Grantee Database
Dare to Dance in Public Film Festival
Grant Year
2026-27
Grant Program
General Operating Support
Award Amount
$12,000.00
Project Description
With support from the California Arts Council, Dare to Dance in Public Film Festival will sustain our core infrastructure by funding essential leadership in compliance with state and local labor laws. These funds will be allocated toward the salary of a full-time Artistic/Executive Director and a part-time Assistant Director. As D2D operates out of Topanga, we comply with the unincorporated Los Angeles County minimum wage, which increases to $18.47 per hour on July 1, 2026. The requested funds will contribute toward the Assistant Director’s salary for 15 hours per week (approx. $14,406 annually) and the Artistic/Executive Director’s salary, which must meet the California exempt threshold of $70,304. This investment stabilizes our core team, ensuring D2D continues its mission of democratizing dance while providing sustainable, equitable employment for the professionals driving our global community.
Organization Summary
DARE TO DANCE IN PUBLIC FILM FESTIVAL (D2D) serves as a vital cultural bridge in Los Angeles, dedicated to the presentation and elevation of Dance Film as a recognized international art form. Our core services remove geographic and economic barriers to world-class artistic expression via:
Public Presentation & Discourse: D2D focuses on dance films that are created in the public quotidian realm and/or films that explore sites/spaces in boundary pushing ways. Additionally, we produce screenings that transform passive viewing into active engagement, with events featuring live site-specific performances with LA based artists and moderated panel discussions with the filmmakers. These foster deep dialogue between creators and local audiences, which explore the intersection of movement, culture, and social narrative.
Accessible Artistic Education: D2D provides affordable and “Pay-What-You-Can” specialized classes, equipping emerging and established artists with the technical knowledge to create their own films.
Community-Centered Performance: D2D presents free, live, site-specific performances by emerging LA-based choreographers. These works reclaim public space, inviting the general public to experience professional dance in accessible, non-traditional settings. (Note: 2024 Exceptions – D2D was not able to hold in person Los Angeles programming in 2024 due to the Executive Director’s temporary work obligations in Europe and a subsequent health recovery. However, D2D’s LUCID digital platform continued to support dance film artists, ensuring continued programming and financial support for the artists. In 2025, D2D resumed full operations, culminating with an in-person film festival and performance.)
Equity & Global Solidarity: We actively dismantle barriers for artists in under-resourced or embattled regions through FilmFreeway fee-waivers and a vital partnership with a Chinese arts organization to bypass internet restrictions. Furthermore, our partnership with the streaming platform LUCID ensures a sustainable digital archive that provides royalty-based income for our filmmakers.
Organization
Dare to Dance in Public Film Festival
Address
262 Old Topanga Canyon Rd
Topanga
90290-3810
County
Los Angeles
Region
South – Los Angeles & Orange
Website
Congressional District
District 32
State Assembly District
District 42
State Senate District
District 24
