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Entertainment Development Fund

LSU Digital Media Center-XR Studio

What is the Entertainment Development Fund

Since 2017, Louisiana Entertainment has worked to support education and workforce opportunities in the entertainment industry.

Ever since Louisiana adopted its pioneering Motion Picture Production Incentive program in 2002, one of the stated goals was to create a self-sustaining industry which includes investment in workforce development and education.   The Entertainment Development Fund (EDF) is a driving force behind the state's efforts to achieve this goal.

Created in 2017, the EDF is funded through a 2% transfer fee that is collected when certified tax credits are transferred back to the state.  Louisiana Entertainment receives 75% of the fees collected for the fund and at peak capacity, this amounts to $2.7M per year.

Eligibility

An eligible applicant is an accredited Louisiana higher education institution, or customized training provider in the areas of arts, media and entertainment, with a proven track record of offering career oriented programs, as approved by LED.

Applicants must demonstrate a track record of successful organization and operations that have been in effect for at least two years. Start-up companies or training providers with less than two years of documented program history or performance shall be ineligible for this program, unless evidence of funding can be provided from established arts and entertainment organizations, as approved by LED.

A training provider shall be considered ineligible for this program if it has pending or outstanding claims or liabilities relative to its failure or inability to pay its obligations; including state or federal taxes, or bankruptcy proceedings, or if it has pending, at the federal, state, or local level, any proceeding concerning denial or revocation of a necessary license or permit, or if the company has a previous contract with LED in which the company is in default and/or is not in compliance.

Film Prize Jr 2022

Fund Recipients

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#CreateLouisiana

New Orleans

Date Awarded: April 2023

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Academy of Interactive Entertainment

Lafayette

Date Awarded: December 2023

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Acadiana Center for the Arts

Lafayette

Date Awarded: March 2024

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Baton Rouge Community College

Baton Rouge

Date Awarded: March 2024

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Digital Media Institute

Shreveport

Date Awarded: October 2021

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Film Prize Junior

Shreveport

Date Awarded: March 2023

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LSU Digital Media Center

Baton Rouge

Date Awarded: August 2021

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Loyola University

New Orleans

Date Awarded: November 2021

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MIC'D UP GNO Inc.

New Orleans

Date Awarded: March 2022

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NOVAC-IATSE

New Orleans/Baton Rouge

Date Awarded: November 2023

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NOVAC/IATSE

New Orleans/Baton Rouge

Date Awarded: March 2021

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Nicholls State University

Thibodaux

Date Awarded: December 2021

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Old Algiers Main Street Corp.

New Orleans

Date Awarded: January 2023

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Prize Foundation

Shreveport

Date Awarded: July 2021

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Southern Screen

Lafayette

Date Awarded: December 2023

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The COOL Cooperative

New Orleans

Date Awarded: August 2021

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University of Louisiana at Lafayette

Lafayette

Date Awarded: November 2022

Interested in Applying?

Any organization seeking to apply should read the program rules and regulations. Submissions should include the following:

Organizations name + primary contact information (e-mail, phone number, physical address).

Evidence of accreditation and/or articles of incorporation.

Evidence that the organization has a track record of success for at least 2 years in workforce training/education in the entertainment industry.

A detailed budget of estimated proposed expenditures.

Evidence that the organization has other funding sources in addition to this request.

Detailed narrative on proposed training/educational program.

Letters of support

Send submission to Chris Stelly at Chris.Stelly@la.gov