ARMED WITH A CAMERA FELLOWSHIP
Welcome to the next edition of the Armed With a Camera (AWC) Fellowship for Emerging Media Artists. Since 2002, AWC has developed and supported over 170 Asian American & Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander filmmakers. Cultivating a rising generation of artists committed to social and political changes and movements, these storytellers have empowered communities and challenged perspectives through their creative works.
Since 2020, Visual Communications and our programs have been reshaped through renewal practices. From the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival to the VC Archives, we were intentional in our work to regenerate our organization and the communities we serve.
In AWC vol 2021-2022, we upheld a practice of care for 10 Fellows during COVID. In the longest Fellowship spanning 18 months, we understood that the Fellowship was not about creating 5-minute short films at the speed of capitalism, but rather, the regeneration of our spaces to connect as humans who are struggling through grief, socio-political shifts, and other personal challenges.
In AWC vol 2022-2023, we needed to mitigate our own unjust practices that create inequalities within our communities. We challenged ourselves to uplift and uphold Indigenous storytellers in spaces where Asian American artists may have privilege. To amplify artists who utilize media to preserve cultural traditions and present diasporic stories. To support communities engaging against movements of cultural appropriation/appreciation in the guise of diversity and inclusion. In a 12-month Fellowship, we committed to developing and cultivating six Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander storytellers.
AWC 2023 and VC Staff in Hawai’i
AWC Class of 2021 and AWC Class of 2023 at the 2022 Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival
In the recent volume of AWC, we challenged artists to utilize the community stories and histories housed in the living VC Archives as a point of creative inspiration and departure. We expanded produced works to include photographic installations and exhibitions. In an 8-month Fellowship, we supported six Fellows who contributed stories and experiences that were absent in the VC Archives.
awc 2024 and staff retreat at joshua tree
awc class of 2024 and their mentors at vc film fest 2024
from left to right: Veialu Aila-Unsworth, asavari kumar, Alfred Bordallo, Bryson Nihipali, Zaynah Waseem, Kayli Kimura, Honestine Pa'ala-Fraser, Paula Kiley, jason tiangco
In the last few years, we understood that the AWC Fellowship can be what it needed to be. But to be successful, we need to center the spaciousness required to create deep relationships with Fellows, in an effort to create ever-lasting connections amongst each other.
In our continued practice of renewal, this upcoming AWC Fellowship will run from January 2025 to May 2026. While this commitment to build community will be a longer timeframe than previous Fellowships, this shift creates opportunities.
Projects will now go into production during the Summer, instead of during the holiday season. The Fellowship will also have a period after production to develop collective distribution and impact strategies with their projects. Because of this, projects will not premiere until the 42nd edition of the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival in May 2026.
As we approach a shifting sociopolitical landscape, this year's accompanying theme will surround the idea of "RE-ENVISIONING." We offer to the upcoming cohort to not only ruminate on the Past and the Present, but activate their contemporary perspectives to reshape and reimagine our Future. We empower these artists to use temporal space to interpret the theme and examine this word’s ability to transform the status quo, in their own vision. Artists may create short films using their archives as a resource and use this overarching idea as a point of creative departure.
Welcome to your AWC Fellowship.
Applications closed on October 31, 2024. Thank you everyone for applying! All AWC applicants will be notified of their status in December 2024.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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Visual Communications will work with the Fellows for 12-16 months (January 2025 - May 2026) with their projects premiering at VC Film Fest in May of 2026 (Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival). During the program, Fellows will be supported by mentors and advisors while creatively producing works to engage our communities. Each Fellow will receive a $2,500 personal stipend, in addition to a $2500 project stipend to support the creation of their media works.
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Must be Southern California-based (LA County, Orange County, Ventura County, San Bernardino County)
Must be able to attend all monthly in-person workshops/engagements starting January 2025 and mandatory twice a month meetings with mentors starting February 2025
Be fully present for the duration of the fellowship from January 2025 - May 2026
Cannot have won or been nominated for any EGOT award
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Please prepare the following items that are to be submitted with your application:
Artist Statement (300-500 words)
1) Why are you applying to AWC Fellowship?
2) What are your goals as an artist?
3) In what ways does your practice empower and inform community?
4) How do you see AWC being a part of your artistic journey?Project Proposal (250 words)
With the concept of “RE-ENVISIONING” in mind, and consideration of community and personal archives, what is an artistic project you imagine creating?
NOTE: This is not indicative of what you will commit to for the fellowship.Previous creative work sample (1-2) – Filmography recommended, but if unavailable please share samples that reflects your artistic style and vision
Resume, short bio, and digital headshot
To submit your formal application, please visit: https://bit.ly/AWC2025application
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All projects must conform to the following guidelines:
Final piece must be a new, original work (animation, narrative, documentary, and/or experimental)
Final piece must be shot in digital video format
Total length of final piece must not exceed ten (10) minutes
Micro-level budget ($2,500)
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You are invited to attend an optional AWC Open House at Visual Communications Media's office. You will have an opportunity to ask questions from VC Staff regarding the application and program. In-person AWC Open House will be held September 25, 2024 from 6-8pm (PDT).
Virtual Office Hours for any questions will be held September 24th 4-5pm (PDT) and September 26th 1-2pm (PDT).
Please RSVP here: bit.ly/rsvpawc -
In VC's continued practice of "access is for everyone", there is NO FEE to apply to the AWC Fellowship.
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Up to FOUR artists will be selected based on their demonstrated commitment to the arts and communities, production and exhibition experience, and the quality of their sample works.
A review panel composed of AWC Alumni, AWC Mentors, VC staff and other community members will review the applications and conduct interviews.
Applicants will be notified by December 2024.
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The DEADLINE for applications has been extended to October 31, 2024 at 10:00pm (PDT).
SUPPORT AWC
The Armed With a Camera Fellowship is supported by grants and individual donors such as yourself. We are deeply grateful to the friends of the Elizabeth Sung who created the Elizabeth Sung Memorial Scholarship Fund to continue her spirit of supporting emerging artists. All donations are 100% tax-deductible. Thank you all for your continued support of this great program!
SUPPORTED BY
ELIZABETH SUNG MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP FUND
