HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024-588-E-Arts Commission-Cosmic Rays Foundation-2025 Cosmic Rays Film Festival Filmmaker Honoraria and OperationsGRASSROOTS ARTS PROGRAM / ARTIST PROJECT GRANT 2024-25
Grantee Name
Authorizing Official Name
Email
Project Title
Award
Grant Category ☐Grassroots Arts Program ☐Artist Project Grant Program
Funding Source ☐North Carolina Arts Council ☐Orange County
Grant project period July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2025
As Authorizing Official, I acknowledge the following terms and understand if they are not met, I jeopardize future
funding opportunities from the Orange County Arts Commission. I understand a Compliance Score is issued for future
grants based on my adherence to the following terms:
OCAC Report Due Monday, July 14, 2025
Multicultural Spending Grantee must spend $ on the hiring of multicultural artists as specified
in the grant application.
Crediting and logo usage All grantees must properly credit the Orange County Arts Commission using the
proper logo on all publicity materials for the funded program. Recipients of
operations-related grants must include the OCAC logo with link to
www.artsorange.org on grantee’s website. If funding source is listed as N.C. Arts
Council above, grantee must also properly credit the N.C. Arts Council using the
proper logos and N.C. Arts Council credit line on all publicity materials for
funded program. Download logos on the OCAC website at
https://artsorange.org/grants/grantee-resources.
Calendar Listing Grantee must enter all events, exhibits, and performances open to the
public and related to this grant award on the Orange County Arts Commission
website at www.artsorange.org/events.
Cosmic Rays Foundation
Bill Brown, President
cosmicraysfilmfest@gmail.com
2025 Cosmic Rays Film Festival: Filmmaker Honoraria and Operations Support
$4,500.00
4
4
3,000.00
Docusign Envelope ID: 678936C8-E900-4A07-925F-E6D2CC7A910E
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Revised August 2022
ORANGE COUNTY
ARTS COMMISSION
2024-25 GRANT
AGREEMENT
THIS AGREEMENT, entered into this 6 day of September, 2024, by and between Orange
County ("County"), by and through the Orange County Arts Commission ("Arts
Commission") and ("Grant Recipient").
WHEREAS, the Arts Commission is a countywide arts agency that ensures the growth of
local arts experiences by providing funding and support for diverse high quality programs and
projects.
WHEREAS, the Arts Commission administers the annual Grants Program to provide
economic opportunities to Orange County artists and non-profit organizations coordinating arts
projects benefiting the citizens of Orange County.
WHEREAS, the annual Arts Grants Program is supported by Arts Commission with
funds from the Grassroots Arts Program of the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the
Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, a state agency.
WHEREAS, the Grant Recipient was selected by the Arts Commission to receive
the annual Arts Grant through the procedures duly adopted by the Arts Commission; and
WHEREAS, both parties wish to promote and maintain the integrity and clarity of the
Grant Recipient's ideas and statements and delineate the Grant Recipient’s obligations to the
County;
NOW, THEREFORE, the County and the Grant Recipient, for the consideration
and under the conditions hereinafter set forth, agree as follows:
1.Approved Grant Project. Grant funds are provided under this Agreement for the project
(“Project”) described in the Grant Recipient’s Grant Application, attached hereto and
incorporated herein as Exhibit A.
2.Grant Award. Grant funds in an amount not to exceed ($ )
have been awarded by the Arts Commission to the Grant Recipient for the approved
Project. The Recipient shall be required to match funds at least dollar-for-dollar with cash
from the Grant Recipient’s funds not derived from either Orange County appropriations or
the North Carolina Arts Council, as outlined in the attached Exhibit A.
3.Contingency. This grant is contingent on North Carolina Arts Council Grassroots
Program funding to the Arts Commission. Final decisions on Grassroots Program funds
to the North Carolina Arts Council are subject to approval by the North Carolina General
Assembly.
4.Responsibilities of the Grant Recipient
Cosmic Rays Foundation
four thousand five hundred dollars 4,500.00
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A.Implementation. The Project implementation shall take place between July 1,
2024 and June 30, 2025. The Project shall be implemented in the manner
described in Exhibit A. Time is of the essence in the implementation of the
Project.
B.Modifications to project. Grant Recipient shall present major changes to the
original proposal, including but not limited to changes in design, implementation
schedule and increase in Project budget by more than 10%, in writing to the Arts
Commission for approval. Arts Commission shall approve or disapprove Grant
Recipient’s request for modifications within seven (7) days of receipt thereof.
Consent to project modifications shall not be unreasonably withheld. Arts
Commission’s decisions shall be in writing. In the event the Arts Commission
fails to approve or disapprove the requested modifications within the time stated
herein, the modifications shall be deemed approved.
C.Non–assignment. The grant cannot be assigned or transferred to a different project
or artist without prior written approval of the Arts Commission.
D.Records. Grant Recipient must maintain records and other evidence pertaining to
costs incurred and revenues acquired during the Project implementation. Grant
Recipient shall maintain financial records pertaining to the Project for three (3)
years from the date of this Agreement, in case of audit.
E.Use of Funds. Grant Recipient shall not use the grant funds to repay outstanding
taxes or other debts of any nature. The grants shall be utilized solely for the
purpose described in the attached Exhibit A.
F.Final Report. Grant Recipient shall submit to the Arts Commission a Final Report
on July 14, 2025. The Final Report shall be in the format required by the North
Carolina Arts Council. Failure to submit the Final Report or late submission of
the Final Report, for any reason, shall be grounds for denial and/or cancellation of
grant funds for the Project and future grant proposals.
5.Responsibilities of the Arts Commission
A.Payment. The Arts Commission shall release the grant funds in the amount of
$ to the Grant Recipient.
6.Publicity
A.Acknowledgement. Credit must be given to the Orange County Arts
Commission and/or the North Carolina Arts Council using the proper logo(s)
and credit line in brochures, news releases, programs, and all other printed and
online publications. Copies of such printed materials must accompany the
evaluation report. Official Orange County Arts Commission and North Carolina
Arts Council logos may be downloaded at www.artsorange.org/grantee-resources
and may not be altered in any way. When no printed information is used, verbal
4,500.00
Docusign Envelope ID: 678936C8-E900-4A07-925F-E6D2CC7A910E
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credit shall be given. In addition, all print and promotional material must include
the following credit line and logo(s) (check all that apply):
i.County Funds Only. Orange County Arts Commission logo required.
Credit line required for audio projects: “This program is supported by the
Orange County Arts Commission.”
ii.North Carolina Arts Council Funding. The Orange County Arts
Commission and the North Carolina Arts Council logos are required. Credit
line: “This program is supported by the N.C. Arts Council, a division of the
Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.”
B.The Grant Recipient must enter all events, exhibits, and performances open to the
public and related to this grant award on the Orange County Arts Commission
website at www.artsorange.org/events. In addition, the Grant Recipient must
add a link to www.artsorange.org (Orange County Arts Commission logo
preferred) to their main webpage.
7.Indemnity. The Grant Recipient agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the County, the
Arts Commission and the North Carolina Arts Council and their officers and employees
from any and all claims or actual injury, damage or loss to a person, or real or personal
property that results from or is in any way connected to the use of the grant funds.
8.Independent Contractor. The Grant Recipient is an independent contractor and not an
employee, agent or other representative of the County and/or the Arts Commission.
Nothing contained in this Agreement shall be construed to create the relationship of
principal and agent, or employer and employee, between Grant Recipient and Arts
Commission or Orange County Government. Grant Recipient understands and agrees
that he/she is not authorized to incur any expenses or any liability whatsoever on behalf
of the County or the Arts Commission and has no authority, expressed or implied, to
obligate or make representations on behalf of the County or the Arts Commission. In
addition, Grant Recipient agrees to maintain his or her own worker's compensation
insurance for himself/herself and his or her employees for the duration of the art work's
installation.
9.Termination
A.In the event of any of the circumstances set forth below (hereinafter referred to as
“default”), the Arts Commission may immediately terminate this Agreement:
(i)Any fraudulent representation in any verification required to obtain
payment under this Agreement or other dishonesty on a material matter
relating to the performance of services under this Agreement.
(ii)Nonperformance, incomplete service or performance, or failure to
satisfactorily perform any part of the Project or to comply with any
provision of this Agreement, as determined by the Arts Commission in its
sole discretion.
4
Docusign Envelope ID: 678936C8-E900-4A07-925F-E6D2CC7A910E
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(iii)Failure to adhere to the terms of applicable county, state or federal laws,
regulations, or stated public policy.
B.In the event of default by the Grant Recipient, the Arts Commission has the
discretion to elect to terminate this Agreement, in whole or in part and/or require
the Grant Recipient to repay the grant funds within seven (7) from written notice
of default or allow the grant recipient the opportunity to cure the default. This
clause shall not be interpreted to limit the County’s or the Arts Commission’s
remedies in law or in equity.
10.Miscellaneous.
A.Entire Agreement. This Agreement and the attachments contain the final and
entire understanding of the parties with respect to the subject matter of this
Agreement. All modifications and amendments to this Agreement shall be in
writing. This Agreement shall be binding upon the parties, their heirs, successors
and assigns.
B.Governing Law. Governing Law and Priority: Both parties agree that this
Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of North Carolina and
Orange County. Grant Recipient shall at all times remain in compliance with all
applicable local, state, and federal laws, rules, and regulations including but not
limited to all state and federal anti-discrimination laws, policies, rules, and
regulations and the Orange County Non-Discrimination Policy and Orange
County Living Wage Policy (each policy is incorporated herein by reference and
may be viewed at
http://www.orangecountync.gov/departments/purchasing_division/contracts.php.).
Any violation of this requirement is a breach of this Agreement and Arts
Commission may immediately terminate this Agreement without further
obligation on the part of the Arts Commission. This paragraph is not intended to
limit and does not limit the definition of breach to discrimination. By executing
this Agreement the Grant Recipient certifies that they has not been identified, and
has not utilized the services of any agent or subcontractor identified, on the list
created by the State Treasurer pursuant to G.S. 147-86.58. By executing this
Agreement the Grant Recipient certifies that they has not been identified, and has
not utilized the services of any agent or subcontractor identified, on the list
created by the State Treasurer pursuant to G.S. 147-86.81. By executing this
Agreement Grant Recipient affirms they are and shall remain in compliance with
Article 2 of Chapter 64 of the North Carolina General Statutes. In determining
the basic services to be provided, should any documents be referenced in or
attached to this Agreement, the terms herein shall have priority in any conflict
between the terms of referenced documents and the terms of this Agreement.
C.Dispute Resolution: Neither party may initiate binding arbitration. Any disputes
shall be resolved by nonbinding mediation. If such mediation fails either party
may initiate litigation to resolve the dispute. Should either party initiate litigation
to settle any dispute involving the terms of this Agreement such litigation shall be
Docusign Envelope ID: 678936C8-E900-4A07-925F-E6D2CC7A910E
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Revised August 2022
initiated in the General Court of Justice of North Carolina seated in Orange
County, North Carolina.
D.Signatures. This Agreement together with any amendments or modifications may
be executed electronically. All electronic signatures affixed hereto evidence the
intent of the Parties to comply with Article 11A and Article 40 of North Carolina
General Statute Chapter 66.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Orange County and the Grant Recipient have signed this Grant
Agreement, effective on the last date this Agreement is signed by both parties as indicated by the
dates set forth under signatures below.
For and on behalf of the Grant Recipient
Date
For and on behalf of Orange County Government
Travis Myren, County Manager Date
Bill Brown, President
Docusign Envelope ID: 678936C8-E900-4A07-925F-E6D2CC7A910E
10/4/2024
10/8/2024
Revised 01/24
1
ORANGE COUNTY—INTERNAL USE ONLY
______________________________________________________________________________
Finance Information
Vendor Name: Cosmic Rays Foundation Vendor Contact Person: Bill Brown Phone: 806-789-6906
Address: 16 Davie Cir. City Chapel Hill State: NC Zip: 27514
Department: Manager’s Office/Arts Commission Amount: $4,500.00
Purpose: 2024-25 Arts Grants Budget Code(s): 37601020-683000 Vendor # 68265
Vendor Status with NCSOS: Vendor is a BOCC consultant: Yes No
Contract Details
Contract Type: New Amendment (Original Contract: ) (Most Recent Amendment )
Effective Date End Date Notice Date (Notice Purpose )
Award
Approved by Board (Agenda Date: ); Made or Administered by
Signature Authority
- BOCC Express Delegation (Agenda Date: )
- Policy 9.4: Under $5,000; Service Under $90,000; Construction Under $250,000
- Budget Policy Section XV (Capital Improvement Project: )
Bidding
Informal Bidding ($30k-$90k); Formal RFP ($90k+); Other (<$30k); Exception(# )
Department Affirmation
This agreement is approved as to technical form and content and I as Department Director affirmatively state work
on this project has not been initiated prior to execution of the agreement.
This agreement is approved as to technical form and content. Services related to this agreement have already
begun or been completed. Description of the nature of the emergency condition that was addressed:
Department Director’s Signature ________________________________________ Date: ________
Information Technologies
This agreement has been reviewed and is approved as to information technology content and specifications:
Office of the Chief Information Officer___________________________________ Date: ________
Inapplicable because no hardware/software purchases or related services
Risk Management
This agreement is approved for sufficiency of insurance standards, specifications, and requirements:
Office of the Risk Management Officer___________________________________ Date: _________
Financial Services
This instrument has been pre-audited in the manner required by the Local Government Budget and Fiscal Control Act:
Office of the Chief Financial Officer ____________________________________ Date: _________
Legal Services
This agreement is approved as to legal form and sufficiency:
Office of the County Attorney __________________________________________Date: ________
Clerk to the Board
All Docusign contracts must be copied to the Clerk upon completion: occlerkdocs@orangecountync.gov
The following signature block is for hard copies only and is not required for Docusign contracts:
Received for record retention:
Office of the Clerk to the Board __________________________________________Date:_________
Docusign Envelope ID: 678936C8-E900-4A07-925F-E6D2CC7A910E
10/3/2024
10/7/2024
10/8/2024
10/8/2024
Orange County Arts Commission Powered by Submittable
Title Cosmi c Rays Foundati on
by Bill Brown in 2024-25 Grassroots Arts Program
Grant Application
16 Davie Cir
Chapel Hill, North Carolina
27514-5900
North Carolina
United States
806-789-6906
dreamwhip@gmail.com
06/28/2024
id. 46878379
Original Submission 06/28/2024
Score n/a
APPLICANT
INFORMATION
Please tell us about your organization.
Applicant
Organization Name
Cosmic Rays Foundation
Is the Applicant
Organization serving
as a fiscal agent for
an unincorporated
group?
No
Mailing Address of
Organization
16 Davie Cir.
Chapel Hill
NC
27514
US
35.91779
-79.03735
How did you hear
about our grant
program?
Other
Did you or a
representative of
your orgnanization
attend one of our
grants training
sessions?
Yes
Nature of
Organization
Arts Organization
Organization The Cosmic Rays Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization that presents the
Docusign Envelope ID: 678936C8-E900-4A07-925F-E6D2CC7A910E
Organization
Description
The Cosmic Rays Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization that presents the
annual Cosmic Rays Film Festival. Our mission is to support and celebrate
experimental films and digital media art created by regional, national, and
global media artists; and to provide a venue in Orange County where a
diverse range of audiences can have access to this vital and expanding
area of the arts.
The first Cosmic Rays festival took place in 2018. Since then, the festival
has expanded its programming and partnered with other local non-profit
venues including the Morehead Planetarium, where we presented a
program of videos commissioned for display on a planetarium dome; the
Nightlight and Cat's Cradle in Carrboro, where we have presented exciting
live-cinema programs; Peel Gallery in Carrboro and Lump Gallery in
Raleigh, where we have organized digital media art exhibitions; and
Fatwood Studio, an artists' project space near Carrboro, where we have
organized festival after-parties and filmmakers' receptions.
During our sixth edition in 2024, we saw some 300 people attend our four
screening programs at the Chelsea Cinema in Chapel Hill and our live-
cinema program at Fatwood Studio. Based on our post-festival audience
survey, we determined that our festival's reach extends across Orange
County, the Triangle, and the state.
In addition to programming three days of cinema art selected from over 500
submissions from around North Carolina and the world, Cosmic Rays also
invites distinguished filmmakers and programmers to curate thematic
programs of work. Visiting curators have included David Dinnell, former
programmer of the Ann Arbor Film Festival who screened a collection of
16mm films from the Canyon Cinema archive that were made by feminist
filmmakers; Aily Nash, experimental programmer for the New York Film
Festival, who presented work commissioned for a planetarium; Rachael
Rakes, co-curator of the Film Society at Lincoln Center’s Art of the Real,
whose program focused on the groundbreaking experimental work of
contemporary female filmmakers-of-color; and Suneil Sanzgiri who
presented a program of personal documentaries that consider questions of
Indian-American identity, culture, and diaspora.
In 2022, we launched the Cosmic Rays Touring Festival. Each year, we
select films from the past festival and create a traveling program of work.
By partnering with screening venues across the country, we are able to
reach even more audiences, promote our festival's work, and raise the
profile of North Carolina artists' cinema. Our 2023-24 tour included
screenings at Union Docs in New York City; the Union Cinema in
Milwaukee, W I; Experimental Response Cinema in Austin, TX; and Other
Cinema in San Francisco, CA.
To advance artist equity, the festival is committed to paying all participating
filmmakers a screening fee, something that is rare among film festivals in
the U.S. and nearly unique among festivals of our small size.
The Cosmic Rays Foundation was established in 2022. Our board consists
of Sabine Gruffat (CEO), Bill Brown (President), Kathie Roberts (legal
counsel), and Kristin Pearson. Our goal is to grow this board and our
Docusign Envelope ID: 678936C8-E900-4A07-925F-E6D2CC7A910E
organizational capacity in the coming years to ensure our festival's
sustainability.
How many Orange
County residents
does the organization
serve?
Approximately 300 people attend the festival's four programs of film
screenings and its live-cinema event.
Has your
organization
undergone any
Diversity, Equity, and
Inclusion (DEI)
training? If so,
please explain. If not,
please explain any
barriers that have
prevented you from
receiving this
training.
Despite our limited budget, we have been able to benefit from the wealth of
DEI resources available online. These have helped immensely as we've
worked to clarify and augment our diversity efforts over the years both in
terms of artistic programming and audience outreach, and especially over
the last two years as we've transitioned from an artist-run festival to a
nonprofit organization. Of particular help has been the University Film &
Video Association's EDIT Media (Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in
Teaching Media) initiative. Edit Media's online resources provide useful
frameworks for programming media work, as well as educational resources
that provide insight into ways we can discuss and expand our thinking
about media art and media art education.
Inspired by these DEI resources, we have sought to make DEI fundamental
to the way we program art work, reach out to audiences, and structure our
organization. Some tangible initiatives have been our ongoing effort to
reach out to a wide diversity of voices and communities during
programming, especially filmmakers who might be unable to submit work
through our annual call or who may be unaware of the call; a special focus
on promoting the festival to HBCU's, community arts organizations, and
other venues that tap into historically underrepresented communities; and
online and word-of-mouth outreach that helps us reach beyond reflexive
channels of communication and circulation. W e are especially proud of our
efforts to keep submissions fees low and to pay filmmakers who participate
in the festival a screening fee, a practice that is rare among film festivals in
the United States, but something we feel is crucial in our effort to create
artist equity.
In recent years, we have sought to increase the diversity of our screening
committee, a key part of the process by which we discover and program
work from a wide variety of makers. Each year, we also integrate
conversations about diversity, equity, and inclusion in our training meetings
with the committee, emphasizing the fact that Cosmic Rays is founded on a
mission to explore, support, and promote film and media art that comes
from the rich and wonderful variety of artists who are working in the field
today.
Since the festival’s founding, we have been cognizant of the ways access
to artwork can be limited by geographical distance, limited financial
resources, physical disability, and a range of other factors. In addition to
responsible in-person festival screenings, we continue to explore online
streaming platforms that will allow us to reach audiences who remain
socially distanced or have limited mobility. Our recently inaugurated touring
program was conceived as another opportunity to connect with new,
expanded, and diverse audience communities beyond our three-day
festival event.
Docusign Envelope ID: 678936C8-E900-4A07-925F-E6D2CC7A910E
During FY24-25, will
your organization
receive operational
support funding from
the North Carolina
Arts Council or the
North Carolina
Department of
Natural and Cultural
Resources?
No
Organization's EIN 883790225.0
Organization
W ebsite
www.cosmicraysfilmfest.com
Authorizing Official's
Name
Bill Brown
Authorizing Official's
Title
President
Authorizing Official's
Phone
806-789-6906
Authorizing Official's
Email
cosmicraysfilmfest@gmail.com
Applicant Race W hite
Financial Overview
FinancialOv erv iew_Submittable.xlsx
Organizational Financial Statements
Copy_of_Cosmic_Rays_Fdtn_990-EZ_short_FYE_6-30-23_as_e-filed_5-2-24.pdf
Cosmic_Rays_2023-4_Budget.xlsx
Cosmic_Rays_2024-5_Draft_Budget.xlsx
Balance_Sheet_Cosmic_Rays_as_of_6-20-2024.pdf
Deficit/Surplus
If the current or next
year budget
represents a 30% or
more change from
the year prior, please
explain why.
The lower budget for the current year versus the year prior was due to less
grant income and institutional support than anticipated. The festival hopes
to explore other grant and development opportunities.
Docusign Envelope ID: 678936C8-E900-4A07-925F-E6D2CC7A910E
Are you an entity of
UNC-Chapel Hill or
another unit of state
government?
No
PROJECT/PROGRAM
INFORMATION
Tell us about your project or program
Title of Grant
Request
2025 Cosmic Rays Film Festival: Filmmaker Honoraria and Operations
Support
Grant Amount
Requested
5000
Is the person in
charge of this
program or project
different from the
Authorizing Official?
No
W hat are you
requesting funding
for?
A specific program or project
Project/Program
Summary
The 7th Annual Cosmic Rays Film Festival which will take place as an in-
person event at the Chelsea Cinema in Chapel Hill, NC and the Cat's
Cradle in Carrboro, NC from April 4 - 6, 2025.
Grassroots Arts Program funding will help support:
1. Artist fees for filmmakers whose work is selected for the screening
programs,
2. Honoraria, travel, and accommodation for visiting filmmakers and media
artists, with priority given to artists working in North Carolina and artists
participating in the live-cinema performance program.
3. Venue rental for in-person festival screenings and live-cinema
performance,
4. Stipends for artistic direction and administration of the festival.
Project Start Date
(no earlier than July
1, 2024)
July 1, 2024
Project End Date (no
later than June 30,
2025)
June 30, 2025
Docusign Envelope ID: 678936C8-E900-4A07-925F-E6D2CC7A910E
Project Goals The overall goal of our film festival is to support and promote formally
inventive artists' cinema and media art created by artists speaking with a
variety of voices and representing a diversity of communities and life
experiences; and to grow an audience for this exciting and important art
work in our city, county, region, and beyond. W e measure our success in
terms of the quality of the work we present and the impact this work makes
both on our audience here in North Carolina as well as on the field of
artists' cinema as a whole.
The quality of the work we present is determined by careful evaluation of
the films submitted during our open call by a Screening Committee made up
of artists and arts professionals. Due to the limitations of the open call, and
the fact that many underserved communities may not be connected to the
same networks of exhibition and circulation, we also make a point to reach
out to artists from a diversity of backgrounds in order to solicit their work;
and we invite guest curators to expand the kinds of films we show.
Since our beginnings in 2018, we have seen our audience grow thanks to
promotional efforts, advertising, online outreach, and word-of-mouth. It has
been and remains our goal to build a large and diverse audience and to
reach beyond the sometimes narrow confines of the art world to promote
this vibrant and broadly relevant form of film art.
Audience Description Now entering its seventh season, Cosmic Rays’ profile has grown along
with its audience, from 100 attendees and three visiting artists in 2018 to
some 300 attendees from across the Triangle and a dozen visiting artists,
live-cinema performers, and digital media artists from North Carolina and
beyond in 2024.
Cosmic Rays firmly believes in the role regional art exhibition can play in
supporting and cultivating an artistic community outside of the handful of
major urban centers which enjoy an outsize share of cultural resources.
W e are cognizant of the ways access to artwork can be limited by
geographical distance, limited financial resources, physical disability, and a
range of other factors. W e are therefore committed to offering festival
passes on a donate-what-you-can basis, and we continue to explore online
and streaming options to reach audiences who cannot attend the festival in
person.
Based on data gathered from our annual post-festival audience surveys,
our audience comes primarily from the Triangle region, but with a significant
number of attendees from across the state, and even a small share from
neighboring states (Virginia and Georgia). Our audience reports that they
value the festival's mission to screen experimental film and are excited by
both the screenings and live-performance programs. At our most recent
edition, 45% of respondents said this was their first time to attend the
festival. 99% said they were likely to attend the festival again, with 73%
saying they were highly likely.
Docusign Envelope ID: 678936C8-E900-4A07-925F-E6D2CC7A910E
Location Description The Cosmic Rays Film Festival will take place at two primary venues. Film
screenings will be programmed at the Chelsea Theater in Chapel Hill, a fully
accessible space with ample parking and connections to public transit.
Live-cinema performances will be programmed at the Cat's Cradle in
Carrboro. This space is also accessible and ADA compliant, with parking
and public transit located nearby.
Artist Description Cosmic Rays programs its film festival primarily from submissions collected
during an annual open call. W e are committed to making the festival
accessible to emerging as well as established media artists, and to artist
communities that are underrepresented at experimental media arts
festivals. W e believe in the idea of the open call as the most equitable way
to program work and to discover new artistic talents and voices outside
established curatorial channels. W e make an effort during the open call to
reach out to a large variety of potential submitters, with an emphasis on
high schools, community colleges, and universities (including HBCUs), and
community arts organizations. W e are especially committed to supporting
North Carolina-based artists, and we include a discounted North Carolina
Filmmaker category in our open call in an effort to foster and support
regional artists.
All work submitted to the festival is viewed and discussed by a Selection
Committee made up of volunteers from the community who have a passion
for and background in cinema art. In past years, the committee has
included graduates and faculty from the MFA in Experimental and
Documentary Arts at Duke University; graduates and faculty from the MFA
in Studio Arts at UNC-Chapel Hill; independent arts programmers; and
independent filmmakers and media artists from the region. Each submission
is viewed by at least three members of the selection committee. Top-
ranked submissions are reviewed by the festival co-directors who make
final programming decisions, prioritizing work that extends the artistic
possibilities of cinema and new media technology; that challenges
audience expectations of cinema form and content; that arises from a
diversity of life experiences, identities, and communities; and that
questions conventional models of production, exhibition, and distribution.
In our upcoming season, we expect to select some 30-40 films from a
submission pool of approximately 500 entries, and to program three live-
cinema performances, including a magic lantern performance by
internationally-known filmmaker Charlotte Pryce.
Are you hiring
multicultural artists
with the requested
funds from this
grant?
Yes
Docusign Envelope ID: 678936C8-E900-4A07-925F-E6D2CC7A910E
For each multicultural
artist you intend to
hire, please list their
name, race, and how
much you plan to pay
them.
The festival prioritizes work by filmmakers-of-color, who are paid a
screening fee (approx. $30) if their work is selected as part of the
screening program; or $1500 if they are selected to visit Chapel Hill as part
of the live-cinema performance program.
How will the
project/program be
publicized and
promoted to reach
intended
participants?
1. Online promotion through festival social media (Facebook, Instagram,
etc.) and website
2. Promotion via participating artists' social media
3. Paid print (Indy W eek) and online advertising
4. Email promo campaigns
5. Posters and flyers
6. Direct outreach to local colleges, schools, arts organizations, etc.
7. Promotional interviews and articles about the festival
8. Fund-raising activities in advance of festival
9. W ord-of-mouth
How will you
evaluate the success
of the program?
Cosmic Rays evaluates its success according to a number of quantitative
and qualitative metrics to measure both the quality of work presented by
the festival and the impact of the festival on both the local community and
the wider community of artist filmmakers and digital media artists. Some of
these metrics include:
1. Audience attendance numbers at screenings, performances, and events.
2. Site visits, followers, and commentary on social media (Facebook,
Instagram, etc.).
3. Online and print reviews of festival programming and events by
participating artists and audience members.
4. W ritten accounts of the festival by film and arts writers and critics.
5. W ord-of-mouth accounts by festival attendees and participating artists.
6. Repeat submissions by past participants, and new participation by a
diverse range of filmmakers and media artists.
7. Grants, donations, sponsorships, and/or in-kind donations to support the
continuation and expansion of festival programming.
8. Feedback from festival volunteers and staff.
9. Feedback and data gathered by our annual post-festival online audience
survey.
PROJECT/PROGRAM
BUDGET
Please fill out the charts below with your project's expenses and income.
Use the "Explanation" box to offer details for each category. NOTE: The
Total Cash Expense must equal the Total Cash Income. Click here to view
a sample budget.
Project Expense
Expenses-english-rev ised.xlsx
Project Income
Income-english-rev ised.xlsx
Resumes of artists/administrators
Brown_CV2024.pdf
Docusign Envelope ID: 678936C8-E900-4A07-925F-E6D2CC7A910E
Gruffat_CV2024.pdf
Board of Directors List
Cosmic_Rays_Foundation_Board_Members.pdf
IRS Tax Exemption
IRS_Approv al_Cosmic_Rays.pdf
W ork Samples
Video Sample:
External Link 1
https://vimeo.com/700086071/7d96d20c2b?share=copy
Video Sample:
External Link 2
Video Sample:
External Link 3
Letters of support (optional)
Cosmic_Rays_Letter_of_Support.pdf
Cosmic_Rays_Supprt_letter_6.28.24.pdf
Letter_of_Support_for_Cosmic_Rays_Taalman.pdf
Docusign Envelope ID: 678936C8-E900-4A07-925F-E6D2CC7A910E