TFF to Combine its Tribeca Film Institute with Renew Media

Tribeca Film Institute and Renew Media (formerly National Video Resources), founded by The Rockefeller Foundation, will formally combine their organizations and operate going forward under the name of the Tribeca Film Institute. These two institutions, which have provided significant resources, financial support, and guidance to creative individuals, will now build on their respective missions in a move to create a dynamic, scalable infrastructure which supports film, media arts and artists.
 
As a combined organization, the primary objective is to create one institution dedicated to innovation in film and media, the enrichment of audiences and the promotion of education, understanding and creativity through the media arts. TFI will join the Tribeca Film Festival's quest for a major physical presence and permanent home in lower Manhattan. This new home will include much-needed cultural exhibition space, screening venues, as well as artist and industry workspace. By coupling this physical location with substantial new programs in support of media artists, TFI will help New York maintain its status as the creative capital of the media arts and become an aggressive supporter for such issues and concerns such as housing for filmmakers and artists.
 
"We have been pursuing complementary avenues with respect to filmmakers and media artists for many years now," said Jane Rosenthal. "By putting these two institutions together under one roof our impact is going to be greater than anything we could have achieved separately and we look forward to building an unprecedented arts organization.”
 
“This new organization enables us to carry out our mission and support artists and filmmakers throughout all stages of their careers," said Robert De Niro.
 
“The new TFI will strive to break the tradition of non-profit arts organizations,” said Brian Newman. “A lot of people are starting to realize that we need to explore new models to have greater impact on the needs of society. Through our combined strengths, we’ll be more entrepreneurial, can make our ideas more scalable for greater impact in the field and contribute to the cultural sustenance of lower Manhattan.”
 
The new Tribeca Film Institute will continue all existing programs but is expected to rapidly add new platforms to help filmmakers and artists find their audiences. TFI’s areas of focus will now include artist funding and artist services, curated public programs, youth programs, and advocacy and policy work.  The organization will continue its critical artist funding and services programs. Renew has given out in the past approximately $800,000 annually in the US and Mexico as part of its Media Arts Fellowships Program  (founded by Rockefeller Foundation) and TFI has awards funds through Tribeca All Access, The Tribeca/Sloan Screenplay Development Program and the Gucci Tribeca Documentary Fund. 
 
“Our organizations have made a lasting and substantial contribution to the state of independent cinema and impacted not only the lives of artists but have used media and film to benefit the lives of youth and students through educational programs,” said Alberta Arthurs, former Chair of the Board of Renew Media, now Vice Chair of the Board of Tribeca Film Institute. “We are excited about the additional impact and possibilities that exist as one organization.”