Artist Programs

Artist Access Program

Six months embedded inside a working creative organization with studio access at CINEMAKER, real job training, and $2,000 toward an education fund with Austin School of Film.

This is what creative workforce development looks like when the org doing it is made of artists.

→ Applications: Jul 1 – Aug 15, 2026

→ Program: Oct 2026 – Mar 2027

→ Commitment: 10 hrs/week · 6 months

$60,000

education funds allocated annually

$10,000

studio access fund allocated annually

$150,000

invested to date

““The Artist Access Program is rooted in a deep commitment to truly supporting emerging and independent artists working within the intersection of arts and technology. It removes real cost barriers by providing the tools, resources, and opportunities artists need to learn and refine their craft. Through this program, artists can expand their creative practice, connect with the local community, and build work that makes a lasting impact.””
— Faiza Kracheni, Executive Director

10%

acceptance rate

6 month

program length

10 hours

per week

200+

applicants to date

What it is

The program

Selected artists work up to 10 hours a week inside the organization, getting their hands on the real work: studio coordination, community events, classes, and the programs that keep independent creative culture alive in Austin. You bring your strengths, dig into what excites you, and build real skills alongside the people running one of Austin's longest-standing creative organizations. You walk away with a full year of Cinemaker studio membership, $2,000 toward your education, and a creative community that lasts long after the program ends.

Who it's for

You might be a fit if

You're an Austin-based photographer, filmmaker, or media artist looking for a real entry point with reliability, curiosity, and genuine enthusiasm for the work.

No specific background required. We prioritize underrepresented artists, first-generation artists, and those without existing industry networks.

2026 ARTIST ACCESS PARTICIPANTS

  • Alisya Mora

  • Chantel Lesley

  • Cler Henley

  • Collin Eason

  • Emily Audry

  • Fernanda Udave

  • Isabella Slate

  • Lilly Wylde

  • Mahnoor Hafeez

  • Merith Schrodinger

  • Minnie Jackson

  • Raquel Medina

  • Rosa Galarza

  • Sharon Ibarra

  • Sheridan Rogers

  • Sofia Fernandez

  • Summayya Wagenseil

  • T.J. Masters

  • Victoria Sueiro

Frequently Asked Questions

  • No. You contribute time and space to learn & we invest directly back into your creative career with $2,000 in education funding and a full year of professional studio access.

    That's a fundamentally different thing.

  • Studio operations, event coordination, class support, arts administration, customer service, and technical workflows — all inside a working nonprofit film and media arts organization.

    Don’t worry, we train you!

  • No. Skills can be taught. Enthusiasm and follow-through are what matter to us.

  • The traditional workforce training model was not built for artists. It was built around output, capital, and credentials, none of which capture what actually makes an artist’s career sustainable.

    We built the Artist Access Program to center what those models leave out: real access to professional tools, hands-on experience inside a working creative ecosystem, and the kind of community that doesn't disappear when the program ends.

    We prioritize emerging artists who face the most barriers because diverse voices and perspectives don't just enrich Austin's creative ecosystem, they are Austin's creative ecosystem.

  • Not by capital generated. Period.

    Success here looks like a participant who figured out what they're good at, made work they're proud of, and left with a network of real people who can lead to more chances to connect and work.

    Media arts skills travel, they show up in marketing, journalism, education, live events, social media, and beyond. Everyone has to start somewhere. This program is designed to meet people exactly where they are.

    Art is not economic development.
    But economic development happens     when the arts are supported.

  • When your six months are up, you have the option to renew for another six months and about half of our participants do.

    After that, the program does end but the community doesn't. Past participants go on our talent roster for paid work at the organization such as creative contracts and teaching assistants plus referrals for outside creative work with our partners.

    Once you're part of this community, you're part of it. That's the point.