Applications Now Open for the 2023 Fall Cycle of Creative Careers, the Austin Film Society’s Unique Workforce Development Program

August 1, 2023, AUSTIN, TX— Today, the Austin Film Society opens applications for the 2023 fall cycle of AFS Creative Careers, its unique workforce development program targeting emerging creatives and those historically underrepresented in creative industries looking to break into the competitive film and creative media fields. Now that the 2023 spring cycle of the program has concluded, applications for the fall cycle will open Tuesday, August 1, 2023, and will remain open until August 18, 2023, at 11:59 p.m. CT.

For more information about the Creative Careers program and how applicants can apply, click here or visit AustinFilm.org/Creative-Careers.

The Creative Careers program is currently in its second year and is designed to expand access to jobs for Austin-area creatives who are looking to break into the film and television industry. By providing training, mentorship, and networking opportunities to participants, AFS is able to embed its graduates into the vibrant, creative workforce of Austin and Texas at large. The program is focused on supporting emerging professionals from backgrounds that are underrepresented in the film industry nationally, including those who identify with the LGBTQ+ community, a community of color, as a woman or as someone with a disability.

Creative Careers first launched in the fall of 2021 in partnership with the City of Austin and the GTOPs (Grant for Technology Opportunities Program) grant. The program is run through Austin Public, a state-of-the-art creative hub run by AFS for the City of Austin, and is led by AFS’s Director of Community Education Rakeda L. Ervin. “It’s so rewarding seeing participants graduate and then find jobs in the creative media industries, which can be hard to break into,” says Ervin. “We get to provide our graduates with a leg up by giving them the hands-on skills they need to start their careers and a professional network in Texas that will allow them to thrive in the workforce.” Today, Creative Careers has served over 60 participants with a graduation rate of more than 97%. 

To hear testimony from Creative Careers graduates about the impact of this program, click here or on the image below.

The Creative Careers program has three pathways that meet candidates where they’re at in their professional journeys: the AFS Internship Pathway is a six-month stipend-paid internship and training curriculum for 18-24-year-olds who want to pursue media production careers as an alternative to or in conjunction with a college degree; the Immersive Training pathway is also stipend-paid for three months followed by on-the-job opportunities to shadow professionals and work with mentors; and the Continuing Education Pathway is designed for those who already have a bit of industry experience, offering them free training beyond equipment certification to expand their skills toward career advancement. 

While specific eligibility requirements are different for each pathway, all applicants must be at least 18 years of age, interested in the fields of film and creative media and be Austin-area residents living in either Travis, Williamson, Caldwell, Hays or Bastrop counties. These qualifications help the Creative Careers program support emerging creatives locally while connecting them to professional networks in our communities, encouraging their success once they’ve completed the program.

About Creative Careers

The Creative Careers program is designed to expand access to jobs for Austin-area creatives who are looking to break into the film and television industry. The Creative Careers program has three pathways that meet candidates where they’re at in their professional journeys: the AFS Internship Pathway, a six-month stipend-paid internship and training curriculum for 18-24-year-olds; the Immersive Training pathway for those with a bit of existing media production experience (paid or unpaid), which is stipend-paid for three months followed by on-the-job opportunities; and the Continuing Education Pathway, for those with existing paid media-industry experience, offering free training beyond equipment certification. By providing training, mentorship and networking opportunities to participants, AFS is able to embed its graduates into the vibrant, creative workforce of Austin and Texas at large. The program is focused on supporting emerging professionals from backgrounds that are underrepresented in the film industry nationally, including those who identify as a member of the LGBTQ+ community, a community of color, a woman or as someone with a disability. 

About Austin Film Society

Founded in 1985 by filmmaker Richard Linklater, AFS creates life-changing opportunities for filmmakers, catalyzes Austin and Texas as a creative hub, and brings the community together around great film. AFS is committed to racial equity and inclusion, with an objective to deliver programs that actively dismantle the structural racism, sexism and other bias in the screen industries. AFS supports filmmakers from all backgrounds towards career leaps, encouraging exceptional artistic projects with grants and support services. AFS operates Austin Studios, a 20-acre production facility, to attract and grow the creative media ecosystem. Austin Public, a space for our city’s diverse mediamakers to train and collaborate, provides many points of access to filmmaking and film careers. The AFS Cinema is an ambitiously programmed repertory and first run arthouse with broad community engagement. By hosting premieres, local and international industry events, and the Texas Film Awards, AFS shines the national spotlight on Texas filmmakers while connecting Austin and Texas to the wider film community. AFS is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.  

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