Overview
Request-for-Proposals: Performing Artists and Arts Organizations
The City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA) Performing Arts Division (PERF) is proud to announce commissions in the disciplines of dance, music, theater, film/ media, and the visual arts through its Leimert Park Cultural Hub (LPCH).
Leimert Park Cultural Hub’s mission is to assist festival producers and local artists with funding for projects intended to help provide human and financial resources, as well as a supportive framework for local artists to create art in the disciplines of dance, music, theater and film. In addition, its mission is to enhance public spaces ensuring ongoing cultural vitality and creativity that delivers artistic benefit to the community. Leimert Park Festival support is meant to help advance, expand and incentivize the number of performing artists featured in culturally-specific festivals, community celebrations, gatherings, artistic and activations.
DCA’s Performing Arts Division serves as the heart of the City’s support of live dance, music, theater, film/digital media art forms and culture. At the core of its mission, PERF produces world-class local programming, as catalysts for economic development, community engagement, and civic education and pride. PERF uses an independent, peer-review panel and process to select artists that create and present programming across the City of Los Angeles.
Please find Request-for-Proposals (RFP) details below. Deadlines subject to change.
Request-for-Proposals: Film/ Media Artists
The Department of Cultural Affairs seeks to commission seven (7) filmmakers to create seven short films, each representing one of the Seven Principles or the Nguzo Saba, around which the international holiday is organized and celebrated. Films five (5) minutes total running time (TRT) or less, will premier during the week of Kwanzaa, December 26 – January 1, 2025, in honor of the 60th anniversary of the Nguzo Saba.
The commission includes three (3) research and mentoring sessions: one during pre-production, one during production, and one during post-production. The 60-minute mentoring sessions will be conducted by the holiday’s creator, Dr. Maulana Karenga, and author of Kwanzaa: A Celebration of Family, Community and Culture. *
About Kwanzaa
“Kwanzaa is an African American holiday celebrated from 26 December to 1 January. It is based on the agricultural celebrations of Africa called “the first-fruits” celebrations which were times for harvest, ingathering, reverence, commemoration, recommitment, and celebration. Therefore, Kwanzaa is a time for ingathering of African Americans for celebration of their heritage and their achievements, reverence for the Creator and creation, commemoration of the past, recommitment to cultural ideals and celebration of the good.” *
About the Nguzo Saba
“Kwanzaa was created to introduce and reinforce seven basic values of African culture which contribute to building and reinforcing community among African American people as well as Africans throughout the world African community. These values are called the Nguzo Saba (in-goo’-zo sah’-bah), which in the Pan-African language of Swahili means the Seven Principles. These principles stand at the heart of the origin and meaning of Kwanzaa, for it is these values which are not only the building blocks for community, but serve as its social glue.
The Nguzo Saba, first in Swahili and then in English are:
- Umoja (Unity)
To strive for and maintain unity in the family, community, nation and race.
- Kujichagulia (Self-Determination)
To define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves and speak for ourselves.
- Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility)
To build and maintain our community together and make our brother’s and sister’s problems our problems and to solve them together.
- Ujamaa (Cooperative economics)
To build and maintain our own stores, shops and other businesses and to profit from them together.
- Nia (Purpose)
To make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to restore our people to their original greatness.
- Kuumba (Creativity)
To always do as much as we can, in the way that we can, in order to leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than when we inherited it.
- Imani (Faith)
To believe with all our heart in our people, our teachers, our leaders and the righteousness and victory of our struggle.” *
About Dr. Maulana Karenga
Dr. Karenga is the Executive Director of the African American Cultural Center (Us), Co-chair of the Black Community, Clergy and Labor Alliance, and Professor and Chair of the Department of Africana Studies Department, California State University Long Beach.
For more information, please visit: https://officialkwanzaawebsite.org/ and https://maulanakarenga.org/
Award: $7,000.00 per film
Project Timeline:
June 23, 2025 – Application Deadline
June 24, 2025 – Peer-Panel Review Begins
July 3, 2025 – Commission winner(s) announced
July 5, 2025 – Pre-Production begins; Research Session
August 4, 2025 – Production begins; Mentoring Session
November 26, 2025 – Post-production begins; Mentoring Session
December 26 to January 1, 2026 – 59th Culmination Screenings during the week of Kwanzaa
APPLICATION GUIDELINES
FUNDING AND PAYMENT CONDITIONS
The City of Los Angeles does not front-fund projects. The commission will be paid in full after the conclusion of the project, and when all contractual requirements have been met. Please note that this may take up to six (6) to nine (9) months to complete.
Applicants receiving 2025/ 2026 grants from DCA’s Grants Division are not eligible for commissions.
The individual or organization receiving the commission payment must submit a copy of their Business Tax Registration Certificate (BTRC). For more information visit https://finance.lacity.gov/tax-education/new-business-registration/how-register-btrc.
Please forward questions to dca-perfom@lacity.org or call 213.202.5551.
SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
Submission requirements and scoring below. To be considered, interested artists and/or arts organizations must submit following by the application deadline stated on the call:
Cover Letter (10 points)
Includes an introduction, artist statement, the specific call for which you are applying and why.
Proposal (10 points)
A paragraph describing the proposed work/ festival and use of the commission funds outlined in a budget. Visual artists, please submit your proposed design(s).
A Short Bio (10 points)
A brief biography detailing the applicant’s background, accomplishments and artistic statement.
Resume (10 points)
A comprehensive resume outlining your experience relative to the call.
Work Sample(s) (10 points)
Links to video/film samples (up to five minutes) showcasing the applicant’s work relative to the call for which you are applying. (Black Arts @ WAA, please submit a full-length archival video.)
Social Media and Press (10 points)
Provide any documents, links to social media, reviews, press coverage, or testimonials of previous projects.
BTRC (Business Tax Registration Certificate) (10 points)
The artist or organization receiving the commission payment must submit a copy of their BTRC.
The highest total score that can be reached by peer-panel review is 70 points.
Please forward your packet of materials to dca-perform@lacity.org with the heading (Your Last Name) RFP: (Name of Call), in the subject line by 11:59 p.m. on the deadline indicated.