2009 Distribution Grant for New York State Artists recipients announced

The Distribution Grant for New York State Artists is available from free103point9 through a regrant from New York State Council on the Arts' Electronic Media and Film Program. Grant awards assist artists in making film, video, sound, new-media, and media-installation works available to public audiences. New to the Distribution Grant this year, successful grantees are also awarded the opportunity to work with a project mentor. Twelve projects were selected from a total of 105 proposals by a peer panel review process.

2009 Grantees:

Melis Birder, The Visitors

Melis Birder’s documentary video “The Visitors” chronicles the experience of families of the incarcerated as they travel by bus from NYC to upstate New York every weekend to visit prisoners. The Distribution Grant award will be used to organize and moderate special interest screenings of the film for this and similar communities.

Jim Finn, The Juche Idea

Jim Finn’s experimental narrative film “The Juche Idea” examines the relationship between communism and filmmaking with humor and irony. The Distribution Grant award will aid in the production of promotional materials, DVDs, and an HD screening copy of the film.

David Galbraith, lgOpre

David Galbraith’s sound and digital animation installation “lgOpre” uses algorithms to control abstract visual patterns and vinyl record samples. The Distribution Grant award will be used to produce a new edition of the work, a high-quality documentation of the installation, and a press kit to aid in further exhibitions.

Tamara Gubernat, Rezoning Harlem

Tamara Gubernat’s documentary “Rezoning Harlem” follows residents of Harlem as they attempt to prevent real estate investors from displacing vital places and people in the community. The Distribution Grant award will be used toward website development, community screenings, and educational outreach to promote the activist message of the film.

Japanther, Japanther in (3-D)

Japanther’s book and DVD project “Japanther in (3-D)” documents the noise band’s interactive rock opera, a PERFORMA 07 Commission, which creates a multi-sensory experience designed to initiate social and political change. The Distribution Grant award will be used to design and produce materials for the book and accompanying DVD as a record of the event.

Sawako Kato, Nijika

Sawako Kato's video, sound, and light installation "Nijika" creates an immersive environment that combines urban and natural phenomena to create a contemplative space. The Distribution Grant award will support a Booklet and DVD documenting the installation.

LoVid, Wirefull Interventions

LoVid’s audio/video installation and participatory performance “Wirefull Interventions” explores the relationships between biological, environmental, and electric signals with artist-designed synthesizers. The Distribution Grant award will aid in the production of a distribution document containing schematics relevant to the piece and in the creation of an exhibition version of the installation.

Erik Moskowitz and Amanda Trager, Cloud Cuckoo Land

Erik Moskowitz and Amanda Trager’s video installation “Cloud Cuckoo Land” portrays a family’s problematic move to a contemporary commune. The Distribution Grant award will be used to produce promotional materials and a catalog that includes a preview DVD covering the project in various incarnations to help secure future exhibitions of the piece.

Yoruba Richen, Promised Land

Yoruba Richen’s documentary video “Promised Land” explores land reform and the rebuilding of post-apartheid South Africa. The Distribution Grant award will aid in the development of a related website, and to create educational and outreach materials for a screening and forum to be held at the Iziko SA Museum in Cape Town.

Todd Rohal, The Guatemalan Handshake

Todd Rohal’s feature narrative film “The Guatemalan Handshake” follows the surreal series of events resulting from the disappearance of demolition derby driver Donald Turnipseed (portrayed by Will Oldham). The Distribution Grant award will be used toward the film’s website and to produce and distribute DVDs of the film.

Amie Siegel, DDR/DDR

Amie Siegel's film "DDR/DDR" is a portrait of East Germany as a contested site of memory, history and identity. The Distribution Grant award will aid in the distribution of the film, including the creation of DVDs and promotional materials

Landon Van Soest, Good Fortune

Landon Van Soest’s documentary “Good Fortune” explores the impact of foreign aid in developing countries via intimate portraits of three individuals in Kenya. The Distribution Grant award will aid in the development of a website to provide users information about the film, similar cases, and ways to get involved.


2009 Review Panelists:

Kathleen Forde (Curator, Time Based Arts at EMPAC)
Mark Elijah Rosenberg (Founder and Artistic Director of Rooftop Films)
Shannon Sindelar (Managing and Programming Director Ontological Theater, member of 31 Down Radio Theater)
Helen Thorington (Co-director Turbulence, a project of New Radio and Performing Arts, Inc. aka Ether-Ore)


Special thanks and acknowledgement are expressed to Penny Duff for her work as Distribution Grant Assistant throughout the 2009 application period.


More Information Contact:
Galen Joseph-Hunter
Executive Director
free103point9
gjh@free103point9.org