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Category: Community Outreach

Call for Submissions Headline News

Submissions Open: ASIFA-Hollywood’s 2024 Student Animation Showcase

The organization’s Animation Educator’s Forum showcases and celebrates graduates’ final projects and provides exposure to industry recruiters; the submission deadline is June 13.

Accessibility in Kids Programming Headline News

PBS Kids Shares ‘Alma’s Way’ American Sign Language-Integrated Clip

Advancing its accessibility offerings, PBS Kids launches ASL integration on popular animated series, available free on its digital streaming platforms; shows include ‘Arthur,’ ‘Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood,’ and ‘Donkey Hodie.’

Career Training Headline News

Exceptional Minds Announces Summer 2024 Workshops

The academy prepares young adults on the autism spectrum for careers in animation, visual effects and 3D gaming; summer registration deadline is April 19.

Equity in the Arts Headline News

LAIKA Pledges $60K to PCC to Promote Equity in the Arts

The award-winning animation studio’s transformative partnership with Portland Community College establishes scholarship and program funds supporting the creation of an ‘Animation & Motion Graphics’ associate degree.

Diversity in Animation Headline News

TNBFC XPO Debuts FLAMIN Animation Artist Projects

The shorts premiered at TNBFC’s XPO in London, showcasing Black creatives; applications now open through May 27 for program’s 4th round.

Teaching Kids to Care About our Planet Headline News

UNESCO Screens ‘The Refuge of Audrey’ at Biodiversity Talks

New animated series from Watch Next Media features the adventures of a 7-year-old girl and her best friends, living in a refuge for endangered species, that entertain, educate, and encourage kids to care more about our planet; now on Okoo, the series is coming to France Télévisions.

Promoting a New Generation of Animation Artists Headline News

2024 WIA Scholarship Winners Announced

17 scholarship recipients were selected from 189 worldwide applicants representing 76 schools; an additional 25 received honorable mentions.

Awards Headline News

Sony Future Filmmaker Awards Adds Animation Category

A jury of industry experts will select winners in 6 categories from over 8,400 film submissions received from more than 5,000 filmmakers across 148 countries and territories; awards to be presented May 30.

Mentoring New Voices in Animation Headline News

LFA's 2024 Parcours de Femmes Selections Revealed

The French association Les Femmes s’Animent’s Franco-African Initiative assists French-speaking women from Africa, Europe, and overseas territories with mentoring and resources to fine-tune project pitches for presentation at the 2024 Annecy Festival’s MIFA.

Global Gender Parity and Inclusion in Animation Headline News

UNESCO to Support WIA’s Stories x Women Program

By Dan Sarto | Monday, March 11, 2024 at 12:03pm

The first official collaboration between the two groups was announced in connection with International Women’s Day; the UN organization joins Disney as a supporter of the women’s creative initiative with an emphasis on projects from Africa. 

Women in VFX Headline News

VFX Industry Talk Set for International Women's Day

World VFX Day and UpliftHER are teaming up on an online event that examines women’s issues and developments within and beyond the visual effects industry; a diverse lineup of industry speakers will join the March 8 presentation on the World VFX Day YouTube channel.  

Animation Promoting Gender Equality Headline News

Room to Read Announces ‘She Creates Change’ Animated Shorts Premiere Dates

Produced In partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery, the 6-episode live-action/animated film series shares the stories of 6 young women courageously meeting unique challenges encountered living in low-income communities in Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, and Vietnam; premieres in Asia March 8.

Indie Funding Headline News

Digital Art Collective Nouns Announces New Funding Round

2nd funding round opens March 1, awarding $20,000 grants for ‘Tall Short’ film ideas; ‘Short Shorts’ submissions close February 29.

New Voices in Animation Headline News

2024 Stories x Women Applications Now Open

The FIAPF and WIA program provides mentoring and coaching from industry experts to prep women animators from emerging animation communities in Africa, Asia-Pacific, and Latin America to pitch projects at the Annecy Festival and Market; deadline to apply is March 17, 2024.

‘Inside Out’ Leads to ‘InsideU’ Headline News

Pixar and Renée Crown Wellness Institute Launch ‘InsideU’ App

Using characters, clips, and narratives from the Oscar-winning film ‘Inside Out,’ the app facilitates social and emotional learning skills for real-world dilemmas faced by elementary school-aged children; project involves famed Disney animator John Hubley’s grandson, Dr. Sam Hubley.

Connecting Employers and Talented Neurodivergent Individuals Headline News

Jorge Gutierrez to Keynote 1st ‘Autism in Entertainment Conference’

The award-winning ‘Maya and the Three’ and ‘The Book of Life’ director will speak at the April 5 event that seeks to connect industry employers and talented neurodivergent individuals; conference features panel discussions, breakout sessions and entertainment.

The Saga Continues Headline News

Exclusive: Angel Studios Teases ‘The Wingfeather Saga’ Season 2

Starring Jodi Benson, Kevin McNally, Billy Boyd, and Henry Ian Cusick, the show continues the Igiby family's epic journey, promising more secrets, adventures, and heart-stopping moments. 

Diversity in Artistic Development Headline News

Nickelodeon Announces 6 New ‘Artist Program’ Participants

New group selected for the 6-month program, now in its 13th year, which offers emerging talent from underrepresented backgrounds a chance to work on productions, participate in workshops, and learn from lead artists working across Storyboard, Visual Development, and CG Generalist tracks.

Fight Night Headline News

Disney Launches VoteDisney Website for Upcoming Board of Directors Vote

Donald Duck’s Uncle, Prof. Ludwig Von Drake, hosts an instructional video on the site urging shareholders to vote with the white Disney proxy card, rather than for Nelson Peltz’s Trian group or Blackwells Capital’s candidates.

Community Outreach Headline News

Marvel & DC Writer’s ‘Fighting to Belong!’ Graphic Novel Kicks off Learning Initiative

TAAF, LAAUNCH and The Asian American Education Project launch Volume 1 of the new book, written by Amy Chu and Alexander Chang and illustrated by Louie Chin, that’s aimed at middle school kids to make AAPI history more accessible and provide curriculum support to educators, parents, and community groups.

Multi-Platform Entertainment Headline News

Catherine Winder Launches ‘Future Chicken’

New Canadian multi-platform digital resource teaches kids about climate change without ‘Doom and Gloom;’ fun short and long-form animated videos and immersive Roblox experiences star ‘Potato the Chicken: AKA the Future Chicken!’ 

Business Headline News

Walt Disney Studios’ VFX Workers Vote to Unionize

Group includes artists working across James Cameron’s Lightstorm Entertainment productions, including the ‘Avatar’ films; the group wins IATSE representation through an NLRB election, a first for U.S. vendor-side VFX artists. 

Diversity in Animation ANIMATIONWorld

Phillip Boutté Jr. and Michael Uwandi Talk ‘Building Character: Sketch to Screen’

By Dan Sarto | Tuesday, January 30, 2024 at 3:54pm

At their January 20 Academy Museum presentation, moderated by Oscar-winning director Peter Ramsey, the 9B Collective co-founders discussed concept design, building great characters, and how they strive to support and inspire young BIPOC artists with the conceptual creativity that will fuel their imaginations for years to come.

Diversity in Animation Headline News

4th Annual AfroAnimation Summit Returns to Burbank

The conference, running April 10-12, promotes diversity and inclusion throughout the entertainment industry, welcoming a coalition of industry speakers, studio execs, students, creatives and young professionals.

mentorship programs Headline News

Dash Studio and Demo Duck Launch 2024 Motion Mentorship Program

By Dan Sarto | Friday, January 26, 2024 at 2:33pm

Applications now being accepted for 6-month, online-only program, starting next month, that will provide tutorage, advice, and connection building for young creatives in the motion design industry who identify with underrepresented communities.  

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