knows you."

FRP values the enrichment that results from working with partners having diverse experiences and backgrounds. Accordingly, BIPOC writers and writers who are members of other traditionally underrepresented communities in the children’s media industry are encouraged to apply.

PROGRAM GOALS FOR FRP WRITERS’ NEIGHBORHOOD:

Help to bring new voices and perspectives to children’s media by seeking out and providing training and support to new and emerging writers as they build freelance careers.

• The nine-week intensive program will focus on expanding the fellows' professional development:

Help writers understand the landscape of children’s media in the U.S.
Fellows will begin to structure or polish their brand as a freelance writer (in terms of presentingtheir portfolio in person and via social media)
- Resumé polishing assistance
- Templates for emails for introducing themselves, pitching for a job, and follow-up from an in-person meeting at an event
Master the art of networking
Gain a better understanding of the overall production process
Understand the creative structure of a show —what head writers and producers look for when seeking new writers through case studies of FRP’s series
Improve pitching skills (coaching for introducing themselves virtually or in person)
Learn the voice of a new show and writing for different genres (e.g., animation, live-action, puppets)
Gain insights from other leading industry creatives including head writers, producers, and executives

• In addition, writers who complete the program will receive:

Group meet-ups with FRP staff and guest experts for six months (virtually)
Mentorship from an expert in children's media (three, 45-minute sessions)
An invitation to pitch to write for an FRP show (within one year of completing the program)
A membership to an industry association

• FRP will also:

Offer participants an honorarium and pay for travel and accommodations to Pittsburgh, PA
Publicize writers to our network through social media, direct email, in-person social events, etc.
Host a virtual panel with participants after the program is completed

SUBMISSION MATERIALS*

The candidate's basic information (including their name and age), up-to-date contact information (including an email address, address, and phone numbers)
A copy of the candidate's resumé; NO PHOTOS PLEASE
A reply of 400 words or less for two prompts
An original writing sample

*See FAQs for more details about the submission materials.

writersneighborhood.fredrogers.org

_____

DOCUMENTARY LAB OPEN CALL

Firelight Media

DEADLINE: May 4, 2026

INFO: The Documentary Lab is Firelight Media’s longest-running artist program. This 12-month fellowship is designed to nurture filmmakers of color working on their first or second non-fiction feature film. The Documentary Lab provides holistic support for fellows’ projects and careers through professional development, customized mentorship, and a $25,000 project grant. Throughout the fellowship, filmmakers build a network within the documentary ecosystem, connecting with Firelight alumni and forging industry relationships across the field.

PROGRAM OVERVIEW: The Firelight Media Documentary Lab is a 12-month fellowship program that supports filmmakers of color in the United States in directing their first or second feature-length documentary film. The Documentary Lab provides filmmakers with a $25,000 grant toward their projects as well as customized mentorship from prominent leaders in the documentary industry, professional development, and networking opportunities.

In 2026, the Documentary Lab will only accept projects in post-production. In an effort to be responsive to the changing landscape in the documentary field, all the projects in the fellowship will be aligned at a similar stage, allowing the 12-month program to focus on story development and project feedback to help move films significantly closer to completion.

Filmmakers should be prepared to have intentional conversations about how to reach their ideal audiences and be strategic about moving their films out into the world. Competitive applicants will be making artful and innovative documentary films that focus on stories about communities of color, offering new narratives about the most pressing issues of our time. All types of long-form documentary projects – historical, investigative, personal, vérité, hybrid, and experimental – are eligible for the Documentary Lab program.

Over the last decade, the Documentary Lab has grown from a mentorship program into a robust talent incubator that has supported approximately 150 emerging filmmakers of color and granted over $2.3 million toward productions. The fellowship brings together a cohesive cohort and connects them to an extraordinary community of Firelight Media alumni, while also building relationships across the independent documentary field.

The timeline and eligibility guidelines for the upcoming Fellowship are below.

ELIGIBILITY GUIDELINES:

Only the director of the film is eligible to apply and participate in the program. Co-directors may participate if they meet all eligibility requirements. If you’re applying with your co-director, please indicate that in your application. We cannot accept more than 2 directors per project.
This program is intended for filmmakers of color based in the United States or U.S. territories (Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, U.S. Samoa, Guam/Northern Mariana Islands).
The project must be a long-form/feature-length documentary; the fellowship does not accept short documentaries, series, or fiction projects.
Applicants must be emerging documentary filmmakers directing their first or second feature-length documentary.
New for 2026: We are only accepting films that are in POST-PRODUCTION. The film must be a work in progress. Completed films, or films in development, production, or pre-production, are not eligible. Be sure to review FAQs if you have further questions regarding your eligibility.

FILMMAKERS ARE NOT ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE SUPPORT THROUGH ANY OF FIRELIGHT MEDIA’S ARTIST PROGRAMS IF:

The filmmaker is applying with a project that is a student film or related to ongoing coursework.
The filmmaker is re-applying to a program they previously received support from.
The filmmaker is contracted with another Firelight Media artist program and has not completed the final deliverables by the time they are selected for this program.
The filmmaker is employed by Firelight Media, Firelight Films, or is a member of the board of directors.
The filmmaker does not hold the majority of the intellectual property of the film.

APPLICATION TIMELINE:

Monday, May 4, 2026 - Application Open Call Ends (The Submittable application will automatically close at 11:59 PM ET on Monday, May 4, 2026. No late submissions accepted.)
May-July 2026 - Two Rounds of Application Review & Advisory Board Panel Meeting
August 2026 - Finalist Interviews & Final Notifications
September 2026 - Cohort Orientation
September 2027 - End of program

firelightmedia.tv/documentary-lab

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2026 DET Writing Program

Disney Entertainment Television

SUBMISSION PERIOD: May 4 - June 1, 2026

INFO: The Disney Entertainment Television (DET) Writing Program is a highly selective, annual TV staffing program. The goal is to staff emerging and diverse television writers on DET scripted series. Program Writers are contract employees of Disney for one year (or until they staff on a show), and receive mentorship, professional development, and unprecedented access to the company and its creative executives, producers, showrunners, and program alumni. In 2020, the Eunetta T. Boone Comedy Writers Scholarship was created to provide a dedicated writer within the program with special staffing consideration on a Disney Branded Television series. In 2024, the FX John Singleton Scholarship was created, providing one writer special staffing consideration on an FX Networks series.

Established in 1990, the one-year writing program is widely recognized as one of the entertainment industry’s most successful of its type. It has kickstarted the careers of many established and award-winning writers, producers and showrunners, including Saladin Patterson, Raamla Mohammed, Peter Saji, Zahir McGhee, Dailyn Rodriguez, Luvh Rakhe, Sierra Ornelas, and Claudia Forestieri, among many others.

The Program has had a nearly 100% staffing rate each year. It also has a long history of being the only staffing/writing initiative in the entertainment industry to employ its writers contractually as full-time employees prior to staffing.

sites.disney.com/ctdi/writingprogram/

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TULSA ARTIST FELLOWSHIP

📍Tulsa, OK

DEADLINE: May 7, 2026 at 6:00 pm CT

INFO: Tulsa Artist Fellowship supports artists as vital contributors to Tulsa’s cultural life.

We invest in long-term creative practice, offering artists the time, resources, and community to develop ambitious work rooted in Tulsa.

Our approach is artist-centered and flexible, grounded in the understanding that meaningful creative work takes time—and that artists thrive when trusted to define their own paths.

Tulsa Artist Fellowship is a place-based, durational award supporting visionary artists and arts workers across disciplines.

Open to artists and arts workers with at least five years of field experience, the Fellowship selects up to ten awardees, who will be announced live on November 6 in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Each awardee is provided a comprehensive support package that includes a $150,000 stipend, housing support, fully subsidized studio space, and access to shared art-making facilities.

Awardees commit to developing ambitious, community-engaged work that contributes to Tulsa’s cultural life and advances the Fellowship’s mission to support independent arts practitioners.

Program details may evolve to best support participating artists and the Fellowship’s mission.

Competitive applications will demonstrate:

A rigorous and innovative arts practice
A meaningful connection to making work in Tulsa
A forward-thinking, achievable project with strong community engagement and impact

AWARD STRUCTURE:

Each Fellow is supported through a comprehensive three-year award package designed to strengthen artistic development, stability, and well-being.

Financial Support

$150,000 project development and artistic practice stipend (over 3 years)

$36,000 housing support (over 3 years)
$1,500 studio move-in stipend
$3,600 studio assistant support (over 3 years)
$3,600 health and wellness support (over 3 years)

Community & Connection

Cohort gatherings and shared meals
Open studio events and public programs
Opportunties to engage with visiting arts professionals

Studio Workspace

Access to a fully subsidized private studio (337–583 sq ft)
Shared facilities include a ceramics studio with kilns, a woodshop, metal equipment, a media lab, an archival printer, a roof terrace, a performance rehearsal space, a podcast recording studio, and meeting rooms with video and audio capabilities
(Estimated value: $36,000 over 3 years)

Wellness & Care

YMCA membership for household
Caregiver reimbursements for key Fellowship activities

APPLICATION MATERIALS:

All applications are completed online and free to submit. Detailed instructions are provided in the application portal.

Basic information, including contact details, residence, citizenship, identity, and household information
Artistic background, including resume/CV, website, social media platforms, biography (up to 250 words), and collaborator information
(Collaborators must submit individual applications)
Artistic Practice Statement (up to 500 words) and Fellowship Statement (up to 500 words)
Three-year project proposal, including project title, description (up to 500 words), role statement (up to 200 words), and optional visual or media support materials
Proposed use of the fellowship stipend, estimated budget for the $150,000 award, including living expenses, artistic production, and project-related costs.
Three professional references from the arts field

tulsaartistfellowship.org/award

_____

ARTIST AS CATALYST LA

The Peace Studio |📍Los Angeles, CA

DEADLINES:

Priority - May 8, 2026
Last call - May 15, 2026

INFO: Artist as Catalyst (AAC) is a three-day immersive experience designed to equip young storytellers, artists, and cultural catalysts (ages 18–30) with the tools, opportunity, and community to use their craft in the service of peace-building.

Throughout this multi-day intensive, participants engage in a dynamic blend of workshops, keynotes, collaborative labs, and community events—all within a diverse and generative environment. AAC brings together some of LA’s most influential artists, cultural leaders, activists, and peace builders, featuring world-class talent and thinkers who are at the forefront of their fields.

This program balances artistic excellence with restorative practices, providing catalysts from various disciplines the opportunity to network, make lasting connections, and collaborate on a group-based “Peace Project.” Participants also have the chance to apply for micro-grants to further develop their ideas in partnership with their cohort.

By centering story as a tool for connection and impact, AAC nurtures a new generation of artists prepared to shift culture and catalyze meaningful change.

PROGRAM DATES: June 12 - 14, 2026

LOCATION: Santa Monica, CA

TUITION: This program is fully funded for all accepted participants.

PARTICIPANT PROFILE: Los Angeles-based artists & cultural leaders, ages 18-30

We welcome creative people of all disciplines to apply. This program is right for you if you agree with the three statements below:

I am creative.
I believe I am capable of making positive change in the world through the stories I tell.
I believe there is strength and power in community.

2026 THEME: The Power is In The People

"This is precisely the time when artists go to work. There is no time for despair, no place for self-pity, no need for silence, no room for fear. We speak, we write, we do language. That is how civilizations heal." - Toni Morrison

The power to shift culture is in the hands of the people, our stories, and our connection to one another. No matter where we are on our artistic journey you hold the power within you to think critically, craft, and create. There is power in making tangible art, of telling true stories, and it will be what sustains us through any era of societal unrest and uncertainty. Our collective work, collaborative economics, along with our innovation and tenacity will outlive any artificial intelligence threatening our cultural landscape and wellness. Our humanity cannot be reproduced or replicated. Our uniqueness is what makes us whole and irrefutable. Sharing our offerings, skills, assets, and abilities with one another makes our collective power undeniable. We are the original technology. However we contribute our ability to tell stories, no matter the industry, is our way to disrupt oppressive systems that agitate our peace. As an artist, it is our duty to answer the call on our life by sharing our gifts. Who are you and what can you offer? We are constantly evolving, elevating, learning and changing. When we bring our full selves to the collective, there is nothing we cannot do. The Power is in the People.

The Peace Studio is committed to offering equitable opportunity to all. For accommodation requests or any questions, please contact aacla@thepeacestudio.org.

thepeacestudio.org/what-we-do/leadership-development/artist-as-catalyst

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2027 Development Track

Sundance Institute

DEADLINE: May 12, 2026 at 4:59 pm PT

APPLICATION FEE: $45 (you should not pay the submission fee until you have completed all other application tasks and are ready to submit your application).

INFO: Feature fiction filmmakers in the early stages of a screenplay, apply now for the 2027 Development Track to be considered for multiple programs, fellowships, and grants.

We accept all application materials electronically ONLY. You will have a chance to save a work-in-progress version of your application before officially submitting.

You must sign in or create an account to access the electronic application. When creating your account, please enter the name of the primary applicant (screenwriter) as the account owner. Additionally, please name your application with your Project Title.

The Development Track has one open application that allows your fiction feature work-in-progress screenplay to be considered for the following programs, fellowships, and grants:

Screenwriters Lab (held annually in January)
Screenwriters Intensive (held annually online in March)
Sundance Institute Alfred P. Sloan Fellowship (includes participation in either the Screenwriters Lab or Intensive) and Commissioning Grant

Our application includes questions to determine your eligibility for each program and fellowship, and you will automatically be considered for all programs and fellowships for which you are eligible. (There is no open application for the Directors Lab, which is typically populated by projects that have been supported through a previous development program.) For more information about each program and fellowship, please visit our website.

CONTACT INFO for the primary applicant, co-applicant if applicable (writers and directors only), and one additional member of the creative team if applicable. (Please note that only the writer(s) and director(s) will attend the Screenwriters Lab.)

ELIGIBILITY QUESTIONS — A series of questions about you and your project that will determine your eligibility for all of the Development Track programs and fellowships.

SLOAN FELLOWSHIP AND GRANT QUESTIONS (Sloan applicants only) — If your project is eligible for the Sloan Fellowship and/or Commissioning Grant, you must complete follow-up questions regarding the scientific or technological content of the material. If your project does not contain scientific or technological content, please do not answer these questions — they are optional.

BIOS (150 words max each) for the primary applicant, co-applicant if applicable, and additional creative team member if applicable.

INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT (250 words max) — Briefly introduce yourself and your project. Let us know where you are in the creative process and why you think this is the right timing for a lab.

SHORT ESSAY QUESTIONS (150 words max each):

What are the key themes you’re exploring in your script?
How do you describe the intended tone, feel, and visual style of your script? We encourage you to include examples of other work as references or inspirations.
What do you most want to work on in your script? What needs the most attention creatively?
Why are you passionate about telling this story now? What gives it urgency?
Whom do you see as the core audience for this film, and what do you want them to take away from it?
What is your personal connection to the material?
What steps are you taking to ensure that the characters and world of your film are authentically represented?
If this is a resubmission of material we’ve previously considered, how has the material changed since we last read it? (optional)

USE OF GENERAL ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE — If you have used generative AI in the process of completing this application or in any submission materials, or if you plan to use generative AI to realize any part of the film’s story or artistic vision, describe how and to what extent.

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY/RIGHTS — Please give us any insight into the current rights status of the project. This is only required if your project is based on true events or characters.

LOGLINE (75 words max) — A one- to two-sentence description of your story.

SYNOPSIS (750 words max) — A brief summary of the plot of your script. Please include all major characters and story points, including the ending.

FIRST FIVE PAGES OF YOUR SCREENPLAY OR TREATMENT — ONLY applicants who wish to be considered exclusively for the Sloan Commissioning Grant are eligible to submit treatments. If a treatment is submitted and it is not eligible for the Sloan Commissioning Grant, the project will not be considered for any other Development Track programs or fellowships. If you wish to be considered for opportunities besides the Sloan Commissioning Grant, you must submit the first five pages of the screenplay, not a treatment. Whether you are submitting a screenplay or a treatment, do not upload more than the first five pages.

NEXT STEPS:

Applicants will be notified on a rolling basis as to whether their application has progressed to the next stage of the selection process. Please be prepared to submit the following materials should you advance to the second round. You will be given approximately 10 days to two weeks from the date of notification to submit these materials and will be notified sometime in August 2026.

UPDATED SYNOPSIS — Since screenplays are often revised between the first and second rounds of our application, we request you submit an updated synopsis with the complete draft of your screenplay.
PROJECT UPDATES (optional) — Please provide any relevant significant updates to your project since your first-round application that you would like us to be aware of (e.g., additions or changes to the creative team, meaningful changes to timeline, etc.).
FULL SCREENPLAY OR TREATMENT — Upload a PDF file of the most current draft of your screenplay or treatment. You may submit a treatment for the Sloan Commissioning Grant ONLY. If a treatment is submitted and it is not eligible for the Sloan Commissioning Grant, the project will not be considered for any other Development Track programs or fellowships. If you wish to be considered for opportunities besides the Sloan Commissioning Grant, you must submit the screenplay, not a treatment.
DIRECTING SAMPLE (optional) — If you are a writer-director or if a director is attached to the project, you will have an opportunity to submit a link to a directing sample or samples. Please include the title and run time for any sample submitted.
VISUAL MATERIAL (optional) — If you have visual materials, such as a lookbook or project deck, you may upload a PDF of no more than 40 MB.

All applicants will be notified about their status via email no later than August 31, 2026. Due to the high volume of submissions, we are unfortunately unable to provide feedback about individual projects. If you have additional questions, please visit the Development Track FAQ.

If you have further questions, please email featurefilmprogram@sundance.org.

Development Track Selection Process Timeline

April 14, 2026 Application Available Online
May 12, 2026 Application Closes (4:59 p.m. PT)
August 31, 2026 Second-Round Notifications Complete
December 15, 2026 Final Selection Notifications Complete

Giving Back:

Should you be selected to participate in the January Screenwriters Lab, Screenwriters Intensive, or other Development Track labs and fellowships, you will be asked to continue the spirit of giving back. We request that lab alumni whose projects are produced contribute to the Institute’s work to support new generations of emerging filmmakers.

For all supported projects, Sundance Institute will receive a screen credit in the end titles of the project in the form of “This film was supported by the Sundance Institute Feature Film Program,” together with the Institute’s logo.

For all projects supported at the January Screenwriters Lab, the following financial contribution provisions apply:

If the project is produced for a gross budget that is equal to or less than one million five hundred thousand dollars ($1,500,000), no contribution is due to the Institute.
If the project is produced for a gross budget between one million five hundred thousand one dollars ($1,500,001) and three million dollars ($3,000,000), the owner will make a contribution to the Institute in the amount of two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500), which will be paid to the Institute no later than ten (10) business days following the commencement of principal photography of the project.
If the project is produced for a gross budget between three million one dollars ($3,000,001) and five million dollars ($5,000,000), the owner will make a contribution to the Institute in the amount of five thousand dollars ($5,000), which will be paid to the Institute no later than ten (10) business days following the commencement of principal photography of the project.
If the project is produced for a gross budget that is equal to or exceeds five million one dollars ($5,000,001), the owner will make a contribution to the Institute in the amount of seven thousand five hundred dollars ($7,500), which will be paid to the Institute no later than ten (10) business days following the commencement of principal photography of the project.

For all projects supported at the Directors Lab or both the Screenwriters Lab and the Directors Lab, the following financial contribution provisions apply in lieu of the provisions set forth above:

If the project is produced for a gross budget equal to or less than one million five hundred thousand dollars ($1,500,000), no contribution is due to the Institute.
If the project is produced for a gross budget between one million five hundred thousand one dollars ($1,500,001) and three million dollars ($3,000,000), the owner will make a contribution to the Institute in an amount of four thousand five hundred dollars ($4,500), which will be paid to the Institute no later than ten (10) business days following the commencement of principal photography of the project.
If the project is produced for a gross budget between three million one dollars ($3,000,001) and five million dollars ($5,000,000), the owner will make a contribution to the Institute in an amount of seven thousand dollars ($7,000), which will be paid to the Institute no later than ten (10) business days following the commencement of principal photography of the project.
If the project is produced for a gross budget that is equal to or exceeds five million one dollars ($5,000,001), the owner will make a contribution to the Institute in an amount of nine thousand five hundred dollars ($9,500), which will be paid to the Institute no later than ten (10) business days following the commencement of principal photography of the project.

apply.sundance.org/prog/2027_development_track/

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Creative Residency Program

Martin House |📍Buffalo, NY

Deadline: May 13, 2026

INFO: The Martin House Creative Residency Program is a project-based residency that provides creative individuals a designated time and space to develop new works of the imagination inspired by one of the great examples of 20th century architecture.

The primary goals of the program are to:

Nurture creativity by offering individuals from multiple disciplines a thought-provoking environment in which to produce works and present them to our community.
Expand interpretation of our site through active solicitation of diverse perspectives and voices.
Provide audiences an opportunity to discover and engage more fully with the Martin House and the creative arts.
Strengthen the Martin House and the region as a center for architecture, art, design, and culture.

The residency is a competitive program that is open to applicants who seek the resources to support ongoing projects or the creation of new work. Creative makers who are selected to participate will generally spend 2-4 weeks onsite either consecutively or incrementally within the specified residency term. Length of stay is project-based and determined by the needs of the applicant and in alignment with the Martin House schedule.

Residents are also expected to deliver a free public program, performance, exhibition, or other creative presentation in order to share their Martin House-inspired work with the larger public.

Residency proposal must relate directly to the Martin House. End-products may revolve around any of the themes central to the site. Subjects of inquiry may relate to architecture, art, art history, landscape, building and design, social history, state and local history, issues of gender, race and class, modernism, urbanism, housing and gentrification, business and industry, the history of technology, cultural studies, engineering and applied sciences, for example.

The Martin House Creative Residency Program is made possible through the Herer Family Charitable Fund.

THE APPLICATION PROCESS:

Applications are accepted in two distinct categories:

Artists: The residency program supports the development and presentation of creative works representing a wide range of artistic styles and practices.
Researchers: The program also provides opportunities for writers, researchers, scholars, critics, and cultural theorists to publish texts or produce projects in various fields, specifically as they relate to Frank Lloyd Wright and the Martin House.

Individuals in all stages of their creative practice may submit proposals to the residency program from the following arts and humanities disciplines, including but not limited to: architecture, design, historic preservation, literature, music, dance, theater, film, and related areas of exploration. Creative makers from diverse backgrounds and perspectives are especially encouraged to apply.

Acceptance is competitive and based on the review of applications by a selection committee. The panel is composed of external jurors and a selection of Martin House staff. Applications will be rated on the following evaluation criteria:

Artistic and intellectual merit of the proposal as covered in the project description, work samples, resume, and previous creative experiences.
Feasibility of the completion of the project as proposed and within the time and resources offered.
Relevance of the project to the Martin House and the stated goals of the Martin House Creative Residency Program.
Quality of the proposed public engagement program, performance, exhibition, or presentation inspired by the Martin House.

BENEFITS OF THE RESIDENCY PROGRAM:

Residents will have wide-ranging access to our architectural campus composed of three Wright-designed homes set within a historic landscape, as well as an award-winning contemporary glass structure conceived by architect Toshiko Mori as an exhibition and visitor space.

Residents will receive a stipend of $5,000. 50% of the stipend will be provided upon arrival to Buffalo; the other 50% will be offered upon completion of the project. Travel expenses of up to $1,000will also be provided to residents who are from outside the Buffalo-Niagara region. Additional funding for materials will not be provided.

Individuals selected to participate will room on campus at the Gardener’s Cottage as part of their residency.

Residents will have heightened access to Martin House collections and collections information. Other locally-accessible research resources are available through:

University at Buffalo Archives Darwin D. Martin + Frank Lloyd Wright Collections
Buffalo + Erie County Public Library Special Collections
Buffalo History Museum Research + Artifact Collections

The Creative Residency Program is an opportunity for the Martin House to respond to and engage with our community. We anticipate that it will lead to more robust interpretations of Frank Lloyd Wright, the Martin House, and the people who once lived and worked here so as to expand the dialogue as to what great architecture is and why it matters.

martinhouse.org/events/residency/

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MOONSHOT PILOT ACCELERATOR

Moonshot Initiative

DEADLINES / FEES:

Late: May 13, 2026 ($69)
Final: May 27, 2026 ($79)

INFO: In this highly competitive virtual accelerator program for TV writers, 6-8 fellows will receive three weeks of industry training before having the opportunity to pitch to major studios, production companies, representatives, and producers. The entire accelerator, including training and pitching, will occur online.

The goal of this program is to launch the careers of our fellows. Already, our past fellows have:

sold a project to a production company met through the accelerator
gotten staffed on TV series — in one instance, been hired by another alum
received representation from an accelerator meeting
had projects in development with producers they met during the accelerator
had a project optioned by a production company
secured follow-up meetings with executives
gotten hired as writing support staff on an existing series
and made many valuable industry contacts.

This program aims to increase the representation of women and gender-expansive people on screen and in writers rooms.

moonshotinitiative.org/pilot-accelerator

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2027 Residencies

Ragdale |📍Lake Forrest, IL

DEADLINE: May 14, 2026 at 11:59pm CST

APPLICATION FEE: $35

INFO: 18-day residency session for individuals. Based on personal financial considerations, artists determine their own residency fee and may opt to pay according to our suggested sliding scale. No financial aid application is required. Admitted residents are responsible for their own travel to and from Ragdale.

Ragdale awards a limited number of fellowships each year. All qualified applicants may apply for fellowships through this application. A fellowship award includes an 18-day fee-waived residency for individuals and a stipend of at least $1000. All applicants who apply for fellowships will be considered. Please note that applicants may be awarded a residency without a fellowship award. Fellowship awards are disclosed upon acceptance.

ELIGIBILITY:

Ragdale encourages applications from artists representing the widest possible range of perspectives and demographics, and to that end, emerging as well as established artists are invited to apply. While there are no publication, exhibition, or performance requirements for application, applicants should be working at the professional level in their fields.

Ragdale encourages artists of all backgrounds to apply and does not discriminate against anyone on the basis of age, disability, gender, origin, race, religion, or sexual orientation.

GUIDELINES:

All applicants submit electronic materials through the Submittable application portal. Do not email or mail any application materials. Please note the following requirements to complete your application. A completed online application form includes:

An artist statement explaining your work, vison, or story (one page or less)
A brief work plan that outlines your studio needs (one page or less)
A one to two-page CV or resume
A works list outlining work samples
Work samples that show work from the past 2-3 years. All media is acceptable. Most electronic file types and sizes are accepted
If you would like to be considered for a fellowship, we require an eligibility statement of 500 words or less for each fellowship you would like to be considered for. An eligibility statement explains how you qualify for the selected fellowship and how a fellowship would support your work at this time
Letters of recommendation are not required or accepted

WORK SAMPLES:

Work sample requirements

Written work: 20 pages of written work (in up to eight files).
Visual work: 8 images (in up to eight files), plus an image list that includes the following information: title, year, media, dimensions, and an optional short description of each work.
Time-based work: Up to 10 minutes of audio or video per application (in up to eight files or links*), plus a works list that includes the following information: title, year, media, and an optional short description of each work. *A pdf with hyperlinks is an acceptable alternative to file uploads. Please include a password if applicable.
Please note: For proposals with more than one type of media: please be fair to reviewers and to fellow applicants; use your best judgement as to what is equivalent. For example, if you plan to submit written work and photos, you may submit 10 pages of written work and 4 photos.

EVALUATION:

Applications are reviewed by Ragdale’s Curatorial Council jury and staff. Evaluations of work are based on the following criteria:

Work samples: Documented works are original, inventive, and exciting.
Work samples indicate relevance in their contemporary field.
Work sample presentation: Work samples are high-quality and technically proficient in execution, and are professionally presented and documented.
Artist’s experience: Artist statement and CV/Resume reflects continued development of ideas, serious inquiry into subject matter, and exceptional aesthetic investigation in the chosen medium.
Work plan: Artist demonstrates they will maximize the benefits of a residency at Ragdale. What is the reason for seeking time and space in this particular residency program and is there a sense of urgency reflected in the goals described?

NOTIFICATION:

Notifications are sent to applicants via email by September. Final packets, including scheduled session dates, are sent by October.

COLLABORATIONS:

Artists collaborating on a project must submit individual application forms and appropriate work samples, along with a joint description of the work they intend to do at Ragdale. Clearly specify your work and living space needs, i.e., how many private studios and/or sleeping quarters are needed. You may also submit an example of a previous collaborative work (either completed or in progress). Any specific questions about collaborations can be directed to the Residency Manager before applying. Collaborators must be accepted to the residency separately in order to attend as a group.

TIMELINE

May 14: 2026 Residency Application Submission Deadline
September: Notifications of residency or fellowship award sent.
October: Accepted residents' final welcome packets with session dates sent

QUESTIONS?

All inquiries should be directed to admissions@ragdale.org.

ragdale.submittable.com/submit

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FULLY-FUNDED FELLOWSHIPS

Virginia Center for the Creative Arts (VCCA)

DEADLINE: May 15, 2026

INFO: Residencies can be transformative to an artist’s process and the effect on an artist’s career profound. A residency at VCCA gives artists the time and space to explore and go deeper into their work. Away from the constraints of “the real world” and in an accepting environment of talented peers, one can dream and create with the feeling that anything is possible.

VCCA’s Mt. San Angelo location in Amherst, Virginia, typically hosts 360 artists each year in residencies of varying lengths (no minimum; up to six weeks) with flexible scheduling. A residency at Mt. San Angelo includes a private bedroom with private en-suite bath, a private individual studio, three prepared meals a day, and access to a community of more than 20 other artists in residence.

Nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, VCCA is surrounded by natural wonders and hiking trails. Many local sites and additional inspiration can be found in short drives to Lynchburg (20 minutes), Charlottesville (1 hour), Roanoke (1.5 hours), or Richmond (2 hours).

The following fully-funded fellowships are expected to be available for the Spring 2027 residency period at Mt. San Angelo in Amherst, Virginia.

CHRISTINA CHIU LATINX WRITERS FELLOWSHIP

Who: Writers, with preference given to those of Latin American descent
What: Residency of up to two-weeks at Mt. San Angelo
When: Spring 2027 (January – April)

LEARN MORE

BARBARA CROOKER CAREGIVING FELLOWSHIP

Who: Artists in any discipline who are caregivers to an ill or disabled family member
What: Residency of up to two-weeks at Mt. San Angelo
When: Spring 2027 (January – April)

LEARN MORE

RICHARD E. CYTOWIC NONFICTION FELLOWSHIP

Who: Writers of long-form nonfiction, with preference given to writers who are gay, residents of Washington D.C., or caregivers to an ill or disabled family member
What: Residency of up to two-weeks at Mt. San Angelo
When: Spring 2027 (January – April)

LEARN MORE

GOLDFARB FAMILY FELLOWSHIP

Who: Writers of creative nonfiction
What: Two-week residency at Mt. San Angelo
When: Spring 2027 (January – April)

LEARN MORE

GREATER OPPORTUNITY FELLOWSHIPS

Who: Artists in any discipline who have not previously been in residence at VCCA, with preference given to those who self-identify as people of color
What: Residency of up to two-weeks at Mt. San Angelo
When: Spring 2027 (January – April)

LEARN MORE

MONTANA FELLOWSHIP

Who: Artists in any discipline who live in Montana
What: One-month residency at Mt. San Angelo
When: Spring 2027 (January – April)

LEARN MORE

TAHIRA ZAHEER FELLOWSHIP FOR SOUTH ASIAN WRITERS

Who: Writers, with preference given to those who are South Asian
What: Residency of up to two-weeks at Mt. San Angelo
When: Spring 2027 (January – April)

LEARN MORE

vcca.com/apply/fully-funded-fellowships/

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Anne LaBastille Memorial Writers Residency

Adirondack Center for Writing |📍

DEADLINE: May 18, 2026

APPLICATION FEE: $30

INFO: The Adirondack Center for Writing offers a two-week residency annually in autumn to poets, fiction writers, and creative nonfiction writers at a lodge on Twitchell Lake in the heart of the Adirondack Mountains. Six residents will be chosen: three from the Adirondack region (aka “The North Country”… see FAQ below for specifics) and three from anywhere in the world. Quality of written submissions is the primary consideration when accepting applications.

The residency is generously provided by the estate of Anne LaBastille, who wrote books capturing challenges of the region, including Woodswoman and Beyond Black Bear Lake from her cabin on Twitchell Lake. During the residency, writers will paddle to the site of her property and explore the lake with locals.

The Lodge at Twitchell Lake provides an abundance of physical space, and each resident has their own bedroom and bathroom. There are plenty of writing spaces in and around the property. Internet access is available.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS:

Cover Letter: In the space provided in Submittable (no attachments), include a brief, third-person bio and a work plan detailing your goals for this residency.
Writing Sample: Please send up to 10 pages double spaced, or 2,500 words max of your best writing in the genre you will working in at the residency. Prose: 10 pages max. Poetry: 10 poems max. NOTE: Make sure your name does not show up anywhere in your writing sample. Writing samples that include your name will not be considered. Quality of written submissions will be our primary consideration when accepting applications.
Application Fee: $30. Your application fee ensures that the residency can remain free to selected residents.

IMPORTANT DATES:

Residency Dates: September 20 – October 4, 202
Notification: July 2026

Contact info@adirondackcenterforwriting.orgor 518-354-1261 with any questions.

adirondackcenterforwriting.org/residency/

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2026 Film Grant

Islamic Scholarship Fund

DEADLINE: May 29, 2026

INFO: ISF is proud to sponsor the first American Muslim Film Grant supporting Muslim filmmakers to change the narrative and tell their own stories.

ELIGIBILITY: All Muslim filmmakers are eligible for consideration. We review and consider the submission of all candidates regardless of experience, career status, or individual achievements.

Project may be a narrative feature length, short film, animation, or documentary. Web series are not accepted. Pilots are accepted.
Filmmaker must film at least 50% of the project in the U.S.
At least one member of the creative team (producer or director) must be Muslim Storyteller
The content must have American Muslim characters or American Muslim themes
Filmmaker must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident
Projects must be in production, post production or distribution (except for the social justice category)
Projects must be consistent with ISF's mission of art changing public policy and public opinion.
Applicants must own the copyright of the proposed project.
Applicants must be 18 years of age, and be citizens or legal residents of the United States or its territories.

AWARD BENEFITS:

Grant amounts ranging between $5,000 and $20,000 are awarded to each category (narrative, special projects, and documentary)

Creative support from an industry professional during creative process
Networking opportunities with industry professionals
ISF screening after completion of the film

Please email film@islamicscholarshipfund.org with any questions or concerns.

islamicscholarshipfund.submittable.com/submit/353805/2026-film-grant/eligibility

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PROOF OF CONCEPT SHORT FILM GRANT

Black Film Space x cliveRd.

DEADLINE: May 31, 2026

INFO: Black Film Space is collaborating again with cliveRd. to support and fund projects made by independent Black filmmakers.

Our Proof of Concept Short Film Grant is seeking one short film script under 20 minutes/pages that aims to serve as a teaser/preview for a feature film with narratives that feature nature.

In order to be a competitive applicant your film must include a nature element.

This can include, but is not limited to:
Nature as a setting
Nature as a character
Nature as a supporter and/or obstacle for the characters in your project
Nature as a theme

Characters getting lost in a wooded area
A battle fought in the mountains
A project about characters on a beach
A project about characters on a farm

Before applying, we strongly recommend reviewing this page in full and attending—or watching the orientation replay—to ensure you submit a competitive application.

APPLICANT GUIDELINES:

Applicants must have the following:

At least one visual sample that showcases previous work
Present a completed script for their short film
Present a completed treatment for their feature film
Present a detailed plan on how they plan to execute their film with details on production, casting, their team, postproduction, their festival strategy, etc.
Must be able to receive grant funds through a United States based bank account
Must be in pursuit of their feature film within AT LEAST a year of receiving the grant. There is a possibility that cliveRd will show continued interest depending on the quality of the feature film script and readiness of the filmmaker to complete their feature
Must submit a narrative, scripted film. Documentary films/non fiction works will not be considered

GRANT WINNER REQUIREMENTS:

The production timeline for the completed short must be within six months of receiving the grant
Applicants must function in one of the following three roles: writer, director and/or executive producer
The filmmaker must be willing to exhibit their proof of concept short at Black Film Space’s Awards ceremony the following year in September 2027
cliveRd and Black Film Space must be credited as producers on the short film
Filmmakers must be available for follow up discussions with cliveRd. on their progress of their short and their feature film

blackfilmspace.com/cliverd

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rideback rise fellowship

Rideback RISE

DEADLINE: May 31, 2026

INFO: Based in Los Angeles, Rideback RISE is a prestigious creator and content accelerator that offers visionary, intersectional film and television storytellers (“Fellows”) a substantial economic stipend, as well as access to development funds for the purpose of optioning IP and/or creating visual proof-of-concept materials. The 12-month Fellowship provides expert one-to-one mentoring and programming year-round, as well as resources and benefits to support Fellows as they each develop and refine a specific television or feature film project before it is taken out to market. Fellows are experienced writers but may also be multi-hyphenates who will be supported in their directing work.

Rideback RISE is soliciting applications for the fourth year of the Rideback RISE Fellowship. Based in Los Angeles, Rideback RISE is a prestigious creator and content accelerator that offers visionary, intersectional film and television storytellers (“Fellows”) a substantial economic stipend, as well as access to development funds for the purpose of optioning IP and/or creating visual proof-of-concept materials. The 12-month Fellowship provides expert one-to-one mentoring and programming year-round, as well as resources and benefits to support Fellows as they each develop and refine a specific television or feature film project before it is taken out to market. Fellows are experienced writers but may also be multi-hyphenates who will be supported in their directing work.

In a supportive and collaborative environment, Fellows work closely with the RISE team and receive valuable feedback notable industry luminaries and experts, all while getting to know each other and becoming familiar with each others’ projects. This is an opportunity for exceptional storytellers who desire to tell commercial stories aimed at a wide audience through their own distinct voice, and point of view.

OUR MISSION: Rideback RISE was founded in 2022 by producer Dan Lin (THE LEGO MOVIE, IT, ALADDIN, SHERLOCK HOLMES, WALKER). Rideback RISE is a 501c3 non-profit organization with backing from leading institutional partners such as the Ford Foundation, MacArthur Foundation, and Doris Duke Foundation.

Rideback RISE’s core mission is to support and empower mid-career underrepresented artists and creators to create commercial film and television across genres in order to create cultural impact. Rideback RISE believes that entertainment can bridge cultures, unite people, and be a catalyst for social change.

RISE offers financial, creative and strategic support to each of our participating creators customized to their specific discipline. RISE equips Fellows to create commercial content that can enter the cultural zeitgeist and ultimately reshape majority opinions.

THE PROGRAM: The RISE Fellowship runs for 12 months, from January to December, and covers creative, business and personal/leadership elements. Each of the Fellows will be paired with a high-level Creative Mentor (e.g., an experienced showrunner, filmmaker, etc.) as well as a Business Mentor (producer, executive, etc.) with whom they will work for the duration of the Program.

Fellows will be selected based on their storytelling and writing abilities, the authenticity of their voice, the strength and commercial viability of their ideas, their willingness to maximize the impact of the resources provided, and their overall suitability for the program.

Program activities will include, but will not be limited to, the following:

Creative development on each Fellow’s project, including in-depth work on story and character all the way through to a fully spec'd out script
The entire pitching process, from logline to full market-ready written and verbal pitch
Advice on how to attach cast and other talent
Identifying possible buyers for their projects and facilitating meetings with executives
Navigating possible financiers/buyers and distribution
Expert guidance and background on the state of the industry
In-person lectures and appearances by industry luminaries in a variety of fields, including directing, producing, legal, casting, marketing, etc.
Help with platforming projects at the end of the Program to a studio, production company or other collaborator who is best positioned to help the Fellow continue to advance it
Unlocking entrepreneurial resources and strategic career guidance

Fellows will be based at Rideback Ranch, a creative campus in LA’s Historic Filipinotown that provides a dedicated workspace and amenities, and is home to several leading entertainment companies.

There will also be a number of creators who may be invited to join the RISE Circle, an additional part of the annual RISE cohort. RISE Circle members attend much of the creative and practical programming year-round in addition to lighter-touch support on their projects.

As stated above, the Fellowship also provides access to the Rideback RISE IP and Visual Development Fund, which Fellows may tap to option underlying rights (novels, remakes, podcasts, documentaries, newspaper or magazine articles, true stories, short films, video games, graphic novels etc.) or create proof-of-concept materials—e.g., concept art, visual teaser for their project or even a short.

The curriculum will focus on and emphasize collaboration, mentorship, networking, industry access and community. A key feature of RISE is community: Fellows will familiarize themselves and share their feedback on each others’ projects in the form of regular “brain trust” sessions. RISE’s goal is to create market ready content that will attract financing and be produced, and to help Fellows build sustainable careers.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

The Fellowship focuses on self-identified POC storytellers.

Applicant must be at least 21 years of age before the start of the Fellowship Program (i.e., before Dec 4, 2026).
Applicant must be a writer and may or may not also be a director, actor, performer or producer.
Applicant must be a U.S. Citizen, or a Permanent Resident with unrestricted authorization to work in the United States of America.
Applicant must have representation with a guild-registered talent agency and/or management company.

scrybe.to/applications/rideback-rise-fellowship

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Call for Submissions: “Liberation Poetics: Caribbean Feminisms Against Imperialism, from Cuba to Palestine”

Intersect Antigua-Barbuda

DEADLINE: June 1, 2026

INFO: Imperialism is far-reaching, stretching across borders, and harming people across difference: from martyred people of the soil to stolen oil. This is a crucial period in which Caribbean feminists, emboldened by and spirited with a decolonizing, Queeribbean sensibility, must rise to meet this moment.

With this in mind, we invite you to submit critical essays, fiction, plays, poetry, posters, screenplays, art, and photography that address the urgency of leveraging Caribbean feminisms as a primary antagonism against imperialism and fascism.

We invite participants to submit pieces that address imperialism, from the perspective of gender, race, color, class, nation, and/or sexuality, in any of the following broad topics:

Queering resistance
Resisting the masculinization of revolution
Rootedness in Caribbean identity, poetics of relation, opacité, antillanité, creolité: Moving across the Afro-, Indo-, and Indigenous Caribbean
Caribbean feminist perspectives and stories on grief, trauma, healing, and joy
Ancestral insurgencies: lessons from past movement shakers and revolutionaries

We also invite participants to consider the following writing prompts:

How do the attention economy, new media, and generative AI technologies depoliticize, distort, and fracture relation?
How can Caribbean feminist thought be in dialogue and praxis with Sudanese and Congolese feminist thought and movements as they agitate against violent imperial extraction?
What does a turn to the ‘Queeribbean’ offer as an antagonism against imperialism’s political, religious, and cultural conceits?
Whose stories, from plant, animal, and human life, are not being told in this moment?

Access the full call for submissions for the complete list of topics and prompts. Read excerpts from Maurice Bishop’s 1980 speech against imperialism here.

intersectantigua.com/blog/call-for-submissions

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CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: TV WRITING LAB

SeriesFest x Next50

DEADLINE:

Regular - June 3, 2026
Late - July 14, 2026

AWARDS & PRIZES:

IMPORTANT DATES:

Oct 3 Notification Date
Nov 3–5 TV Writing Lab

SUBMISSION MATERIALS:

Pilot script (all genres are welcome) Between 18 – 40 pages

Seeking stories that thoughtfully challenge and expand perceptions of aging—think along the lines of Grace and Frankie, Hacks, or Shrinking. Show us dynamic, complex characters and fresh perspectives that reflect the richness of life at every stage.
Scripts must not include stereotypical portrayals of aging

The ‘frail’ and helpless older adult or sickly elder in need of constant care
Grumpy curmudgeon
Sweet grandparent with no character or lines

Series Format Deck

The Series Format Deck is a 2-15 page document that includes a logline, series regular and recurring character descriptions, and Season One story arch or future episode descriptions.

Writer’s Bio & Resume

ELIGIBILITY:

seriesfest.com/next50-lab/

TV / FILM — APRIL 2026

March 31, 2026

2027 OPEN CALL

Creative Capital

DEADLINE: April 2, 2026 at 3:00pm ET

INFO: In celebration of 25 years of national artist support, the 2027 Open Call invites project proposals from individual artists for the Creative Capital Award and the new State of the Art Prize. All grants will be awarded via a national, open call, external review process.

The Creative Capital Award provides individual artists with unrestricted project grants for the creation of innovative, original, and imaginative new artistic works. The Award provides unrestricted project grants from $15,000 up to $50,000, plus professional development support, industry connections, and community-building opportunities.

The State of the Art Prize aims to recognize and support one artist from every U.S. state and inhabited territory, with an unrestricted artist grant of $10,000. Through the 2027 Open Call for the Creative Capital Award, Creative Capital will also select recipients for the new State of the Art Prize.

OVERVIEW:

Celebrating 25 years of national artist support, Creative Capital invites individual artists to apply for grants to create new works in the visual arts, performing arts (dance, theater, music/jazz), film, literature, technology, multidisciplinary, and socially engaged forms across all 50 states and territories. The 2027 Creative Capital Open Call will be the second year Creative Capital continues its goal to grant artists residing in all 50 states. See the complete list of 2026 Creative Capital Awards and 2026 Inaugural State of the Art Prize Artists in all 50 states, as well as Guam, Puerto Rico, and Washington, D.C. in the press release.

Founded in 1999, our mission as a national nonprofit organization is to champion artistic freedom by providing grants and services to individual artists creating new work. The new State of the Art Prize is designed to help support more regional and rural artists, to invest in grassroots creative economies, and to foster a vibrant cultural landscape across the U.S. Both the Creative Capital Award and the State of the Art Prize support artists of all backgrounds at all career stages working across a range of disciplines, themes, and ideas.

Creative Capital Award

For the 2027 grant cycle, Creative Capital invites professional artists to propose experimental, original, bold new works in Visual Arts, Performing Arts (Dance, Theater, Music/Jazz), Film, and Literature. Multidisciplinary, technology, and/or socially engaged projects are welcome in all disciplinary categories. Creative Capital seeks new project proposals for formally and/or conceptually innovative works in all disciplines.

Creative Capital welcomes a full range of artistic approaches and thematic inquiries, including boundary-pushing formal explorations, as well as projects that engage urgent social issues of our time. Creative Capital also seeks new projects or works addressing subjects that Creative Capital has not previously funded.

The Creative Capital Award aims to support approximately 50 new artistic works in the following areas:

Visual Arts: architecture & design, craft, drawing, ecological art, illustration, installation, painting, printmaking, performance art, photography, public art, sculpture, social practice, sound art, video art, technology, and socially-engaged visual art
Performing Arts: dance, jazz, multimedia performance, music, music theater, opera, theater, playwriting, technology, and socially-engaged performing arts
Film: animation, documentary film, experimental film, and narrative film
Literature: fiction, nonfiction, poetry, plays (playwrights please submit under Performing Arts/Theater)

Creative Capital’s transformative giving approach is built on the principle that artists need funding as well as networks and advisory services in order to realize ambitious projects and build thriving careers. Recipients of the Creative Capital Award will receive grant funding, professional development services, and community-building opportunities. Awardees will also have access to the Creative Capital Artist Lab—suite of online professional development courses.

The State of the Art Prize – NEW!

Through the 2027 Open Call process for the Creative Capital Award, Creative Capital will also select recipients of the State of the Art Prize. Now in its second year, this new national initiative aims to recognize one artist residing in each U.S. state and inhabited territory with a $10,000 unrestricted grant per artist. All applicants to the 2027 Open Call will be automatically considered for the Creative Capital Award and the State of the Art Prize. Both grants follow the same application, external review process, and evaluation criteria; there is no separate application process. State of the Art Prize recipients will also have access to the Creative Capital Artist Lab—a suite of online professional development courses.

State of the Art Prize recipients may apply again to future open calls for the Creative Capital Award. However, artists who have already received the Creative Capital Award may not apply for the State of the Art Prize. Both the State of the Art Prize and the Creative Capital Award are one-time awards.

ELIGIBILITY:

US citizen, permanent resident, Tribal ID holder, or O-1 visa holder at time of application

At least 25 years old at time of application
Working artist(s) with at least 5 years of professional artistic practice within their chosen discipline
Applicant may not be enrolled in a degree-granting program at time of application
May not apply to the Andy Warhol Foundation Arts Writers Grant program in the same year
May not have previously received a Creative Capital Award
May not be an applicant or collaborator on more than one proposed project per year
State of the Art Prize recipients must be a resident of the state they are awarded in through February 1, 2027. Prize recipients must verify their state or territory of residence in order to receive the grant.

Projects that are not eligible

Projects whose main purpose is promotional
Project is to fund ongoing operations of existing business or nonprofit organization
Curation or documentation of existing work
Journalism projects and podcasts
Educational projects intended for a student audience
Children’s and young adult literature, and graphic novels
Projects that will premiere or be completed before July 1, 2027

creative-capital.org/creative-capital-award/award-application

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CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: ‘QUEER MYTHOLOGIES’

Foglifter

DEADLINE: April 15, 2026

INFO: As Foglifter revitalizes our website and digital production, we are interested in creating and holding space for works that may not fit within the constraints of our print edition. We are now accepting submissions for our new Online Exclusive Issue dedicated to showcasing queer voices across a wide spectrum of creative forms.

As always, we are seeking art that aligns with our mission of promoting queer, transgressive, and original work. The themes will change from issue to issue. For 1.2, our theme is Queer Mythologies: a celebration of spirituality, folklore, and queer cosmologies. This open call seeks dreamlike, symbolic, and otherworldly explorations that reimagine mythology through a queer lens—queering gods and monsters, rewriting origin stories, and uncovering hidden lineages of desire, transformation, and devotion.

We welcome interpretations of tarot, astrology, ritual, and divination that challenge binaries and expand spiritual narratives beyond the normative, embracing fluidity, mysticism, and personal myth-making. Submissions may be visual, textual, or hybrid, and should evoke a sense of the uncanny, the sacred, and the speculative—worlds where queerness is ancestral, cosmic, and divine.

Pieces must be original, unpublished work in genres including, but not limited to: poetry, fiction, nonfiction, drama, comics, visual art, scripts, and multimedia (video, audio, music, interactive pieces, experimental work, etc.) that align with the current issue’s theme.

This online exclusive issue will be published as a summer issue on our website. We’re especially interested in pieces that experiment with form, push boundaries, and reflect the complexity, joy, rage, beauty, and multiplicity of the queer experience.

WHY ONLINE EXCLUSIVE?

Our print publication has limits—page counts, dimensions, ink. This digital issue is a space without borders. We want to uplift work that can’t—or won’t—fit in print: multimedia projects, audio pieces, visual art, and performance pieces that demand to be seen and heard in digital space.

General Submission Guidelines:

We accept only first rights to publication.
We do accept simultaneous submissions, however please withdraw pieces that have been accepted elsewhere.
Please include a short bio, description of your work, any past publications, and applicable trigger warnings in your cover letter.
Visual and [multi]media work must be web-viewable—please include links or uploads through Submittable and include content warnings if applicable

Genre Specific Guidelines

Please submit up to 5 pieces
For video and audio submissions, please limit to 5 minutes
We accept art created via all mediums (except AI — if a submission is suspected or found to be AI generated, it will be declined and we will not consider your work in the future). This includes, but is not limited to, photography, painting, digital, ink, pencil, collage, etc.
Acceptable file types: .jpg, .jpeg, .gif, .tif, .tiff, .png, .svg, .pdf, .doc, .docx, .txt, .rtf, .odt, .mp3, .m4a, .wav, .mp4, .mov, .avi, .mpg, .3gp, .wmv
All applicable artworks submitted will be considered for cover art for the online exclusive issue
We love experimental work, feel free to submit hybrid forms that blend genres
For grant purposes, we cannot consider submissions that do not include a completed demographic survey with their submission

Foglifter aims to reflect the vibrant diversity of the LGBTQ+ literary community in our award-winning journal. Fill out our anonymized Demographics Survey to be considered for publication—then take a screenshot of the thank-you screen at the end and attach it along with your submission.

foglifter.submittable.com/submit

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Sun and Zhang Family Distinguished Fellowship for AAPI Social Practice Artists of the American South

Hambidge Center

DEADLINE: April 15, 2026

APPLICATION FEE: $30 (If this represents a barrier to submitting an application, please contact our Office Manager at office@hambidge.org to discuss a waiver. The DEADLINE to request a fee waiver is four days before the application deadline.)

INFO: The Hambidge Center is pleased to announce the new Sun and Zhang Family Distinguished Fellowship for AAPI Social Practice Artists of the American South.

This merit-based award supports an Asian American Pacific Islander social practice artist working in the South or deeply rooted in the region, recognizing work that blends creative practice with meaningful community engagement. The selected Fellow will receive a two-week residency and a $700 stipend during the fall 2026 session.

RESIDENCY DATES: Fall (September - December)

ABOUT THE HAMBIDGE CENTER:

The Hambidge Center is situated on 600 forested acres in the mountains of north Georgia and offers miles of nature trails, meadows, waterfalls, a swimming hole and an abundance of wildflowers.

The oldest residency program in the Southeast, Hambidge provides a self-directed program that honors the creative process and trusts individuals to know what they need to cultivate their talent, whether it’s to work and produce, to think, to experiment or to rejuvenate. Residents’ time is their own; there are no workshops, critiques, nor required activities.

Each resident is given their own private studio which provides work and living space with a bathroom and full kitchen. The studios are designed to protect residents’ time, space and solitude.

Resident groups are intentionally kept small enough (8-10 people) to gather around the dinner table each evening, Tuesday through Friday, for delicious vegetarian meals prepared by our chef. These communal meals are an essential part of the Hambidge residency experience. Serious topics are discussed (and light-hearted ones, too), experiences are shared, and encouragement is given. Many a collaboration and life-long friendship have begun at the Hambidge dinner table.

Members of each resident group come from different walks of life and work in different creative disciplines; from musicians, culinary artisans and scientists, to visual artists, writers, dancers and arts & culture administrators. Each year, residents of all ages come to Hambidge from over 30 states across the U.S., as well as internationally.

Specialized equipment and facilities include the Antinori Pottery Studio, and a beautifully rebuilt turn-of-the-century Steinway grand piano housed in Garden Studio.

ACCESSIBILITY: Hambidge offers two ADA-compliant studios: Brena Studio and Cove Studio. Our dining and common areas can be navigated, but are not yet fully compliant. There are no sidewalks or paved areas; the connecting driveways are gravel and uneven. If you come to Hambidge without a car, the on-campus studios will require a walk to get to Lucinda’s Rock House. On average, the studios are 0.3 miles from the Rock House with a 157-elevation gain, walking on a gravel road with uneven terrain. For more information, please contact our Office Manager at 706-746-7324.

WHAT TO KNOW BEFORE YOU APPLY:

The studios are comfortable, but rustic and secluded. They are purposely simple, and most are out of sight of each other and somewhat isolated.
We are located in a forested environment. Residents should expect to occasionally encounter wildlife and insects – and sometimes the insects are inside the studios.
It is very dark at night. There are no street lights or ambient light, other than the moon and stars.
Due to our remote location, there is no cell service at Hambidge. Each studio has a phone for emergency, local and incoming calls.
To encourage focused creativity, there is no internet in the studios. WiFi is available 24 hours a day in the communal space of Lucinda's Rock House.

Please thoroughly read the Guidelines, Application Instructions, and our FAQs before submitting your application.

ELIGIBILITY: Qualified applicants must feel they have achieved a level of excellence within their discipline. We are looking for applicants whose creative practice is a professional practice and not a hobby. It is not required that your creative career is your only career, or that you make your livelihood doing it. We seek applications from emerging and mid-career creatives, as well as from those who are established with national and/or international reputations.

Applications for residency are judged primarily on the quality of submitted work samples and professional promise. Hambidge accepts approximately 170 artists each year. There are no publication, exhibition, or performance requirements contingent on a Hambidge residency.

The Hambidge Center encourages creative professionals of all backgrounds to apply for admission. We celebrate varied ideas, world views, and personal characteristics, and are committed to being an organization that welcomes and respects everyone regardless of age, ability, ethnicity, race, religion, philosophical or political beliefs, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, nationality, geographic origin, and socioeconomic status.

RETURNING FELLOWS: Returning Fellows must submit a new application with recent work samples in the appropriate category of their discipline. After attending a Hambidge residency, Fellows must wait 2 years before returning. For instance, if you were in residence during the 2022 Summer Session, you may apply to return for the 2024 Summer Session.

RESIDENCY FEE:

The residency fee is $300 per week.
Note: the actual cost of a residency is $2250/wk. Every year, the Hambidge Center raises funds to supplement $1950 for every residency week, leaving each resident with only the $300/wk fee.

Funding
Hambidge offers several merit-based Distinguished Fellowships which remove the fees for a two-week residency and provide a $700 stipend. Available Distinguished Fellowships vary from session to session and are listed in each session's application. Unless otherwise noted, they are reserved for first-time residents. The list of previously awarded Distinguished Fellowships can be seen here.

Financial Aid
Hambidge offers limited financial aid scholarships to accepted residents. The average award amount is $250, with a maximum award of $500. In an average year, aid is awarded to 35% of those who requst it; resulting in 8% of all residents receiving some financial aid.

Upon acceptance to the program, applicants requesting financial aid will have five days to complete the required forms and may be asked to submit last year's tax return or other confirmation. International applicants will be asked to complete a questionnaire instead of providing a tax return.

ADMISSION PANELS: Applications in each discipline are reviewed by panels of three esteemed peers within that discipline. Panel membership is rotated frequently.

LENGTH OF STAY: Applicants may request stays between two weeks and eight weeks. Residents arrive on Tuesday and depart on Sunday. Residencies of one week are available to Arts & Culture Administrator applicants and Culinary applicants ONLY. Eight-week residencies will only be scheduled in the Fall and Spring Sessions. The maximum length of residencies awarded in Summer Session is four weeks. Because of differing lengths of individual stays, residents will arrive and depart on varying schedules.

CREATIVE DISCILPLINES:

Hambidge accepts applications in the following disciplines:

ARTS & CULTURE ADMINISTRATION - including proposals for professional projects and/or personal creative projects by administrators working for arts, culture or environmental organizations, or independently (a freelance curator, for example). It is not a requirement that the organization be a non-profit, however it must be an organization that works with or assists other people or produces public projects.
CERAMICS - including functional and sculptural
CULINARY ARTS - including recipe development, cookbook writing, food writing, food styling, food photography, and food preservation
DANCE - including choreography, performance, and theory
MUSIC - including composition, performance, vocal, and theory, in all genres of music
SCIENCE - this residency offers scientists in any branch of science a place to write and/or organize research
VISUAL ARTS - including book arts, conceptual art, design, drawing, environmental art, fiber arts, film & video, installation arts, metalworking, mixed media, multimedia art, painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture, and woodworking
Note: We do not have darkroom, sculpture/woodworking, or printmaking facilities, but provide exploration space for artists working in those disciplines. Those working in wood or metal must bring their own tools and machinery.
WRITING - including academic scholarship, criticism, fiction, history, poetry, journalism, nonfiction, philosophy, playwriting, screenwriting, storytelling
Multidisciplinary
If your proposal combines PROFESSIONAL expertise in more than one discipline, you will be asked to indicate the other discipline(s) that should be considered in the JUDGING of your proposal. Make sure your proficiency in each discipline is demonstrated in your submitted work samples. Expert jurors from all the indicated disciplines will be asked to judge your submission at an expert level.

Examples: a journalist creating both written and photographic content; a graphic novelist; a ceramicist writing a guide to glazes. NOT, for example, a visual artist exploring scientific themes in their work.

NOTE: Don't weaken your application by including secondary, less expert work samples. If, for example, you are a dancer who intends to dance during your residency, but also enjoys painting, you may dance and paint if you're accepted at Hambidge without saying you are Multidisciplinary and without including paintings in your work samples.

REFERENCES: Hambidge no longer requires letters of recommendation as part of the application materials.

COLLABORATIONS: Collaborative couples and groups must submit the Slideroom application specific to Collaborations. EACH MEMBER of the collaboration must ALSO complete this form before the deadline in order for your application to be complete.

COUPLES: Non-collaborating couples who wish to be in residence together must submit individual applications. They may request concurrent residency dates and choose whether or not to share studio/living space. The acceptance of one partner does NOT guarantee the acceptance of the other. No other provisions are made for partners.

CHILDREN: Hambidge has hosted several residents accompanied by their children. We are still developing our parental program, but we are quite willing to work with applicants to find the best timing and to recommend part-time childcare for their stay. Before you submit an application, read more about our Parental Residencies.

hambidge.org/guidelines-apply

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2026 TPS Dreamers Internship Program

Tyler Perry Studios | 📍Atlanta, GA

DEADLINE: April 17, 2026

INFO: TPS DREAMERS is a paid program where you can receive college credit for your experience. Participants will gain work experience as well as meet professionals who are available as excellent contacts and mentors. You will be able to apply classroom and textbook knowledge to real life atmospheres.

Tyler Perry Studios is committed to providing a solid learning foundation for TPS DREAMERS. This program allows participants to receive first-hand knowledge of the rewards and challenges of working for a multi-faceted entertainment company.

Participants will learn about TPS’s long and short-term goals and objectives, as well as gain an introductory experience into both the corporate and television production arenas.

QUICK FACTS:

Program Length: 7 weeks (Mid-June through early August)
Application Launch: March 20th
Application Deadline: April 17th, 11:59PM EST
Location: Tyler Perry Studios (Atlanta, GA)
Time Commitment: At least 40 hrs/week for 7 weeks
Curriculum: Participants will rotate between roles in Production, Studio Operations, Accounting, Development, Post Production, Social/Digital Media, IT, Art/Graphic Design, Legal, Wardrobe… and more.
College Credit: Available with proper documentation
Field Trip: 1 per program
Fireside Chats: Every Friday with TPS Guest Speaker
Compensation: $18/hour

TIMELINE:

Week 1

Welcome/HR Orientation (Policies, Procedures, Start Paperwork, Safety, Sexual Harassment)
Studio Tour
Department Assignments
TPS DREAMERS will shadow the assistants in each department while learning processes.

Week 2-6

TPS DREAMERS will continue shadowing the assistants in each department while learning processes.
EOW - Status Report (Discuss Improvements/ Strengths/ Weakness/ Ways We can Support).

Week 7

TPS DREAMERS will continue shadowing the assistants in each department while learning processes.
Will put together the "End of Program Project".

dreamers.tylerperrystudios.com/program-details/

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2027 Writers-in-residence program

Hedgebrook

DEADLINE: April 17, 2026

APPLICATION FEE: $45

INFO: Hedgebrook’s Writer-in-Residence Program supports women-identified writers,18 and older, from all over the world for residencies of two or three weeks. The cottage, all meals, and the entire residency experience at Hedgebrook are free to selected writers. Travel is not included and is the responsibility of the writer to arrange and pay for. Up to 6 writers can be in residence at a time, each housed in their own handcrafted cottage. Days are spent in solitude – writing, reading, taking walks in the woods on the property or on nearby Double Bluff beach. In the evenings, “The Gathering” is a social time for residents to connect and share over their freshly prepared meals.

GENRES:

Fiction
Non-Fiction
Playwriting
Poetry
Screenwriting/TV

hedgebrook.org/writers-in-residence

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2026-2027 Baldwin Fellowship Program

Baldwin for the Arts

DEADLINE: April 18, 2026

APPLICATION FEE: $15

INFO: The mission of Baldwin For The Arts is to support the creation of art reflecting the lived experiences of African, Asian, Caribbean, Indigenous, Hispanic/ Latino/a/x, and dual-heritage backgrounds at no cost to the artists.

Exclusively devoted to people of the Global Majority, Baldwin For The Arts is committed to cultivating creative liberation for literary, visual, performing, and interdisciplinary artists. Baldwin Fellowships cover all residency costs for accepted artists including transportation, living accommodations, a private workspace, and daily meals prepared by a local chef.

The term “Global Majority” is a positive (re)framing of diverse and historically marginalized communities. Rather than view people of African, Asian, Caribbean, Indigenous, Hispanic/Latino/a/x, and dual-heritage backgrounds as minorities, the term recognizes that ‘Globally’ these populations are the Majority.

At this time, we are not accepting international applications. We encourage you to frequent our Instagram account and subscribe to our website to receive newsletters and stay informed about future updates and opportunities.

Emerging and established artists of the Global Majority who specialize in the following disciplines are encouraged to apply:

Literature: All genres.
Performance: All disciplines which are performed in front of a live audience, including theater, music composition, and dance.
Visual: All art forms that use paint, canvas or various materials to create physical or static art objects including painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, ceramics, photography, video, and filmmaking (includes documentary, narrative, and experimental projects).
Interdisciplinary: All projects that use multiple disciplines, such as science, technology, literature, philosophy, to create new and unique artistic experiences.

baldwinforthearts.org

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Request For Proposals: The Building Bridges Documentary Fund

Center for Asian American Media x Doris Duke Foundation

DEADLINE: April 26, 2026 at 11:59pm PT

INFO: The Building Bridges Documentary Fund is for independent documentary films about the Muslim experience in the United States. The Fund’s goal is to support non-fiction U.S. Muslim short and feature documentaries and series that contribute to a fuller spectrum of unseen narratives about the vast U.S.-Muslim population.

Consider the diversity of the U.S Muslim population. According to the Pew Research Center in 2023-2024 Muslims in the United States identified as:

30% White and/or Asian
20% Black
11% Hispanic
8% Other or Multiracial
21% of Muslims are born in the U.S. or have at least one parent born in the U.S.
33% of U.S. Muslims live in the South, followed by Northeast (29%), Midwest (20%), West (18%).

The Building Bridges Documentary Fund is supported by the Building Bridges Program of the Doris Duke Foundation. CAAM is honored to be a part of this multi-year journey with our colleagues in the Program: the Islamic Scholarship Fund (ISF), Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) Hollywood Bureau, and the Sundance Institute.

CAAM is also collaborating with the independent filmmaking community to provide support for workshops on various aspects of sustainable filmmaking practices.

We encourage filmmakers at all levels–emerging, mid-career or veteran–to apply with projects that are feature-length, shorts, or episodic series. Awards will range between $10,000 to $100,000.

The Building Bridges Documentary Fund will support the following project phases with the stated range of possible funding :

Research & Development ($10K to $25K)
Production ($50K to $100K)
Post-production ($50K to $100K)

For further assistance regarding the application process including any accessibility issues, reach out to buildingbridges[at]caamedia[dot]org (buildingbridges@caamedia.org) with any questions about your project’s eligibility.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

To be eligible, applicants must meet the following criteria:

Project must be about the U.S. Muslim experience. Meaning: The project is anchored by illuminating a U.S. Muslim story, community protagonist(s) etc. Note: There is no percentage of footage requirement that must be filmed in the U.S., but if your project is filmed predominantly overseas you must explain in your story summary why and how the international elements widen the aperture of the U.S.-Muslim point-of-view.
Applicants must hold artistic, budgetary and editorial control and must own the copyright of the proposed project.
Applicants must be 18 years of age, be citizens or legal residents of the United States or its territories.
All projects in the post-production phase or further must have a full-length rough or fine cut to be considered.
All projects in production phase must include a maximum 15-minute sample of the project that is being submitted
All projects in R&D must at minimum include a visual deck if you do not yet have a 15 minute visual sample made.
If this is your first media project, you must provide a video sample that demonstrates your ability to tell a story well through a visual medium.
In some cases, CAAM may require a Fiscal Sponsor, which is a non-profit 501(c)(3) IRS tax-exempt entity. Your sponsor would agree to accept funds from CAAM on your behalf and is responsible for redistributing funds to the project accordingly.
Only one proposal per applicant will be accepted.

Projects NOT eligible (See our Q&A page for further information):

Projects that do not center the U.S. Muslim experience, story, community and/or protagonist(s).
Your project already has distribution and/or has been accepted into a festival.
Thesis projects or student films which are co- or solely-owned or copy-written, or otherwise editorially or fiscally controlled by the school.
Projects or production entities which are foreign-based, owned or controlled.
Industrial or promotional projects.
Projects previously awarded $100,000. Building Bridges caps funding for a single project at $100,000. If you have previously applied to the fund- you are only eligible for the difference. You are not eligible to apply again if the film was previously awarded $100,000.

Our funding process will use the following guidelines in awarding funds:

Does this project focus on the experience of U.S. Muslims? Is the story idea compelling, engaging, original and well-conceived?
Is the visual/ stylistic treatment effective and distinctive?
Can the project be completed within a realistic timeline based on the applicant’s production and fundraising plans, personnel and budget?
Will the project appeal not only to U.S. Muslim viewers, but also to a broader audience?
Does the sample demonstrate the skills and/ or potential of the applicant to complete the proposed project?
What is the team’s connection to the film project and protagonists?
Why is the team best suited to tell this story and produce this project?

caamedia.submittable.com/submit

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(Egg)celerator Lab

Chick & Egg Films

DEADLINES / FEES:

Early-bird: April 1, 2026 at 11:59pm ET / $20

Final: April 29, 2026 at 11:59pm ET / $35

INFO: Founded in 2016, this program supports nonfiction filmmakers or filmmaking teams working on their first or second feature-length documentary.

In this year-long program, 9 filmmakers will receive:

$40,000 USD in grant funding for the production of their feature-length film
Mentorship with Chicken & Egg Films team members
Two creative retreats focused on career building and creative development
Travel stipend for director and producer upon acceptance to a forum or market during program year
Tailored industry meetings and funder connections
Peer support from their cohort

(Egg)celerator Lab is generously supported by the New York Community Trust, and through general operating support from our wonderful community of donors and grantmakers.

APPLICANT ELIGIBILITY:

Filmmakers must meet the following criteria:

Must identify as a woman (cis or trans) or gender-expansive director.
- Our working definition of gender-expansive is that it is an umbrella term that includes any person whose gender identity or gender expression does not comply with the socially defined gender norms and roles of their culture. This includes, but is not limited to, non-binary, trans, third gender/two-spirit, and agender individuals). Please refer to our gender expansion page for more information.
Be directing their first or second feature-length (48 minutes or longer) documentary film (hybrid docs are eligible). See the FAQ for Chicken & Egg’s definitions of first-time and second-time directors.
Be based anywhere in the world (except for countries/regions which are under comprehensive US sanctions. Further information about US sanctions can be found here).

PROJECT ELIGIBILITY:

Projects must meet the following criteria:

Must be a documentary or nonfiction film - hybrid documentaries are eligible. VR, interactive, branded content, or fiction films are not eligible.
- Our evolving definition of a hybrid documentary is a film that incorporates fictional or scripted elements as a formal device in which it is clear to the viewer which elements are fiction and which are not. The incorporation of fictionalized elements is used as a way to further explore the main themes of the film or even question the nature of ‘fact’ and ‘reality’. Externally the finished film should be intended to be programmed and characterized in the press as documentary or hybrid documentary film, and not as a narrative/fiction film. We do not consider narrative memoir, speculative fiction, or docudramas (dramas that are based on a true story) as hybrid documentaries.
Must be intended as a feature-length (48 minutes or longer) film. Short / medium-length films or series are not eligible.
Must be in early to mid-production at the time of applying. We recommend that you have between 10-60% of your anticipated footage shot by the date of application.
Must be independently produced. Works-for-hire are not eligible, and student films produced in an undergraduate or graduate program are also not eligible.

You do not need a fiscal sponsor to apply for the (Egg)celerator Lab. However, if you are selected for the Lab, you must secure a US fiscal sponsor, or be a 501(c)(3), to receive the funds. If granted, we can help advise on finding a fiscal sponsor. We require prompt response upon communication of results. If granted, there is a 12-week period following notification in which you must secure a fiscal sponsor, and the grant must be disbursed within 2027.

For more information on eligibility, please download this Program & Application Guide and review the FAQs.

EVALUATION CRITERIA:

Priority will be given to films committed to creating social change and/or uplifting underrepresented stories that challenge mainstream narratives. We support a broad range of issues from the personal to the political that explore a variety of artistic approaches, such as personal, experimental, animated, essayistic, archival, and beyond.

Subject Matter and Positionality: The project explores compelling and clear subject matters, themes, and questions, with an awareness of their relevance to our current moment. The story and/or approach aligns with Chicken & Egg Films’ mission and challenges mainstream narratives, conversations, or perceptions. The director demonstrates critical thinking and reflects on their own perspective and biases regarding the subject matter and approach.

Story and Concept: The film features a clear and compelling narrative trajectory or concept, including character arcs where applicable. The director acknowledges the elements that remain unknown and outlines how they will address these gaps. They express a vision for weaving together various elements and arcs into a cohesive and engaging feature.

Artistic Approach: The project shows a distinct and compelling creative vision which conveys a confident directorial voice. The work sample reflects the intended story, style, subject matter, and other project elements. The sample evokes an emotional response and conveys a tone that enhances the storytelling, demonstrating strong use of visuals, sound, music, pacing, and editing.

Feasibility: The application outlines realistic and appropriate activities and a timeline that aligns with the film’s concept and artistic vision. It includes a carefully considered fundraising plan, and the budget is appropriate, reflecting the needs of the proposed activities and timeline.

Access and Accountability: The director articulates their access and connection to the story, its participants, and the community involved. They welcome and integrate community feedback and thoughtfully implement processes for accountability that consider physical, mental, cultural safety and beyond. Furthermore, the director reflects on the potential impacts and consequences of the filmmaking process on participants, audiences, crew, and other stakeholders during and after filming.

WORK SAMPLES:

Current Work Sample

The current work sample should meet the following criteria:

Length: Should be 7-20 minutes of material from the project with which you are applying. We encourage you to not spend extra resources creating a brand new sample for this application if you already have one you have used to apply to other grants/programs. If your current sample is longer than the maximum length of 20 minutes, you can provide timecodes for the portion of the sample you would like reviewers to watch and that best reflects your intended style and approach.
Content: Can consist of a combination of the following:
- 2–3 scene selects/excerpts
- character strands
- trailer/teaser/sizzle reel
- Note: A trailer alone is neither eligible nor competitive: the sample must contains scenes/character strand, as the work sample is used to evaluate your ability to construct the story.
- Scenes/excerpts do not need to be in chronological order, so put your strongest material first and separate scenes with title cards. Reviewers are required to watch up to the first 10 minutes in the first round. Work samples will be viewed in full in subsequent rounds.

Prior Work Sample

The purpose of a prior work sample is to give us a sense of the director’s visual style, storytelling ability, ambition, and follow-through. We encourage you to prioritize submitting documentary/nonfiction as prior work.

First-time feature directors:

Prior work sample is optional
Prior work sample can be of any length or genre, but should be something that you have directed or co-directed
Do not include commercial work or PSAs as prior work

Second-time feature directors:

Must submit the first feature-length documentary film that you directed or co-directed as your prior work
You can optionally submit 2 additional prior works (of any length or genre) that you have directed or co-directed (this includes student films)

Co-directing teams (first-time/second-time director + more experienced director):

The prior work sample submitted should be work from the woman or gender-expansive director who is directing their first or second feature documentary.

APPLICATION

The majority of the questions are based on the Nonfiction Core Application 3.1, with a few additional questions included.

Click here to watch the recording of our the informational webinar and Q&A session we hosted on Wednesday, March 11, 2026.

To begin an application:

Review application guide and checklist: 2027 (Egg)celerator Lab Program & Application Guide
Create new or log in to existing SurveyMonkey Apply Account: https://chickeneggfilms.smapply.us/
Confirm Eligibility: After you click-into the (Egg)celerator Lab program, click on the ‘Apply’ button. The first step of the application process is an eligibility check. Complete the questionnaire to confirm you meet all requirements to apply. If you are eligible, you will be able to move forward with filling out the rest of the application. You will receive an email notifying you if you are ineligible.
Submit application: Fill out and submit your application via the platform either by the early-bird deadline (April 1, 11:59pm EDT), or by the regular deadline of Wednesday, April 29, 2026 at 11:59 PM EDT. Late applications will not be accepted for any reason. You must submit your application via the platform by the deadline, otherwise you must wait until the next open call in a year.

Accessibility Request: If you require technical assistance to navigate the application platform due to a disability, please contact egglab_opencall@chickeneggfilms.org. We kindly ask that you make your request for assistance as soon as possible, and no later than Wednesday, April 22, 2026 to allow adequate time for staff to support you before the deadline.

chickeneggfilms.org/programs/egg-celerator-lab

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emerging filmmakers grant

Pentimenti

DEADLINE: April 30, 2026

INFO: Pentimenti is pleased to announce the re-opening of the Pentimenti Grant for Emerging Filmmakers. This grant endeavors to support work by up-and-coming women, non-binary, and/or LGBTQ+ filmmakers. In keeping with Pentimenti’s mission, the project must pertain to art or artists in some way, although they needn’t necessarily be a documentary. Last cycle, Pentimenti awarded four grants to filmmakers Niya Leigh, Maya Horton, Alexandra Antoine, and Amber Nolan.

The recipient of the Emerging Filmmakers Grant will receive $2000 to spend on their film project, consultations with Pentimenti staff, and a spotlight feature on Pentimenti’s communication channels. The grant will be awarded by an appointed jury. Please find more information about grant specifics, eligibility requirements, and other details on the official grant application page.

GRANT SPECIFICS:

The awardee of the Pentimenti Emerging Filmmakers Grant will receive:

$2,000 to use toward a film or video project. Please note: funds must be spent on the production of the project itself, as opposed to non-production costs like marketing or promotion. Funds will be distributed in full at the beginning of the grant term.
Three creative consultations with Pentimenti staff over the duration of the grant term. The grantee will maintain complete control over their project.
One feedback session with the Pentimenti Emerging Filmmakers Grant jury members.
A spotlight feature on each of Pentimenti’s communication channels, including website, newsletter, and social media.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

Applicants must be 18+. Students are welcome to apply.
Applicant must reside in the U.S., or attend college or university here.
Applicant must be a woman, non-binary, and/or LGBTQ+ filmmaker.
Project must be a film or video that focuses on art or artists.
Project can be documentary, fiction, hybrid, or experimental.
Project can be collaborative, but applicant must serve as the director.
There is no maximum or minimum project length, although preference will be given to films that seem feasible and realistic in scope.
The grant is intended for emerging, up-and-coming filmmakers, meaning applicants should have a background in and prior experience with filmmaking, but should not have extensive filmmaking accomplishments, such as multiple feature film projects completed in a principal role, significant partnerships with producers and distributors, multiple major film festival appearances or awards/accolades, broad exhibition or distribution, and significant critical or commercial success.

GRANT TERM: The term of the grant is intended to span one year. At the end of the grant term, the grantee is expected to screen their project for Pentimenti staff, although the project does not have to be completed. The grantee will also be responsible for producing a short report describing how they used the grant funds, including any and all pertinent receipts.

pentimentiproductions.org/grant

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Martha MOCA ARTIST Residency

MarthaMOCA |📍Lambertville, NJ

DEADLINE: April 30, 2026

INFO: MarthaMOCA provides one-month residencies for artists of all disciplines. Residents are given use of a fully furnished private live/work space- with a studio, bathroom, & kitchen on the ground floor and a lofted bedroom and living space above. The residency comes with a $500 stipend. Residents are free to enjoy our 40 acre property; with walking paths through the woods, a tranquil pond, lap pool when in season, and garden. Because we are in a rural setting, it is preferable for residents to bring a vehicle.

There are no requirements to create or produce work while in residence; we encourage artists to use their time as best suits their own process. The towns of Lambertville, New Hope, and Frenchtown are nearby and supply necessary amenities. The closest train station is Hamilton Station via NJ Transit, and the closest airports are Newark and Philadelphia. NYC is a 1.5 hour drive away, and Philadelphia is 45 min.

Application submissions will be accepted for September and October 2026 residencies from April 1-30th 2026. We typically make a decision by mid May. All applicants will be emailed a response then.

docs.google.com/forms/d/13Di_jeh4ddjHW4obfY7knjoWMdUJNbkYg9IuyMJSkh0/viewform?edit_requested=true

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WRITERS MENTORING PROGRAM

Paramount |📍Los Angeles, CA

DEADLINE: May 1, 2026 at 11:59pm PST

INFO: Paramount's Writers Mentoring Program offers an eight-month opportunity for writers. It focuses on building relationships, improving writing skills, and developing essential interpersonal and industry "soft skills."

Participants in the program will work with executive mentors from Paramount to create a new writing sample. Weekly workshop-style meetings will be held for 16 weeks, featuring showrunners and industry professionals such as agents, managers, and executives. Mentees will also have the opportunity to participate in a half-day mock writers room experience in a supportive setting.

MORE ABOUT THE PROGRAM:

Each participant will have help in creating a rigorous career action plan and there will be on-going support in evaluating and achieving those goals. Another important benefit of the program is the development of a close-knit peer support group that will sustain participants through the program and beyond, as well as a supportive and vibrant alumni community.

It has been found that in order to derive the greatest benefit from the program, participants should be available to:

attend a once a week (evening) workshop
attend a half day mock writers room and
have ongoing interaction with their mentors via zoom, phone, in-person, or email. Program is designed so that participants can continue with their existing work commitments.

PLEASE NOTE: The Paramount Writers Mentoring Program is not employment and there is no monetary compensation. It is, instead, a structured program of career development, support, and personal access to executives and the decision-making processes, with the goal of preparing aspiring writers for later employment opportunities in television. Aspiring writers with a strong desire to write for Paramount television series are encouraged to apply. You must be 21 or older and able to work in the United States to be eligible.

TIMELINE: Any submissions received before April 1st or after May 1st, 2026 will not be considered. No hand delivered submissions will be accepted. Finalists will be notified in late Fall (or such later date as may be determined by Paramount). The program is scheduled to begin in October 2026 and continues through April 2027. Paramount reserves the right to adjust the program schedule as necessary.

FAQs:

What writing samples are appropriate for submission?

Two writing samples are required. The original work can be an original pilot, a one act stage play or a short fiction story. Short film scripts will not be accepted. We request that your original sample be similar in tone to the spec sample. The short fiction piece should be approximately 3,000 words. Spec scripts should be a half hour or hour episode based on a primetime drama or comedy series which aired or was released, during the 2024 - 2026 seasons and was broadcast on a network, cable or streamer.

I don’t work or live in the United States, am I eligible to apply to this Program?

Yes, however, Paramount does not provide any travel or accommodation reimbursement. You must also have a work visa.

Where is the program being held?

The program is held in person in Los Angeles, and all participants will need to be close to Los Angeles for the duration of the program (January 2027 to the end of April 2027) in order to participate in program activities. As stated above, participants are responsible for their own travel and accommodation expenses.

What is the duration of the program and the required time commitment?

The program is expected to run approximately eight months, beginning in October. Program hours and activities will vary, but regular meetings with mentors and fellow program members are an intrinsic part of the program and may require a time commitment of up to twenty hours a month.

How many participants will be chosen?

In order to enhance the Program experience there will be up to 4 participants selected each year.

How are the matches made between the program participants and mentors?

Matches are made based on career interests and mentor availability. Finalists will meet with two potential mentors.

How long should my letter of interest be?

One page double spaced, no smaller than 12 point font.

paramount.com/writers-mentoring-program

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Fred Rogers Productions Writers' Neighborhood

DEADLINE: May 2, 2026 at 12:00am PT

We look forward to bringing in a diverse group of talent because building one's career is not just about "who you know," but also "who knows you."

PROGRAM GOALS FOR FRP WRITERS’ NEIGHBORHOOD:

Help to bring new voices and perspectives to children’s media by seeking out and providing training and support to new and emerging writers as they build freelance careers.

• The nine-week intensive program will focus on expanding the fellows' professional development:

Help writers understand the landscape of children’s media in the U.S.
Fellows will begin to structure or polish their brand as a freelance writer (in terms of presentingtheir portfolio in person and via social media)
- Resumé polishing assistance
- Templates for emails for introducing themselves, pitching for a job, and follow-up from an in-person meeting at an event
Master the art of networking
Gain a better understanding of the overall production process
Understand the creative structure of a show —what head writers and producers look for when seeking new writers through case studies of FRP’s series
Improve pitching skills (coaching for introducing themselves virtually or in person)
Learn the voice of a new show and writing for different genres (e.g., animation, live-action, puppets)
Gain insights from other leading industry creatives including head writers, producers, and executives

• In addition, writers who complete the program will receive:

Group meet-ups with FRP staff and guest experts for six months (virtually)
Mentorship from an expert in children's media (three, 45-minute sessions)
An invitation to pitch to write for an FRP show (within one year of completing the program)
A membership to an industry association

• FRP will also:

Offer participants an honorarium and pay for travel and accommodations to Pittsburgh, PA
Publicize writers to our network through social media, direct email, in-person social events, etc.
Host a virtual panel with participants after the program is completed

SUBMISSION MATERIALS*

The candidate's basic information (including their name and age), up-to-date contact information (including an email address, address, and phone numbers)
A copy of the candidate's resumé; NO PHOTOS PLEASE
A reply of 400 words or less for two prompts
An original writing sample

*See FAQs for more details about the submission materials.

writersneighborhood.fredrogers.org

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Documentary Lab Open Call

Firelight Media

DEADLINE: May 4, 2026

ELIGIBILITY GUIDELINES:

Only the director of the film is eligible to apply and participate in the program. Co-directors may participate if they meet all eligibility requirements. If you’re applying with your co-director, please indicate that in your application. We cannot accept more than 2 directors per project.
This program is intended for filmmakers of color based in the United States or U.S. territories (Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, U.S. Samoa, Guam/Northern Mariana Islands).
The project must be a long-form/feature-length documentary; the fellowship does not accept short documentaries, series, or fiction projects.
Applicants must be emerging documentary filmmakers directing their first or second feature-length documentary.
New for 2026: We are only accepting films that are in POST-PRODUCTION. The film must be a work in progress. Completed films, or films in development, production, or pre-production, are not eligible. Be sure to review FAQs if you have further questions regarding your eligibility.

FILMMAKERS ARE NOT ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE SUPPORT THROUGH ANY OF FIRELIGHT MEDIA’S ARTIST PROGRAMS IF:

The filmmaker is applying with a project that is a student film or related to ongoing coursework.
The filmmaker is re-applying to a program they previously received support from.
The filmmaker is contracted with another Firelight Media artist program and has not completed the final deliverables by the time they are selected for this program.
The filmmaker is employed by Firelight Media, Firelight Films, or is a member of the board of directors.
The filmmaker does not hold the majority of the intellectual property of the film.

APPLICATION TIMELINE:

Monday, May 4, 2026 - Application Open Call Ends (The Submittable application will automatically close at 11:59 PM ET on Monday, May 4, 2026. No late submissions accepted.)
May-July 2026 - Two Rounds of Application Review & Advisory Board Panel Meeting
August 2026 - Finalist Interviews & Final Notifications
September 2026 - Cohort Orientation
September 2027 - End of program

firelightmedia.tv/documentary-lab

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Tulsa Artist Fellowship