Two Artists × Six Months
How are programs born? You experiment. You listen. You build.
Studios and gear, on us.
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 and an exit survey about your experience.
Just access. The studios are yours. The gear is yours. The time is yours.
The 2026 recipients.
Michael Zumaya
A filmmaker based in Austin, TX by way of Southern California. Michael is a first-gen American who grew up with traditional Mexican culture and Spanish as his first language.
View Michael's work →
Sabrina Dennis
A Latina photographer who lives and works in Austin, Texas. Originally born in Connecticut, raised in San Antonio. A self-taught photographer & artist who shoots primarily analog photos and prefers to self-develop when there's time.
View Sabrina's work →We prioritize.
Twice a year. Six months at a time.
Jan – Jul 2026
2026 recipients are in the studios right now, making whatever they're making.
October 2026
Applications for the next cycle go live. Watch this page and our Instagram.
Jan – Jul 2027
Two new artists get six months of free studio access. Same terms, same trust.
We're not the only ones asking this question.
Basic Income for the Arts
Now permanent after a successful 3-year pilot. 2,000 working artists receive €325/week — with no output requirements.
Springboard for the Arts
Gave artists $500/month for 18 months, no strings attached. A pilot that helped redefine what artist support can look like in the US.
Lower East Side Printshop
Free year-long studio access residency. A model that proves what's possible when an organization simply gets out of the way.
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.
The cultural consequences are real.
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 at 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.
Got questions?
Are there any requirements once I'm selected?
None — other than a brief survey at the end to help us assess the program. No deliverables. No documentation. No public presentation.
Show up for your own work. That's it.
What's included?
Full access to both professional studios at Canopy, all equipment including in-house lighting, high-speed fiber, professional backdrops, and the booking platform — at no cost.
How is this different from Artists in Motion?
Artists in Motion is a structured residency with mentorship, a peer cohort, and a public-facing final presentation.
Two Artists × Six Months is purely about access — no structure, no requirements. Different programs for different needs.
You can apply to both. Learn about Artists in Motion →
Get on the list.
Applications for the 2027 cycle open October 2026. Add your name below to be first to know when applications go live.