TWIN CITIES MEDIA ALLIANCE

MEDIA ARTS PROJECTS: OUR SPACE IS SPOKEN FOR Our Space Is Spoken For is a multidisciplinary public art storytelling project pairing BIPOC artists into teams of two with a St. Paul BIPOC resident to create performance-based public art rooted in residents' stories. The performance and process are captured by film and publicly screened as a documentary. In 2022, TCMA completed part two of the 2021-2022 Our Space program-developing and publicly screening the Our Space film documentary. Hosted at Metropolitan State University in St. Paul, the film featured Marlina Gonzalez (Filipina, literary, theater, and media artist) and David Bullard aka Orko Eloheim (Black/African American man, sound and visual artist) with community member Davida Kilgore; Atim Opoka (Black/Ugandan American woman, sound artist) and Johanna Keller Flores (Latinx, Peruvian American, theater artist) with community member Reies Romero; Kalinda Melvin (South Asian American woman, puppeteer) and Essence Jamila Batts (Black/African American woman, dancer/choreographer) with community member Houa Moua; Akiem Scott (Black/African American man, sound artist) and Joshua Gillespie (Black/African American man, visual, spoken word and movement artist) with community member Princess Haley. The film screening event received overwhelmingly positive reviews, with attendees describing it as committed, powerful, Creative, and decadent. People appreciated the welcoming atmosphere, the focus on BIPOC communities, and the impact on Saint Paul's BIPOC community. Capturing these sentiments, one attendee remarked that it's a must-see film that honors Black and Brown people in a way that most films don't. Nonetheless, even with a virtual attendance option, the combined in-person and virtual attendance was lower than in 2018. This is likely due to people still getting reacclimated to public gatherings amidst ongoing COVID-19 concerns, the waning of virtual attendance (i.e., Zoom fatigue), and timing issues. The film itself was highly praised for its visual appeal, strong narrative, and humor, which provided a refreshing perspective on the events of 2020, avoiding excessive trauma and pain. Attendees resonated with the stories of Davida and Princess Haley and appreciated the context provided for the performances, deepening their connections to the storytellers. Feedback suggested a need to build stronger relationships with Saint Paul's Indigenous community and provide more clarity about the film's subjects and context. The panel discussion was also well-received, offering insight into the artists' processes and experiences during and after the fellowship. Attendees appreciated the thoughtful questions from moderators Tish Jones and Dameun Strange. Some expressed a desire for community storytellers to be involved in the panel, depending on their willingness and depth of involvement. Overall, the event was a success, with attendees lauding the film and panel discussion while providing constructive feedback for future iterations, such as better representation and sound system testing.

MEDIA ARTS TRAININGS AND SERVICES: PROLOG PROLOG is a dedicated space serving TCMA's community of practicing BIPOC media artists. Previously, TCMA offered media arts training in film, photography, narrative journalism, and audio storytelling for emerging media storytellers. Like others, the pandemic served as an opportunity to review and reimagine our programs. In 2022, part of that included bringing together a group of BIPOC media artists to capture insights about their pain points, needs, and visions for how TCMA and the larger Twin Cities could help them advance through all stages of their careers. Through these conversations and subsequent gatherings, we are able to more clearly define and shape what role TCMA could play in shaping the Twin Cities film community and go beyond a seat at the table; and to build a hub for BIPOC filmmakers to be able to deepen their craft, explore their stories, and to revel in their artistry.