Mission: To create the spaces and resources needed to uplift the work of Black, Brown, and Indigenous artists working outside of the confines of genre.

About the organization: Founded in 2003, BlackStar Projects aims to elevate BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color) artists who are overlooked, invisibilized, or misunderstood and celebrate the wide spectrum of aesthetics, storytelling, and experiences they bring to their art. The organization prioritizes visionary work that is experimental in its aesthetics, content, and form and builds on the work of elders and ancestors to imagine a new world.

Current programs: BlackStar Projects offers year-round programs including film screenings, exhibitions, an annual film festival, a filmmaker seminar, a podcast, and Seen, a journal about visual culture. The Philadelphia Filmmaker Lab is a year-long fellowship that provides emerging and mid-career artists with filmmaking equipment, space, crew, mentorship, funding, and critical feedback; the short films the fellows create are premiered at the annual film festival. The Philadelphia Filmmaker Lab Shadow Program offers Philadelphia-based BIPOC filmmakers the opportunity to work on set as production assistants and gain professional experience. In addition, the Sponsored Projects program provides a supportive infrastructure through fiscal sponsorship to artists working at the intersection of art and social justice.

Website: Visitors to the BlackStar Projects website can learn more about the organization’s mission, vision, and values; find out about its programs and how to apply; and keep up with the latest news. They also can support the organization by becoming a member or purchasing issues of or subscribing to Seen.

Funding: BlackStar Projects is supported by individuals, foundations, public charities, and government charities.