Sundance Institute Ignite x Adobe Fellowship
Sundance Institute Ignite x Adobe Fellowship supports emerging filmmakers worldwide with artist grants, mentorship, and project development to nurture new voices in independent storytelling.
Funder: Sundance Institute
Due Dates: February 19, 2026, at 11 a.m. PST (2026 deadline) | November 12, 2026 (2027 applications open) | February 11, 2027 (2027 deadline)
Funding Amounts: $5,000 artist grant per fellow, plus one year of mentorship and program support (2026 fellowship)
Summary: A yearlong fellowship supporting emerging filmmakers ages 18–25 worldwide through mentorship, artistic development, and project-development opportunities.
Key Information: Applicants must be the submitted film’s director and have an active project to develop during the fellowship.
Description
The Sundance Institute Ignite x Adobe Fellowship is a competitive, yearlong artist-development program for emerging documentary and fiction filmmakers ages 18–25 from across the globe. Run by Sundance Institute in collaboration with Adobe and hosted on Sundance Collab, it supports new voices in independent storytelling through artistic and professional development. Applicants submit a short film representing their artistic vision, voice, and perspective, alongside materials for a project they intend to develop.
The fellowship begins with a weeklong in-person lab at Mass MoCA in North Adams, Massachusetts. Fellows work with Sundance Institute alumni mentors and participate in monthly cohort webinars, workshops, and workshares. The broader Ignite initiative, established in 2015 with founding support from Adobe, also fosters fresh audiences for independent storytelling through festival ticket opportunities and traveling programs.
