SBIFF Awarded $60,000 in Grants
NEA and California Arts Council Give Money for Programs
The Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF) may be best known for its 11-day cinematic extravaganza that takes place each winter, but the nonprofit’s work is actually a year-round endeavor. Recently, the organization received tens of thousands of dollars in grants from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and California Arts Council (CAC).
The monies will be used for its 2019 festival edition and educational programs, such as Film Camp, which offers underserved youth a fully paid six-day overnight stay at Camp Whittier, where they are taught the fundamentals of filmmaking and work on an original short film, among other activities. Funds will also go to support SBIFF’s year-round program Mike’s Field Trip, which makes films available to 4th, 5th, and 6th graders in Santa Barbara county schools.
“Thanks to the NEA and CAC, SBIFF can continue to serve as a platform for emerging voices,” said SBIFF Executive Director Roger Durling in a prepared statement, “as well as help nurture and inspire, through its various educational programs, the next generation of storytellers.”
The 35th edition of SBIFF is slated to take place January 15-25, 2020.
