Become A Southern Circuit Screening Partner

How to Become a Screening Partner

Bring independent filmmakers to your community for screenings and conversations around powerful stories and the art of filmmaking. Screening Partners are organizations that host touring filmmakers and facilitate community connection, presenting screenings with Q&As and other engagements such as class visits, meet-and-greets, and workshops. Screening Partners work together to select films of interest to their communities in geographically determined "Circuits." Each Circuit's selections are made individually, with touring filmmakers potentially traveling multiple Circuits. Screening Partners develop screening audiences and foster community engagement through marketing, partnerships, and inclusion of community thought leaders.

South Arts coordinates touring schedules, connects filmmakers with Screening Partners, and provides marketing materials for each film. Filmmakers receive honorarium with the support of the National Endowment for the Arts. 

Screening Partners must be nonprofit, educational, or governmental organizations residing in the South Arts region (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee). Southern Circuit Screening Partner organizations include universities, community arts centers, municipalities, historic cinemas, places of worship, and more, serving diverse audiences of all ages. They each host touring filmmakers and facilitate community connection, presenting screenings with Q&As and other engagements such as class visits, meet-and-greets, and workshops. Screening Partners work together to select films of interest to their communities in geographically determined "Circuits." Each Circuit's selections are made individually, with touring filmmakers traveling up to all five Circuits.

Southern Circuit is invested in partnering with Historically Black Colleges and Universities in the South Arts region. To discuss potential partnerships, please contact Jordan Young at jyoung@southarts.org or (404) 874-7244, Ext. 824.

What films are presented?

Southern Circuit prioritizes featuring Southern filmmakers and stories. We are committed to presenting films by filmmakers of color, LGBTQ+ filmmakers, and filmmakers with disabilities. Selected filmmakers represent a broad range of career experience including well established, emerging, and first-time filmmakers. Filmmakers must exhibit an ethical relationship with the topics, individuals, and communities featured in their work. 

Dates and Deadlines:

• Screening Partner applications must be submitted on or before April 25, 2023.
• Applicants will be notified of their status, Screening Partners will be provided films for consideration upon receipt of signed contract May 2, 2023.
• Screening Partners will attend a virtual film selection meeting June 8, 2023.
• Film screenings (6 total) will occur monthly September - November, 2023 and February - April, 2024.

Screening Partner Requirements

Non-profit, educational, and governmental organizations (i.e. Screening Partners) that host the 2023-2024 Southern Circuit Tour of Independent Filmmakers are required to:

• Provide South Arts a participation fee of $5,000. Participation fees are invoiced in Spring 2023 and must be paid by August 31, 2023. If the participation fee is a barrier to your organization’s participation, please contact Jordan Young at (404) 874-7244, Ext. 824 or jyoung@southarts.org
• Return signed contract to South Arts by May 16, 2023.
• New Screening Partners must participate in an introductory Southern Circuit webinar to review program expectations and requirements. The webinar will be presented June 2023.
• At least one representative from your organization will be required to participate in the online Southern Circuit Film Selection Meeting, June 8, 2023. During the meeting, representatives will select films and filmmakers that will tour with the 2023-2024 Southern Circuit.
• Present in-person screenings and audience Q&As with visiting filmmakers.
• Provide advance promotion within your community for each screening, including but not limited to print, electronic, and social media.
• Participate in a Southern Circuit marketing & audience development webinar to discuss marketing/communications strategies for the season’s films and how to effectively manage filmmaker relationships. The webinar will be presented in Summer 2023.
• Provide a qualified projectionist and functional projection and audio equipment. Blu-ray or DCP are preferred formats.
• Make recommendations for safe, clean, economical overnight accommodations for each filmmaker. Organizations may make reservations on behalf of filmmakers. Filmmakers are responsible for payment of accommodations based on applicable per diem.

South Arts Responsibilities

• Solicit films and coordinate preliminary review of submitted films.
• Coordinate the selection process for filmmakers and films to tour with the 2023-2024 Southern Circuit.
• Contract filmmakers to screen work and participate in post-screening discussions and community engagements.
• Provide Screening Partners with marketing materials for each film.
• Provide informational webinars to Screening Partners.
• Provide filmmaker travel itineraries.
• Provide filmmaker travel stipends for travel, lodging, and meals.
• Provide ongoing support to filmmakers and Screening Partners.
• South Arts recognizes the value of filmmakers’ participation by providing artists honoraria with the support of the National Endowment for the Arts.

Screening Partner Eligibility

• Non-profit, educational, or governmental organizations within South Arts’ nine-state region: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. 
• Non-profit tax-exempt status or an official unit of local, county or state government. Tax-exempt status will be verified by a third-party entity. Proof of governmental status is required. Fiscal agents will not be considered.
• Applicants must have a DUNS number. Applications will not be accepted from organizations that do not have a DUNS number. Visit the Dun & Bradstreet website for additional information about DUNS numbers as well as instructions on how to receive one.
• Projects must take place in South Arts’ nine-state region.
• Applicants must acknowledge the support of South Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts in all marketing activities and contact with traditional (print, radio, TV) and social media.
• Complete and submit a final report to South Arts at the conclusion of the tour.
• Invited Screening Partners must comply with eligibility requirements. Failure to do so will result in disqualification of future project participation and grant funds from South Arts.

General Guidelines

• Screenings must take place between September 2023 and April 2024.
• Events must be marketed to and include the public. Projects are not required to serve the entire geographic community but should make diverse audiences a goal.
• Applicants are required to provide reasonable accommodations for constituents with disabilities during events, and to include physical access (ramps, accessible parking/box office/restrooms/seating, etc.). Communications and programmatic accessibility are required and can also help your organization build audiences and strengthen engagement. Please visit the NEA's website for more information. Applicants must commit to the Endowment’s Assurance of Compliance.
• An electronic final report must be submitted at the conclusion of the Southern Circuit season by May 31, 2024 to South Arts.