Omaha, NE—Film Streams is pleased to announce it has been approved by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) fora Grants for Arts Projects award of $30,000. In total, the NEA will award 1,135 Grants for Arts Projects awards totaling more than $37 million as part of its second round of fiscal year 2024 grants.
"This funding will empower our organization to expand and support programs that are key to our mission, including our monthly Community Collaborations, Reel Talk, and Special Screenings,” said Film Streams’ Executive Director, Maggie Wood.
As part of the Community Collaborations initiative, Film Streams partners with various nonprofits and community groups on film-based events that speak to both organizations’ missions as part of their Community Collaborations programming. Moderated panel discussions, including local experts, are presented as part of the program. In 2023, Film Streams partnered with seven organizations and welcomed over 700 audience members to the screenings.
Since January 2024, Film Streams has collaborated with esteemed local organizations such as the Durham Museum, Nebraska Folklife, City Sprouts, the Omaha Community Playhouse, Nebraska Public Media, and Heartland Bike Share. The organization has also announced upcoming screenings of the 2019 Canadian documentary There’s Something in the Water alongside Urban Abbey
on May 28 and the 1992 drama The Living End in collaboration with the Nebraska AIDS Project on June 4. Both films will screen at 6 pm at the Ruth Sokolof Theater.
Reel Talk serves as a film club where patrons are joined by Film Streams’ Director of Programming, Taylor Eagan, or Programming Manager, Elijah Hoefner, to engage in moderated conversations about both new releases and repertory films. Past Reel Talk discussions have centered on the movies Oppenheimer, Cassandro, The Thing, Asteroid City, Rear Window, and more.
“Movies have the power to express complex emotions, convey historical, cultural, and societal moments, encourage creative thinking, and teach empathy,” said Taylor Eagan. “In Reel Talk discussions, the audience can ask questions, share opinions, and learn from each other. These conversations help build a community with a healthy sense of belonging, can build communication skills, and can introduce people to others with a shared passion of film-loving.” Film Streams and OmahaForUs
will co-host a Reel Talk post-screening on June 13 at the Ruth Sokolof Theater centered on the Pride Week Series film Rafiki.
“Projects like the special programming and initiatives presented by Film Streams exemplify the creativity and care with which communities are telling their stories, creating connection, and responding to challenges and opportunities in their communities—all through the arts,” said NEA Chair Maria Rosario Jackson, PhD. “So many aspects of our communities, such as cultural vitality, health and wellbeing, infrastructure, and the economy, are advanced and improved through investments in art and design, and the National Endowment for the Arts is committed to ensuring people across the country benefit.”
For more information on other projects included in the NEA’s grant announcement, visit arts.gov/news.
About Film Streams: Film Streams is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to enhancing the cultural environment of the Omaha-Council Bluffs area through the presentation and discussion of film as an art form. The organization oversees two cinemas: the Ruth Sokolof Theater in North Downtown Omaha and the historic Dundee Theater. The organization hosts a variety of programs within five principal areas: new releases, classics, community collaborations, education, and special programs. For more information, visit www.FilmStreams.org.
For Media Inquiries: Marie Schuett, Director of Marketing (402) 933-0259 x 123 | Marie@FilmStreams.org
