Two Artists
× Six Months

Artist Programs

How are programs born? You experiment. You listen. You build.

Our newest experiment:

Free studio access. No deliverables.

②
ARTISTS

⑥
MONTHS

②
PER YEAR

Jan – Jul 2026

2026 Recipients

Michael Zumaya

Michael Zumaya is a filmmaker based in Austin, TX by way of Southern California. He’s a first-gen American who grew up with traditional Mexican culture and Spanish as his first language.

You can view his work here.

Sabrina Dennis

Sabrina Dennis is a Latina photographer who lives and works in Austin, Texas. Originally born in Connecticut, Sabrina spent most of her life and was raised in San Antonio. As a self-taught photographer & artist, she shoots primarily analog photos and prefers to self develop when she has the time.

You can view her work here.

What it is

The idea

Twice a year, we select two Austin-based media artists and give them completely free Cinemaker access for six months.

No membership fee. No deliverables. No strings. No expectation beyond showing up for your own work & an exit survey about your experience.

Studios and gear on us.

Who it's for

We prioritize

  • First-generation artists

  • BIPOC artists

  • LGBTQ+ artists

  • No institutional support

  • No academic credentials

  • Active creative practice

  • Low income

Applications for the 2027 cycle open October 2026

  • Current cycle — 2026 recipients in studio now

  • October 2026— Applications open

  • Next cycle — Jan – Jul 2027

We're not the only ones asking this question

The bigger picture

Ireland's Basic Income for the Arts — now permanent after a successful three-year pilot — gives 2,000 working artists €325 a week with no output requirements. In Minnesota, Springboard for the Arts gave artists $500/month for 18 months, no strings attached. The Lower East Side Printshop offers a free year-long studio access residency. The common thread: when you trust artists with real resources and remove the conditions, the work happens.

Two Artists × Six Months is our version of that same bet, scaled to what we can actually offer, rooted in Austin, built on 20+ years of watching what happens when you get out of an artist's way.

FAQs

Are there any requirements once I'm selected?

1

None other than a survey to assess the program. There are deliverables, no documentation, no public presentation. Show up for your own work. That's it.

What's included?

2

Full access to both professional studios at Canopy, all equipment including all in-house lighting, high-speed fiber, professional backdrops, and the booking platform — at no cost.

How is this different from Artists in Motion?

3

Artists in Motion is a structured residency with mentorship, a peer cohort, and a public-facing final presentation. This is purely about access — no structure, no requirements. Different programs for different needs. You can apply to both.

Why do we do this?

4

Financial barriers to film and media arts disproportionately exclude the artists whose perspectives the industry needs most and the cultural consequences are real.

By providing two local media artists with fully subsidized studio access with no cost, no deliverables, no conditions, we are directly investing in the creative sustainability of artists who have historically been excluded from the resources that make long-term practice possible. When financial barriers are removed entirely, artists make their most necessary work. Work that reflects, challenges, and enriches the communities they come from.

That is the cultural infrastructure we are committed to building in Austin, for Austin.