The Independent Film & Media Arts Field-Building Initiative is a collaborative partnership between the National Endowment for the Arts and Bay Area Video Coalition (BAVC) focused on creating a space for knowledge exchange and relationship-building, with an emphasis on promoting regional networks, equity, and career sustainability for individuals working in the film and media arts industry.

This initiative contributes to strengthening regional arts infrastructure by exploring the following areas of special interest:

• Providing a national forum for ideas exchange, peer learning, and technical assistance to improve career pathways and support networks for emerging and established film and media artists and practitioners, with a focus on the inclusion of individuals and historically underserved communities whose opportunities might be limited by geography, ethnicity, economics, or disability.

• Strengthening connectivity between existing networks and media arts communities across the United States, as well as strengthening the capacity of local, regional, and national arts infrastructure to better serve independent film and media artists. This includes fostering awareness of the interconnected issues, systemic challenges, and opportunities facing the independent film and media arts field and the broader cultural sector.
• Elevating strategies, best practices, and exemplary models for building accessible and equitable career pathways into the film and media arts industry, and providing relevant expertise to local and regional cultural organizations and service providers.
• Promoting the contributions of the independent film and media arts field to the wider arts sector and beyond, including aspects such as strengthening communities through the power of storytelling.

https://www.arts.gov/initiatives/independent-film-media-arts-field-building-initiative