Spotlight Documentary Residency Program (US)

During the six-month residency, beginning around August 19, 2024, and ending around February 14, 2025, each of the four teams must finish an original series of three to five videos, each 3-5 minutes long, created specifically for SPOTLIGHT DOC, while living and working in place. To support the creation of these works.

Funding Information

• Each team will receive $50,000 in production funding, interdisciplinary mentorship, regular work-in-progress reviews, and retain full ownership rights to their completed series.

Program Requirements              

• Teams must complete an original documentary Video Series of 3-5 videos of no more than 3-5 minutes each. For the purposes of this program, “complete” means shot, edited, and completed post-production activities, including closed captioning, and audio description, such that the final version is polished and ready for public screening.
  • Video content must chronicle a history of American women and/or girls who are well known among specific communities but have not been widely recognized or celebrated in mainstream narratives of American history as was outlined in the application and approved by the Smithsonian.
  • The subjects of these short films can be 1) people who are living or dead, individuals or collectives, or 2) an event, movement, or “happening” of some kind. When documenting events or movements, they encourage you to present a perspective that focuses on the people who made it all happen and the community or communities closest to the story. Ideally, in addition to telling the story, the proposed series will investigate the protagonists’ or movement’s impact on the lives of others.
  • Supporting research must cite primary and secondary source materials sufficiently to demonstrate the accuracy of the proposed story and to support other elements of the narrative wherever possible.
  • If, during the residency program, the Smithsonian determines that a Participating Team is intending to make substantive departures in form, content, or deliverables from the project outlined in their application, such changes must be approved in writing by the Smithsonian. Process for this will include submitting a Change Request that discusses the impact of the proposed change on the final Video Series and execution of Change Order to the PO. An example of such a change might be adding or reducing the number of videos and/or significantly deviating from the proposed topic.
• In the closing credits of the completed Video Series, as well as future works expanding on the Video Series, the following language must appear “supported by the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum“ in perpetuity, regardless of future distribution, funding, and ownership transfers that may occur, unless the Smithsonian Institution requests its removal.
• Participate in all residency events, noting that logistical details are subject to change, but will not incur expenses for participants beyond what is indicated .
  • Two (2) in-person gatherings in Washington DC (one for program kickoff and one at the residency close)
  • Regular cadence of online check-ins, and feedback sessions not to exceed 4 per month in the first two months and 3 per month afterwards. Reasonable exceptions may be made in cases of emergency or illness.
  • Two (2) premiere events in-person, one in your team’s home city, and one in Washington DC.
  • Up to 3 online programs for SI staff and partners.
  • The Museum will pay expenses for 3 of 4 required in-person gatherings (kickoff, close, DC premiere), including airfare, lodging, and meals, in accordance with Smithsonian policies. Any expenses associated with the team’s cost of attendance for their home city premiere will be the responsibility of the team.
• Support the documentation of the residency program and your team’s work process and resulting Video Series, including capturing and sharing images and assets, video and text description of the work in progress; participating in interviews and cooperating with content creators from the Smithsonian or partners to create materials to be used for promotional, educational and other standard museum purposes.
• Support and collaborate with residency evaluation activities.

Eligibility Criteria 

• SPOTLIGHT DOC is open to the following participants:
  • Individuals must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents of the United States, and 18 years of age or older.
  • Private entities must be incorporated in and maintain a primary place of business in the United States with majority domestic ownership and control.
  • Each applying team must be comprised of otherwise eligible individuals or entities. The application must specify the individual or entity that shall serve as the team’s sole legal representative in SPOTLIGHT DOC.
    • The individual or entity serving as the team’s sole legal representative will be required to enter into a contract with the Smithsonian for the team to be eligible to participate in the residency.
• The following individuals and entities are not eligible to participate:
  • Smithsonian employees and contractors, and members of their immediate families (spouses, children, siblings, and parents);
  • Other Federal Government employees, acting within the scope of their employment;
  • Anyone involved with the production or execution of SPOTLIGHT DOC, employees of such entities, and members of their immediate families;
  • Application reviewers and program mentors, as well as individuals with a familial or financial relationship with an application reviewer or program mentor; and
  • Entities and individuals publicly banned from doing business with the U.S. government, such as entities and individuals debarred, suspended, or otherwise excluded from or ineligible for participating in federal programs, are not eligible.

For more information, visit Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum.