Shine Global to Receive Grant from the National Endowment for the Arts for Film On Juvenile Justice

Shine Global to Receive Grant from the National Endowment for the Arts for Film On Juvenile Justice

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Shine Global to Receive Grant from the National Endowment for the Arts for Film On Juvenile Justice


The National Endowment for the Arts Chairman Jane Chu has approved an Art Works grant of $20,000 to Shine Global for post-production of our current documentary directed by André Robert Lee focusing on juvenile justice and alternatives to incarceration in Richmond, VA. Produced by Susan MacLaury and Alexandra Blaney, the film follows the story of three young teens in detention who are working with artists to make art that will help train local police.

We believe this project has the potential to reach beyond the traditional documentary audiences and really engage on a critical issue facing our country with those who are in a position to affect real change in our juvenile justice system. With the support and example of the Richmond Police Department, we hope to host screenings and trainings with police departments across the country.

The NEA Art Works category supports projects that focus on the creation of art that meets the highest standards of excellence, public engagement with diverse and excellent art, lifelong learning in the arts, and/or the strengthening of communities through the arts.

“The variety and quality of these projects speaks to the wealth of creativity and diversity in our country,” said NEA Chairman Jane Chu. “Through the work of organizations such as Shine Global, NEA funding invests in local communities, helping people celebrate the arts wherever they are.”

For more information on projects included in the NEA grant announcement, visit arts.gov/news.

Shine Global is an award-winning non-profit media company that gives voice to children and their families by sharing their stories of resilience to raise awareness, promote action, and inspire change. We produce inspiring films and compelling content about at-risk children. Through tailored distribution and outreach, we connect with our audiences in communities, classrooms, museums, and on capitol hill as part of a powerful engagement campaign to encourage social change.

Shine Global Receives National Endowment for the Arts Grant to support Film Engagement Across the US

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Youth participate in an arts workshop in NYC for Shine’s film Inocente. The grant from the NEA will support more workshops like these across the country.

Through its grant-making to thousands of nonprofits each year, the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) promotes opportunities for people in communities across America to experience the arts and exercise their creativity.

In the second major grant announcement of fiscal year 2015, the NEA will make a $50,000 award to support Shine Global’s multi-faceted IGNITE program to extend the reach of Shine’s acclaimed documentaries and harness their power as a dynamic force for positive change across the US, especially in communities with limited access to traditional film distribution outlets.

NEA Chairman Jane Chu said, “The NEA is committed to advancing learning, fueling creativity, and celebrating the arts in cities and towns across the United States. Funding these new projects like the one from Shine Global represents an investment in both local communities and our nation’s creative vitality.”

“We deeply believe in the power of film to transform children’s lives” said Shine’s co-founder and executive director Susan MacLaury. “Shine has been working since our founding 10 years ago to ensure that our films have an impact.  This grant from the NEA will support us expanding these efforts and inspiring even more audiences through the power of film.”

The main elements of Shine’s IGNITE outreach and engagement program include: 1) Community film screenings and complementary workshops designed with partner organizations for youth; 2) Free, standards-based curricula designed to enable teachers to integrate film in the classroom while building their students’ critical thinking skills; and 3) A social action template that empowers viewers to advocate for change.

Shine Global aims to schedule more screenings of our films, including the Academy Award®-winning Inocente, The Harvest (La Cosecha), and 1 Way Up, beginning in September 2015.  Any communities or organizations interested in learning more about how they can bring Shine’s films to their community can contact info@shineglobal.org.

The $50,000 grant from NEA must be matched by Shine from other fundraising sources.  Please consider supporting our work by making a tax-deductible contribution today.

Shine Global Receives National Endowment for the Arts Grant

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National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Acting Chairman Joan Shigekawa announced today that Shine Global is one of the nonprofit organizations nationwide to receive an NEA Art Works grant. Shine Global is recommended for a $70,000 grant to support the post production of our documentary film Selling Our Daughters.

Produced by Shine’s Susan MacLaury and co-directed by Josie Swantek and Dave Adams of Run Riot Films, Selling Our Daughters documents the exploitation of young girls in Thailand from the perspective of the girls themselves, their parents, a trafficker, and the organization founded to help them.  Principal photography has been completed and the NEA grant will support aspects of post-production.

NEA Acting Chairman Shigekawa said, “The NEA is pleased to announce that Shine Global is recommended for an NEA Art Works grant. These NEA-supported projects will not only have a positive impact on local economies, but will also provide opportunities for people of all ages to participate in the arts, help our communities to become more vibrant, and support our nation’s artists as they contribute to our cultural landscape.”

Shine’s Executive Director Susan MacLaury said “We are thrilled to be recommended for this prestigious grant to support our work making documentary films aimed at ending the exploitation and abuse of children worldwide through the production of films and other media that raise awareness, promote action and inspire change.”  Shine Global’s films include the 2013 Academy Award®-winning short documentary Inocente, The Harvest (La Cosecha) with Executive Producer Eva Longoria about child labor in the US, and the Academy Award®-nominated and Emmy Award®-winning War/Dance.

Shine Global deeply believes that social issue filmmaking inspires positive change for numerous societal challenges. For each film, Shine creates a tailored outreach and engagement campaign, develops and distributes free downloadable curriculum for teachers that expands the films’ educational impact, and screens its films for policy makers and influencers in support of policy change. Shine believes that the value of the arts to education and social change is intrinsic and exponential over time. Students learning in this way are engaged socially, emotionally, and intellectually, and develop into socially minded leaders of society.

Art Works grants support the creation of art that meets the highest standards of excellence, public engagement with diverse and excellent art, lifelong learning in the arts, and enhancement of the livability of communities through the arts.  The NEA received 1,515 eligible applications under the Art Works category and recommended grants totaling $25.8 million.

To support Shine Global’s work, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution today.