29 Apr ODL is the recipient of an NEA grant

The MIT Open Documentary Lab is a recipient of an Art Works grant from the National Endowment for the Arts! The grant will help the lab build a curated online database of interactive documentaries.

Gathering examples of interactive documentaries from around the world, the open documentary database will be fully searchable and will include key information about projects. The database will keep pace with the rapidly growing number of interactive documentary projects and include historical precedents of the genre, as well as cutting-edge examples.

“As new players armed with new technologies redefine the documentary form, we look forward to providing a map and compass to help navigate this new terrain,” said OpenDocLab Principal Investigator William Uricchio. “The interactive documentary marks the sector’s most important development since the days of cinéma vérité and direct cinema, and MIT’s Open Documentary Lab is delighted to bring these new forms to a larger public.”

NEA Acting Chairman Joan Shigekawa said, “The National Endowment for the Arts is proud to support these exciting and diverse arts projects that will take place throughout the United States. Whether it is through a focus on education, engagement, or innovation, these projects all contribute to vibrant communities and memorable opportunities for the public to engage with the arts.” Over 1,500 grant applications were reviewed by a panel of experts convened by the NEA, with the organization disbursing more than $26.3 million in grants.

For a complete listing of projects recommended for Art Works grant support, please visit the NEA website.

Keep an eye on this blog for project updates about the OpenDocLab database in the coming months. We look forward to sharing our progress with you!