★ August → December 2026 · We're fundraising!
$50K by year's end. Many ways in.
We're raising $50,000 between August and December to keep this place alive. We'll be rolling out different ways to give all campaign long. And if you don't need convincing? Become a donor right now.
Updated weekly through December 31.
★ Give once
★ Why now
$50K keeps a creative home alive in East Austin.
We're fundraising from August through December 31. Five months, one shared goal. Austin's commercial rents have skyrocketed and independent creative spaces are disappearing faster than they can be replaced.
For 23 years, we've held the line: running 100+ classes a year, paying working artists, and keeping studio access affordable for the filmmakers, photographers, and media artists who'd otherwise be priced out. This $50K covers the gap between what we earn and what it actually costs to keep the doors open.
Every gift is tax-deductible. Every dollar goes back into the work.
★ But why give?
Glad you asked.
Fundraising's the unglamorous part of running a grassroots nonprofit. It's also essential. And giving back? Good for the heart, cool in the punk way, and (let's be honest) makes you a hottie.
★ We're the source. The indie underground kids making the work that shapes what's cool, usually a few years before anyone else catches on. (We don't mind.)
★ Zine energy. More photocopier than glossy. More basement show than billboard. The poets, the artists, the changemakers, the cultural taste-makers, the experimental ones, doing it for the love.
When you give to us, you're funding where the culture actually starts: the messy, magical, behind-the-scenes part.
★ The story
Every artist remembers the room where it started. The classroom where someone handed them a camera and said it's yours for the weekend. The studio where they lit their first scene badly, then beautifully. For thousands of Austinites over 23 years, that room was ours.
More than 75,000 students. Over $2 million paid directly to working artists. Youth camps since 1999. All of it on a budget under $1M a year, which means every dollar is already working, and every dollar you add works immediately too.
Rooms like this are disappearing. In 2024 we lost our home of a decade to East Austin rent. We reopened within weeks, because artists didn't stop needing a place to work.
Your donation isn't charity. It's infrastructure. Cities stay creative because somebody keeps the lights on in the rooms where it starts.
Be the somebody.
Donate now →"Art is not economic development, but economic development happens when the arts are supported."
★ Faiza Kracheni · Founder, Cinemaker · Executive Director, MMAC
★ Don't need convincing?
Become a donor now.
Give once, right now.
Pick any amount and you're done in under a minute. Instant receipt, fully tax-deductible, and every dollar goes straight into programs. The fastest way to be part of the $50K.
Donate now → ★ Monthly supportBecome a monthly donor.
Monthly giving, which we call the Friend of Cinemaker program, is the steadiest way to keep this place running. Predictable income means we can plan further out and take creative risks. Start at any amount. Friends get studio perks too.
Become a Friend → ★ DirectReach out directly.
For larger gifts, stock donations, employer matching, in-kind giving, or just a conversation, email our Executive Director Faiza Kracheni directly. She'll get back to you personally.
Email Faiza →★ Impact at a glance
What your support has built.
★ The fine print
Questions about the campaign.
When is the campaign happening?
We're fundraising from August through December 31, 2026. Throughout the campaign we'll announce different ways to give, so keep an eye on this page and our newsletter. Monthly giving through Friends of Cinemaker is open right now, and always will be.
Where does my donation go?
Every dollar goes directly into programs: scholarships, teaching artist contracts, studio access, gear, and facility costs. We run on under $1M annually with every dollar reinvested into artist access, affordable education, and creative workforce development.
Is my donation tax-deductible?
Yes. Motion Media Arts Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. All donations are tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law. You'll receive a receipt by email immediately after donating.
Can I give monthly instead of one-time?
Yes, and it's actually the most helpful way to support us. Recurring giving through the Friends of Cinemaker program is already open. Predictable income lets us plan further out. Start at any amount.
Does my employer offer matching gifts?
Many do! Check your HR portal or company giving program. If they match nonprofit donations, your gift could double (or triple) at no extra cost to you. Email Faiza@austinfilmschool.org if you need any paperwork.
What if I can't give right now?
That's okay. Sharing this page with someone who can is just as valuable. Repost on social, forward to a friend, or tell someone who cares about Austin's creative ecosystem. Word of mouth keeps small nonprofits alive.