BURLINGTON, Mass.—Avid and the Avid Community Association (ACA) today unveiled the Avid Learning Collective program, which awards gifts of professional media technologies, training and certification to not-for-profit educational organizations serving creators in underrepresented communities.
The company and its customer-led community organization also introduced six inaugural award recipients, including Boston Arts Academy, Ghetto Film School, Girls Make Beats, Immersive & Inclusive Audio Institute, MAMA Youth Project and The Last Mile.
“The Avid Learning Collective is the brainchild of our ongoing collaboration and exploration with truly impassioned educators and media professionals all over the world who want to make the media industry more diverse and accommodating,” said Bryan Castle, Avid director of learning partnerships.
“We’re thrilled to get out into the open today and to get more eyes on the new opportunities we’re presenting to lift up organizations that show disadvantaged people they can become powerful storytellers.”
The collective will add six more educational organization and initiatives each year. To be considered, they must demonstrate the intention and ability to influence the current state of diversity, equity and inclusion through student advancement, Avid said.
Recipients will receive membership in the global Avid Learning program for three years. They will also benefit from peer and professional networking to cultivate visibility, mentoring and job opportunities for students, it said.
Applications for the 2022 Avid Learning Collective are being accepted now through Feb. 15, 2022. A diverse committee of accomplished music, film and TV professionals who sit on the ACA executive board and Avid employees will review applications. Award recipients will be announced in spring 2022.
“Our profession can do a lot more to think outside the box to ensure that opportunity reaches the people and communities helped by the extraordinary, sharply focused Avid Learning Collective participants,” said Hellen Killeen, director of production of non-scripted UK, ITV Studios. “It’s exciting to see how rapidly this program will marshal the care and influence of my colleagues to expose the talents of creative people whose ambitions and experiences go largely unseen.”
The Avid Learning Collective application form and criteria for consideration are available online.
