Film Festival Scores $15,000 Grant

The Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF) announced on Friday that the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) gifted the organization with a $15,000 grant to put toward, among other programs, a film studies class for 10 students from across the country. The festival was one of 919 nonprofits — including UCSB Arts & Lectures — selected for a grant.

Roger Durling, the festival’s executive director, issued a statement on the award. “We are honored that our organization was among those selected to receive this grant, which does so much to support the arts throughout the country,” he said. “The support of NEA will allow SBIFF to continue to expand its educational reach, and impact the next generation of filmmakers.”

Jane Chu, NEA chair, commended the festival — now in its third decade of showcasing hundreds of movies — for its role in the community. “I’m pleased to be able to share the news of our support through Art Works, including the award to Santa Barbara International Film Festival,” she said in a prepared statement. “The arts foster value, connection, creativity, and innovation for the American people, and these recommended grants demonstrate those attributes and affirm that the arts are part of our everyday lives.”