Creative Collaborations

Curate your film series with Creative Collaborations

The Creative Collaborations program enables groups at IU and in our community to highlight important topics and ideas through film screenings and film-related educational programs.

The mission of our Creative Collaborations program is to:
Foster diverse programming partnerships that help bridge campus and community.
Highlight critical issues and themes through film-related and educational programs curated in collaboration with IU Cinema and subject-matter experts.
Engage new and returning audiences in the transformative power of participatory art as social practice.

Since January 2011, we have partnered with more than 300 campus and community collaborators on more than 1,400 film-related events, and the partnerships keep growing. We’re excited to see what we can create together!

Not only did the partnered film series reach students in new ways, it reached faculty in new ways and produced a concrete academic publication that captured just what Indiana University can contribute to the betterment of the world.
Timothy Fort, Kelley School of Business

Program Overview

Creative Collaborations is a competitive application process; any IU Bloomington unit, student group, Greater-Bloomington community groups or non-profit organization is welcome to apply.

Applications open once a year at fall break and are accepted on a rolling basis until Thanksgiving Break. All applications are reviewed by the Program Advisory Board; approved programs run the in fiscal year following their approval.*

IU Cinema provides all approved Creative Collaborations partners with the below services, valued at $1,000.00 per program instance.

Film Material: Research and procurement of screening rights and materials from the appropriate film distributors and/or archives

Funding: covering the costs of venue usage and staffing for all programs, including projectionist, house managers, ticketing clerks, and ushers

Marketing/Communications: full marketing support, including the design of materials to promote your program(s) and recognition of the partnership in all IU Cinema print and online marketing materials

Event Details: Ticketing service, with the ability to offer blocks of tickets to partners upon request; assistance with additional event components (speakers, Q&A, panels, etc.)

*If you are interested in partnering with the Cinema on a program that runs earlier than the next Creative Collaborations cycle, please see the alternate options, including rental of IU Cinema, on our Partnerships page.

Jason Silverman, Samba Gadjigo, and Eileen Julien; Kogonada; Nathaniel Dorsky, Russell Sheaffer, and Jerome Hiler

Information Sessions

See below for more info on upcoming info sessions!

Sept. 30, 5:30pm – Creative Collaborations Meet & Mix, The Vault, Indiana Memorial Union
Nov. 4, 2pm – Creative Collaborations Q&A and Prep Session, Zoom (registration required)
Creative Collaborations Program Overview video recording, IU Cinema YouTube Channel

Full Program Information and Guidelines

Full program information guidelines, application information, and more can be found in the documents below.

We strongly suggest you carefully read all of the provided information before submitting an application.

Full Program Information and Applicant Guidelines

Application Questions

Application Checklist

Budget Template

Community Event Planning Resource

Additional Funding Assistance

We are mindful that some organizations have more resources than others, and we never want funding to be a barrier to any group’s ability to propose a program.

If you organization/unit’s budget is below $499,999.00 per year additional funds to support your program may be available. While we cannot guarantee additional funding, we make every effort to materially support our partners.

Submit a proposal

The application for 2025-26 proposals is now closed. The application for 2026–27 proposals will open in October 2025.

Know Before You Apply:

The application takes approximately 30 minutes to complete.
Your work will be saved as you advance through the application. To access your application draft, you will need to return to the application URL link on the same electronic device you began the application.
You can review a copy of the Application Questions before applying .

If you have any questions about our Creative Collaborations program, please contact us by email.

Director Andrew Ahn