An initiative of Seattle’s Northwest Film Forum (NWFF), Collective Power Fund is a part of the Regional Regranting Program by the Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, which consists of 30 satellite venues and partners across the country presenting hyper-local artist funding.
Collective Power Fund focuses primarily on supporting work that incites public dialogue, pushes boundaries, explores genre fluidity, speaks its truth through an authentic perspective, and is often non-traditional, anti-institutional, socially responsible, or disruptive of existing structures and conventions. It encourages a community-forward environment of resource-sharing, mutual support, and fellowship in the Pacific Northwest arts ecosystem.
Our first round in late 2020 provided $70,000 in COVID-19 relief funding to 140 artists. This Artist Development Grant is our second round, which will help inform the design of a larger grant in late 2021, and will disburse $60,000 to artists in incorporated and unincorporated King County.
We paid 12 King County artists of varying disciplines, ages, backgrounds, and experience with applying to grants to participate in a 90-min focus group (85% QTBIPOC) to collectively dream about what “Collective Power” means to them and how the Northwest Film Forum can deliver a new grantmaking program that increases non-monetary benefits and decreases barriers.
Below is a list of quotes and takeaways from the group that we will use ~ in tandem with a new round of focus group feedback and 1×1 community consultants ~ to inform our Spring and Summer 2021 Collective Power Fund grants.
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Community-building & Collaborative Magic
0% Gatekeeping & Text-worshipping Applications Liberating the Process
Less Barriers/Restrictions/BS
Equity-informed Panelists & Selection Processes Connecting, Connecting, Connecting
Transparent Practices & Trusting Artists Increased Accessibility & Accountability
Values & Vision-based Grants
Encouraging Feedback Before & After Grants
Peer-to-Peer Learning & Critique Groups 0pportunities to Serve on & Observe Grant Panels Welcoming Artists as their Whole Selves Eliminating the Euro-centric Gaze
Relationships & Resource-sharing