THE INDEX: UTAH’S $2M AI PIVOT, $3B COPYRIGHT SUIT + DEADLINES THRU APR 13

THE INDEX

Last month I went to the Art Institute to see the Bruce Goff exhibition. Known for his architecture, the show is about the person behind the work. And let me tell you, he was extra in every way. Some would say “whimsy.” He even bedazzled the tube (slide 4) to carry his technical drawings.

Despite designing and creating homes for many, he never built one for himself. Instead, every place he lived became unequivocally, eccentrically Goff. This means gold lamé curtains, countless disco balls, or a vast and rotating collection of art and oddities. I liked learning that. It reminded me that even regular, temporary things or spaces are opportunities to express myself.

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LEGAL + CULTURAL SIGNALS

MEDIA POLICY

UTAH BUILDS POST-SUNDANCE

One last Sundance in Utah before it decamps to Colorado. As this year’s festival wraps, Utah is already scrambling for a post-Sundance identity and a new flagship cultural event to anchor the state. So far, their answer is a dystopic $2M bet on an AI-centered Nuovo Film Festival, billed as a “film ecosystem.” While the festival is a part of it, funding will also develop an AI soundstage Convergence Hall, plus generous tax and business incentives designed to spur in-state production.On the other hand, the program would fund certificate programs across high schools, tech colleges, and universities that train the core crafts of filmmaking. Sadly, that kind of hands-on pipeline is getting hollowed out even in major cultural cities.

MORE INFO • AND ALSO

AI + COPYRIGHT

MUSIC PUBLISHERS SUE ANTHROPIC OVER TRAINING DATA FOR $3B

Perhaps seeing the success of authors for recovering from AI companies, Universal Music Group, Concord, and ABKCO sued Anthropic alleging it pirated more than 700 works and infringed rights in thousands more to train Claude, claiming statutory damages in excess of $3B.

THE DETAILS

THEATRE BUSINESS

BROADWAY TILTS TOWARD PLAYS THIS SPRING

Early 2026 is shaping up as a play-forward Broadway season, with 11 plays and 6 musicals in the first third of the year, which is a shift for a window that usually leans musical. This shouldn’t be that surprising, given the state of the economy. (Broadway plays cost between $6-10m while musicals frequently clear $20m).

PUBLIC ART

MIAMI’S 7-MILE UNDERWATER PUBLIC SCULPTURE PARK

Recently, I’ve learned about Reefline, an underwater public sculpture park and hybrid reef off Miami Beach, featuring large-scale installations that serve as a habitat for marine life. It is free to visit via snorkeling or scuba diving. The project fosters cross-disciplinary collaboration between scientists, architects, artists, and educators. With sea levels rising in our lifetimes, I wonder what lessons can be learned from this project as coastal communities are reclaimed by the ocean.

DETAILS • SEE ALSO THIS EXHIBITION

DIGITAL STORYTELLING

THE BOAT

An interactive graphic novel adaptation of Nam Le’s story, which follows 16-year-old Mai as she is sent out alone on boat following the fall of Saigaon. A stunning example of digital storytelling that uses the format with restraint and purpose. Worth your time if you’re building anything story-driven, or if you just admire craft.

ENGAGE WITH IT HERE

OPPORTUNITIES + FUNDING

RESIDENCY

THE RANCH RESIDENCY IN NEW MEXICO

A week-long residency in adobe casitas with a shared barn studio.

DEADLINE MAR 5 | APPLY

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS

ALTERNATE CURRENTS CONTRIBUTIONS

Paid call for artists, organizers, researchers, scholars, and writers. $500 per contributor. Open to applicants in Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, South Dakota, North Dakota, and Montana, plus anyone with ties to the region.

DEADLINE MAR 15 | MORE INFO

FELLOWSHIP

2026 IRENE YAMAMOTO ARTS WRITERS FELLOWSHIP

Two $5,000 unrestricted awards for emerging writers of color writing critically about visual art, hosted by the Democracy Center at JANM.

DEADLINE MAR 16 | APPLY

FELLOWSHIP

KICKSTARTER LONG STORY SHORT 2026

Yearlong track for 10 filmmakers ages 18-25, offering creative support, close mentorship, and direct industry access as they develop their next short. Applications are open now.

APPLICATION WINDOW MAR 1-31 | DETAILS

RESIDENCY

WORTHLESSSTUDIOS ARTIST RESIDENCY PROGRAM

A large-scale sculpture residency with fabrication resources, project management support, and funding.

DEADLINE MAR 31 | MORE INFO

OPEN CALL

CREATIVE CAPITAL 2027

Unrestricted project grants up to $50,000 for new work in Visual Arts, Performing Arts, Film, and Literature.

DEADLINE APR 2 | THE APPLICATION

GRANT

ANONYMOUS WAS A WOMAN ENVIRONMENTAL ART GRANTS

Up to $20,000 for environmental art projects led by women, transgender, and gender-nonconforming artists.

DEADLINE APR 7 | LEARN MORE

GRANT

IGNITE FUND

Chicago-based fund supporting artists and creative work with grants up to $10,000. Applications open March 11.

DEADLINE APR 13 | GET STARTED NOW

ASSISTANCE

APPLY FOR RELOCATION SUPPORT

Artistic Freedom Initiative is accepting applications from at-risk artists worldwide seeking temporary or permanent residence in the U.S. and Europe, plus support for at-risk artists already in the U.S. seeking asylum pathways.

ROLLING DEADLINE | HOW IT WORKS

JOB OPPORTUNITY

SR. VISUAL COMMUNICATION DESIGNER

IDEO role focused on visual storytelling across brand, digital, motion, and narrative workstreams. Chicago or San Francisco. Salary range $80-100K

APPLY NOW

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ROLODEX GROUP