The National Film Preservation Foundation invites applications for the Avant-Garde Masters Grants. These cash preservation grants, made possible in partnership with The Film Foundation, support laboratory work to preserve significant examples of America's avant-garde film heritage. The grants are available to nonprofit and public archives. Funding is generously provided by the Hobson/Lucas Family Foundation.
By its very nature avant-garde film is hard to define. Avant-garde film is generally produced and distributed outside mainstream film channels. Often created by a single filmmaker or a small team, these films are intended as artistic expressions. They often experiment with the film medium in unique and personal ways.
This grant supports the preservation of a film or films by a single filmmaker or from a cinematic group significant to the development of avant-garde film in America. Works made within the last twenty years are not eligible. Applications should show how the proposed titles have made a significant contribution to American experimental film or, if the works are lesser known today, demonstrate how the films will contribute to a better understanding of avant-garde film history. Proposals must also explain why the proposed films are in need of preservation and include plans detailing how the films will be made available to the public and the scholarly community.
This grant will fund several preservation projects ranging between $5,000 and $50,000.
- Registration Deadline: May 1, 2024
- Application Deadline: June 7, 2024
- Grant Period: August 2024 to October 2025
Grants are available to public and 501(c)3 nonprofit archives in the United States, including those that are part of federal, state, or local government. The grants target avant-garde films made in the United States or by American citizens abroad and not physically preserved by commercial interests. Materials originally created for television or video are not eligible, including works produced with funds from broadcast or cable television entities.
The grant must be used to pay for new laboratory work involving the creation of:
- New film preservation elements (which may include sound tracks) and
- Two new public access copies, one of which must be a film print.
The funds can be applied only to work commissioned after the grant start date. Funds must be used exclusively for preservation expenses and may not be applied to staffing or operational costs.
This grant will fund several preservation projects ranging between $5,000 and $50,000.