FILMMAKING

NETFLIX BETS ON AI VFX

For the first time, Netflix confirmed it used generative AI to create a building-collapse sequence in the Argentine series The Eternaut. They claim it developed 10x faster at a fraction of the cost. While studios continue to see AI as a cost-cutting tool, artists continue to ring the alarm for job security and creativity integrity. Netflix’s admission shifts industry norms and provicdes cover to smaller studios wanting to replace VFX designers with AI.

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ADTECH

GOOGLE’S AI SAVAGES PUBLISHER WEB TRAFFIC

Google Discover is now testing AI-generated recaps atop article links for US users. Early reports show the share of news-related searches ending without a click has jumped from 56% to 91%. European publisher groups have already filed an antitrust complaint and US outlets say they may follow.

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POLICY WATCH

FEDS DEMAND PAYBACK

The Small Business Administration is sending demand letters requiring some Shuttered Venue Operators Grant recipients to repay funds within thirty days or enter a payment plan, shaking a sector still rebuilding from the pandemic. 

SMALL MAN ENERGY

THEATRE OPENING

OFF-BROADWAY REBOOT

After 2+ years of renovation, West Village’s Cherry Lane Theatre reopens this September. A24 refitted the 179-seat landmark with new lighting sound and a dedicated projector,and  plans a fluid mix of plays, comedy sets, concerts, and film screenings + a restaurant from the Frenchette team that links the lobby to its garden patio.

DETAILS ON OPENING PROGRAMMING

CULTURAL HERITAGE

HUICHOL PILGRIMAGE ADDED TO UNESCO

UNESCO has placed the Tatehuarí Huajuyé pilgrimage route on its Intangible Cultural Heritage list. This “braid of trails” is over 500km long and link 20 sacred Wixárika sites across Nayarit, Jalisco, Zacatecas, Durango, and San Luis Potosí. Listing secures international protection for ceremonies that honor corn, rain, and fire. It could also help Indigenous communities fend off the ever-encroaching mining and ranching industries.

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URBAN PLANNING

“LOOK WHAT THEY TOOK FROM US”

Ongoing street work in a Chicago neighborhood recently exposed century old streetcar rails. Before party buses, streetcars dominated mass-transit infrastructure due to their reliable, high-capacity service. Yet they were ripped out and paved over once big oil hijacked urban planning departments across North America. Public transit authorities worldwide are finally revisiting use-cases for streetcars.

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OPEN CALL

“FAR FROM SOMEWHERE”

Block House Gallery invites artists living south of 95th St to join a free-form group show opening in late August. All mediums welcome.

DEADLINE JULY 31 | APPLICATIONS OPEN

ART + EXHIBITIONS

CHICAGO EXHIBITION WEEKEND REVEALS NEW PARTNERS

This year’s function takes place Sept 19-21 and include 50+ galleries, museums, and pop-ups. New partnerships with Independent Curators International, Chicago Art Book Fair, and the Chicago Architecture Biennial reflect the increasing momentum and prominence of this homegrown art fair.

DETAILS + RSVP FOR EVENTS

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

ARTS + WELLNESS PROGRAMMING FOR ADULTS

The Garfield Park Conservatory seeks artists, educators, and wellness guides to submit adult programming ideas. Proposals should be nature forward, culturally rooted + future-focused. Submissions are reviewed year-round with priority given to submissions by July 28, 2025 with late summer or early fall dates.

ROLLING DEADLINE | SUBMIT HERE

OPEN CALL

CURATORS WANTED

The New Art Dealers Alliance (NADA) is hiring two curators: Miami (Dec 2–6, 2025) + New York (May 2026). The ask is for the selected to program 5 North American galleries featuring solo-projects by under-represented artists. You’ll shape booth layouts, host VIP/press tours + receive subsidized booth fees for your galleries. 

DEADLINE JUL 28 | DETAILS + SUBMISSION INFO

*reach out if considering submission - we have gallery contacts with ongoing exhibitions which qualify*

FELLOWSHIP

FUNDING FOR NEW ARCHITECTS

The Princeton Urban Imagination Center teams with the Chicago Architecture Center on a new fellowship for emerging architects. Winners receive support to develop provocative public-facing projects.

DEADLINE AUG 11 | SUBMISSION DETAILS

GRANT

FILMSTREAM COLLECTIVE FUND

Kickstarter and Tubi will award 10K to independent filmmakers plus a three month exclusive streaming slot on Tubi this fall. Recipients also earn a share of viewership revenue that Kickstarter will pass through to each filmmaker.

DEADLINE AUG 31 | DETAILS

*if selected, carefully review your licensing rights*

OPEN CALL

PHILLIPS COLLECTION GROUP SHOW

Washington, DC’s Phillips Collection seeks DC and Baltimore area artists for its 2026 invitational exhibition. Visual and time-based works accepted.

DEADLINE SEPTEMBER 30 | SUBMIT HERE

RESIDENCY

LIVE/WORK ART RANCH

Applications for the Artist-in-Residence at Jalama Canyon Ranch in Santa Barbara, CA are now open. Spend six weeks on a 1K acre regenerative agriculture site with weekly stipend and travel support.

ROLLING DEADLINE | APPLICATIONS OPEN

OPPORTUNITY

CONTENT SPECIALIST

Climate Advocacy Lab seeks a Content Specialist to turn research into practical tools for national climate organizers. Four day workweek, US remote, plus other perks. 

APPLY HERE