The mission of the Shawna Foundation is to equitably promote and support students through scholarship and showcase artists in filmmaking, performance arts, poetry and other creative endeavors with a focus on underrepresented communities.

 



It has evolved and changed a little since the inception as a scholarship fund. But even then we differentiated ourselves from other scholarship funds by seeking out average students, not the best, not the top students who often get the brass ring. We believe everyone deserves a chance or a break.

 



Similarly we look for the same in the arts. Not that we are looking for average work, but more that we are looking for the type of art other institutions may ignore.

For instance our philosophy for films we want to screen at the Shawna Shea Film Festival is best explained in the 2005 version of Amos Vogel's book "Film as a Subversive Art."


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In it he explains the importance of independent cinema and festivals, "not those fake 'independent' films whose makers only aspire to become the next Hollywood stars, but those true iconoclasts and independent features, avant-garde or documentary filmmakers—who even under today's bleak circumstances audaciously continue to 'transgress' (i.e. subvert) narrative modes, themes, structures, and the visual/aural conventions of mainstream cinema."


Our goal is to give as much exposure to these kinds of films or artwork that pushes those artistic boundaries.

 

We hope to introduce our Patreon supporters to this kind of work. In film, art, poetry and more. We will have exclusive screenings to movies, essays and poems and digital art. We will expand our UnderGround Wednesday exploration of cult cinema to have Patreon episodes. Patreon supporters will have access to interviews with artists before we publish it on our Creating Dangerously podcast.

 

In essence, all of our live program events will now have a Patreon component for subscribers. From our Library Poetry Tour to our Pop-Up Art Exhibits to UnderGround Wednesday screenings to the Shawna Shea and Mass Indie Film Festivals. You no longer have to live in Central Massachusetts to participate.

For a $10.00 monthly fee you will have access to this and more. And help us to continue to do our work in honoring Shawna. Thank you!