Motion Media Arts Center is a 24-year running nonprofit arts organization, born in East Austin and serving the greater Austin area!

Our mission is to provide access to artistic and professional development, education, facilities, and exhibition opportunities, with a focus on empowering those historically underrepresented in film and media arts. Through sustainable, community-driven programs, we foster long-term, viable pathways into the creative industries, equipping artists and storytellers with the resources they need to thrive.

In addition to our flagship programs, Austin School of Film and CINEMAKER, we offer a dynamic suite of initiatives designed to champion boundary-pushing artists and filmmakers—those who defy categorization and redefine storytelling. Through these programs, we provide opportunities to learn new skills, create bold new work, and unearth fresh ideas. Our initiatives include the Artists in Motion residency program, the Future of Film Fund, the Artist Access Program, the Future Film Collective—a vibrant local talent directory connecting emerging filmmakers with creative collaborators—and the Film Forward Certificate Program, which delivers specialized training and professional development in media arts.

Beyond these, we cultivate a thriving creative ecosystem through year-round artist talks, salons, and screenings that spark meaningful dialogue and collaboration. Additionally, we are committed to inspiring and nurturing the next generation of creators through youth camps that engage over 100 kids annually, empowering them to explore, experiment, and forge their own paths in the creative industries.

Our flagship programs are:

• Austin School of Film: Operating in East Austin for over 20 years, this award-winning public community film progam offers a diverse range of classes, workshops, youth education, and learning programs in art, film, and creative technology.

• Austin Cinemaker Space: Cinemaker offers affordable access to equipment, resources, video/photo studios, and workspaces for media artists and filmmakers in the local community.

What Makes Us Unique?

✔️ Affordable Access to Studio Access: We provide a low-cost, no-cost studio membership program, ensuring that artists have the resources they need to create, without financial barriers.

✔️ Supporting Underrepresented Voices: Through programs like the Artists in Motion residency, the Future of Film Fund, and the Artist Access Program, we amplify and empower underrepresented artists and communities. These initiatives provide production, exhibition and screening opportunities that elevate and celebrate diverse perspectives.

✔️ Year-Round Education: Our community film school, the Austin School of Film, offers accessible, year-round educational programs, equipping aspiring filmmakers and media artists with the skills to succeed in the creative industry.

✔️ Artist-Led, Inclusive Space: We are an artist-controlled organization, with over 50% of our staff identifying as BIPOC or LGBTQ+, ensuring that our space is led by, and for, diverse and underrepresented communities.

✔️ Rooted in East Austin: Led by an Executive Director with deep roots in East Austin, we prioritize efforts to combat displacement and preserve the rich cultural heritage of this vibrant community, helping to ensure its creative future.

OUR HISTORY

Established in 2003, Motion Media Arts Center (MMAC) emerged from the merger of the Austin Cinemaker Co-op and the Center for Young Cinema, marking the inception of Texas’s first media arts center (you can check out some 20-year old press here and here)

In 2004, MMAC launched Austin School of Film, greatly enhancing public access to filmmaking and creative media, particularly focused on serving those with generational ties to East Austin. This community film program vastly opened the world of film through offering low or no-cost classes and workshops year-round and also making MMAC the first Texas nonprofit to offer a public Apple Certified Training facility—setting a high standard for educational excellence. At a time when filmmaking equipment and software were prohibitively expensive, this initiative made film education accessible, fostering new skills and storytelling abilities. The core ethos of the program was not only about learning but also about actively creating films, deeply engaging with the techniques and artistry that make filmmaking a potent medium for storytelling and social change. Currently, Austin School of Film sees approximately 2000 students annually, including local, regional, and international participants.

In 2015, MMAC expanded into a 20,000 square foot warehouse in East Austin, transforming it with nearly $200k in self-funding into a new media arts facility, creating a vibrant hub for the creative community. The growth continued in 2016 with the launch of the CINEMAKER Studio Access Program at this revitalized facility. This groundbreaking program introduced a low-cost studio membership model, providing unparalleled access to creative production studios and equipment, thus addressing the high costs of media arts production. The program revolutionized access for independent artists with a membership-based model, offering affordable, flexible studio space without the costly hourly rates. Currently, CINEMAKER sees over 400 productions pass through its doors each month, impacting directly roughly 15,000 people working together in film, photo, and media arts each year on new work.

Nearly a decade later, in response to the gentrification and displacement of communities in East Austin, MMAC thought out our next move. At the end of 2024, MMAC bid farewell to our East Austin facility due to unsustainable rent increases and changes in ownership. This challenge prompted a return to the drawing board, where we reevaluated our approach: What does community support look like in this ever-evolving landscape?

By January 2025, MMAC had launched three new locations around Austin to maintain accessibility and expand its reach. These include a 1,300 square foot white box studio and a 1,228 square foot black box studio at The Canopy Complex, along with new programs in South Austin at the Culture Complex and Central Austin at the Baker Center, equipped to support a diverse array of education programs and community events. Some of the newer pillars of our programs include Artists in Motion, a media arts residency program for artists who have never exhibited work publicly and Future Film Collective, a digital resource database for locals to hire local artists for ongoing productions.

Throughout its history, MMAC has fostered meaningful partnerships with with fellow arts nonprofits and creative businesses alike (think Kodak Motion Picture, GEAR, and Precision Camera) enriching Austin's cultural landscape and providing continuous mentorship for artists. MMAC remains committed to its mission of innovating and improving access to the arts, recognizing their profound societal benefits beyond monetary or aesthetic values.