Graton Artist Opportunity Grant

Graton Artist Opportunity Grant

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: Sundance Institute
Last Updated: February 14, 2026

Summary

Overview

Our Mission The Sundance Institute is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the discovery and development of independent artists and audiences. Through its programs, the Institute seeks to discover, support, and inspire independent film and media artists from the United States and around the world, and to introduce audiences to their new work. Graton Artist Opportunity The Sundance Institute | Graton Artist Opportunity serves to cultivate a stage for artists from federally and non-federally recognized California Indian tribes to tell their stories through film. Artists will receive access to curated courses from the Sundance Collab platform, which provides a virtual destination for emerging artists to learn craft and career strategies and to build community through courses, workshops, advisor sessions, extensive resources, and virtual community gatherings. Why is this opportunity available only to artists with tribal affiliations in California? The Graton Artist Opportunity is made possible as part of a $4 million endowment from the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria to facilitate support for Indigenous Californians. California is one of the most tribally diverse states in the nation. While many films are made on their ancestral lands, the California Native perspective is underrepresented on and behind the screen. This opportunity aims to identify and cultivate California Native filmmakers to share their stories. What benefits do I receive as part of this opportunity? With the support of Sundance Institute and the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria, Graton artists will receive support to curate a Sundance Collab program to help advance their project or deepen their professional goals. In addition to the individual support, the Graton artist will receive yearlong access to Sundance Collab. Do I need a project to apply? No, you do not need a project to apply. This opportunity can support you at any stage in your career or project development.

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. Indigenous artists who are from a California-based tribe.Must provide proof of California-based tribal membership and/or agree to work with a Graton Tribal Representative to gather and submit paperwork to verify descendancy.