Birmingham Pours Funds into the Arts and Film Scene
Birmingham is buzzing with excitement as the city has officially approved $150,000 in funding for Create Birmingham. This local nonprofit is the only organization in the area that focuses solely on arts, culture, media, and film. This funding comes as great news not just for the organizations involved, but for the entire community as it aims to innovate and grow the arts and film scene in our lovely city.
A Breakdown of How the Funds Will Be Used
The funding will be divided into three key projects—each aimed at enhancing the cultural landscape of Birmingham. First up, Birmingham365 will receive $25,000 to host an inclusive community arts calendar. This platform will offer free marketing for events and programs happening around the city, not just for locals but also for those visiting Birmingham. A shiny new feature will also include a public art mapping section that highlights art “routes” throughout the neighborhoods. This is a wonderful way to encourage people to explore and appreciate the public art in our city.
Next, a chunk of $50,000 will go towards assisting four $10,000 community arts projects. These projects will address important issues like civic advocacy, education, public health, and even food systems. The funding will be particularly focused on supporting small and mid-sized arts organizations, making this an amazing opportunity for grassroots initiatives to shine.
Finally, there’s the major investment of $75,000 earmarked for maintaining the Reel Scout Database. This resource is crucial for supporting filmmaking infrastructure and networking within the community. Jessica Moody, Director of Programs and Operations for Create Birmingham, explained how this helps to build the local film crew, locations database, and offer workshops to keep the industry growing. She excitedly mentioned, “Our crew database, location database, and support services help grow the crew and local industry.”
The Economic Boost of Filmmaking
And here’s what’s really exciting: a thriving film industry has a significant economic impact on Birmingham. Jessica shared, “If the money was purple, you would see it everywhere.” What she means is that film projects pour money into local businesses—think gas stations, restaurants, and grocery stores. With the average small-budget film employing 50 to 75 people locally, it’s a fantastic way to keep cash flowing in our community.
According to Create Birmingham’s data, small-budget film and television projects spend about 60% of their total budget on location, which mostly supports our local economy. In fact, during 2023 alone, Birmingham played host to 27 projects while assisting with an additional 47 projects. The combined budget for these projects was a whopping $58 million, and an astonishing $32 million was spent right here in the area!
Looking Ahead: Tax Incentives and the Future
To keep the momentum going, Alabama offers tax incentives totaling up to $20 million for productions filming in the state. Filmmakers can potentially get a 25% rebate on everything they spend in Alabama and a striking 35% rebate for every local hire they make. This encourages filmmakers to come and shoot in Birmingham, knowing they won’t just be spending money, but reinvesting it into the community.
However, it’s important to strike a balance. While larger films can provide significant funds, they might swallow up the budget meant for smaller projects. This is why Create Birmingham hopes to see the state-wide budget expand—allowing both major productions and smaller projects to coexist harmoniously.
What’s Next for Birmingham?
Excitingly, you can expect to see film crews in action around town soon, as a new project is set to begin on September 5th. If you’re looking to get involved or have locations to suggest, you might want to register your spots now!
As Birmingham continues to support its arts and film scene, the future looks bright—both culturally and economically. So let’s keep our eyes peeled for more creative developments right in our own backyard!
