Where creativity meets opportunity. ™
2026 Program Year Sponsorship Opportunities
ABOUT THE PRIZE
CONVERTING CULTURE INTO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Since 2012, Prize Foundation has helped position our community as a growing center of creative and economic activity. Now in our fifteenth year, Prize has done more than host events — we have activated and elevated filmmakers, culinary artists, entrepreneurs, musicians, craftspeople, and builders of all kinds, many of whom have chosen to put down roots and invest their futures here. What began as a bold experiment has become a proven platform for turning creative ambition into real jobs, real businesses, and real economic impact. Prize Foundation operates on a simple but powerful idea: culture is not a side benefit of economic development, it is a driver of it. Through our festivals, competitions, education programs, and workforce initiatives, we connect talent to opportunity, ideas to capital, and communities to people willing to do the work. We don’t just showcase creativity, we create pathways for creators to launch careers, grow companies, and contribute meaningfully to the region’s long-term vitality. Prize is an engine for economic activity, a catalyst for civic pride, and a force shaping our community into a nationally-recognized creative and entrepreneurial destination.
YOUR MISSION (SHOULD YOU CHOOSE TO ACCEPT IT)
Partner with Prize Foundation to fuel economic growth, workforce development, youth skills training, creative entrepreneurship, and tourism in Shreveport, Bossier and Northwest Louisiana. Together, we invest in people and ideas through education, entrepreneurship, conferences, contests, and festivals, building a stronger, more resilient regional economy powered by creativity and initiative.
2
WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO EVOLVING ENTREPRENEURSHIP, ENGAGING CONSUMERS, AND BUILDING A COMMUNITY
Strong communities create social, cultural, and economic stability by supporting diverse forms of craft, enterprise, and talent. That stability doesn’t happen by accident. It comes from giving people real opportunities to build, test ideas, and connect their work to a market that values it. When individuals and groups are empowered to contribute in meaningful ways, communities become more resilient, more ambitious, and more attractive to both residents and newcomers. By expanding our cultural and economic boundaries, Prize Foundation helps shape a shared identity rooted in creativity, initiative, and possibility. We believe this work unlocks local potential, attracts new energy, and moves us closer to becoming the place we are meant to be.
OUR GOALS FOR 2026
INVIGORATE CREATIVE ENTREPRENEURSHIP
MENTORSHIP WITH NATIONAL PROFESSIONALS
Between 20 and 30% of the Caddo Parish economy is considered to be held by the Creative Class. Our community needs these individuals to succeed for us to succeed. The Prize competition and mentorship model invigorates this vital sector by creating incentives and opportunities for both local and nonlocal Creatives to help build a new economy for the 21st century.
To unlock the full economic potential of creative entrepreneurs, access matters. Prize brings in mentors from across the country and around the world to provide workshops, roundtables, and direct one-onone engagement. This ensures participants receive relevant, current industry insight while building relationships that extend well beyond the festival week.
CULTIVATE A MARKET FOR A CREATIVE ECONOMY WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO Our programs build a knowledgeable and engaged audience that values creative work by inviting the public to actively participate in Prize events and connect directly with creatives, cultivating a base of consumers who support and sustain a thriving local creative economy.
3
OVER A DECADE OF IMPACT
4
2012
2013
2014
2015
INCEPTION OF LOUISIANA FILM PRIZE AND PRIZE FOUNDATION - Over 80 film teams converge on Shreveport to compete for the largest cash prize for a short film on Earth. - 600 attendees are welcomed at the inaugural Prize Fest.
ADDITION OF MUSIC PRIZE COMPETITION - First Music Prize winner is AJ Haynes. Her band, Seratones, named among best of SXSW 2019 by Rolling Stone. - Music and Film education sessions added to the annual lineup.
CREATION OF STARTUP PRIZE ENTREPRENEURIAL COMPETITION - 92 Startups and 145 entrepreneurs are trained by local and national business mentors in its first year. - Music Prize becomes Grammy-affiliated and attracts celebrity judges like Jerry Harrison of The Talking Heads.
SERVING UP A FOOD PRIZE CULINARY COMPETITION - Inaugural Food Prize competition invites five local chefs to cook live before an audience of hundreds. - MTV.com writes article “We’re Calling it Now: The Next Big Filmmaker is Coming from [Film Prize].”
2020
2021
2022
2023
PERSEVERING THROUGH A GLOBAL PANDEMIC - Prize pivots to online streaming, creating free movie nights and PrizeCast, a daily show with over 400,000 streams. - All festival events from Film Prize Junior to Prize Fest move online with 100,000 unique streams of festival content. - Most diverse winner pool in Prize history, including Film Prize’s first woman winner.
BACK IN THE STREETS - Prize Fest expands to two weekends and creates a world class experience. - Prize introduces Comedy Prize — an all-new competition aimed at standup comedians from across the country. - Expanded our national reach and mentorship through our newly formed online presence.
GROWTH RETURNS - Record year for Film Prize registrations & our youngest Top 20 director to date (a former Film Prize Junior winner) - Taco Wars returns with record-shattering attendance and the most tacos ever sold in a single event in Shreveport. - Continued expansion of Film Prize Junior with a return to Artbreak and over 80 completed student films.
CONTINUED SUCECSS IN A NEW ERA - Louisiana Film Prize sees its first Black woman filmmaker grand prize winner. - First Golden Fork Chef to be named a James Beard Award Semi-Finalist.
2016
2017
2018
2019
ECONOMIC IMPACT EXCEEDS $12 MILLION - With over 125 filmmaking teams, 85 regional music submissions, 200 entrepreneurs, and over 3,000 festival attendees, Prize reaches new audiences from across the country and the world.
INTRODUCTION OF FILM PRIZE JUNIOR STUDENT COMPETITION AND FESTIVAL - 48 teams and 170+ students from 15 NWLA High Schools create short films for Film Prize Junior competition. - Film Prize crosses 600 teams since 2012, collectively making the equivalent of over 50 feature films.
HIGHLIGHTING NEW CULTURE WITH TACO WARS HISPANIC FOOD CELEBRATION - Inaugural Taco Wars draws 3,500+ attendees and delivers over $20,000 to local businesses. - Film Prize Junior becomes state-wide competition, welcoming south Louisiana to join the competition in Shreveport.
CULTIVATION OF A COMMUNITY - Prize Fest passes 5,000 attendees. Mentor list includes internationallyrenowned chefs, filmmakers, and musicians. - Three new local restaurants have been started by Food Prize chefs after their participation in our competition.
The Panel of Coo
The
25
Coolest
Film
Festivals in the World
2025 F
36
PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE PANEL OF COOL; MILANA VAYNTRUB PHOTO BY SELA SHILONI
OR OUR LATEST ANNUAL LIST of the Coolest Film Festivals, we started out by admitting we aren’t cool. When it comes to rating festivals, we’re obsessed with numbers and details and apples-toapples comparisons. Which is why every year we create a rigorous list of 50 Film Festivals Worth the Entry Fee. When we’re compiling that list, we’re not at all cool. We’re detail-oriented and fussy and annoying to be around. So when it’s time to compile this list — our annual Coolest Film Festivals list — we hand over the reins. Because as uncool as we are, at least we’re cool enough to recognize cool people. We can tell how cool they are from their work, their confidence, and their ability to find things that the average square might not know. We handpicked this year’s Panel of Cool based on their artistry, their personal experiences with a wide range of festivals, and their taste. While our list of 50 Film Festivals Worth the Entry Fee is a sentimentality-free affair focused on festivals we think will boost your film career, for this list we asked our Panel of Cool to just share the festivals they would recommend to a friend — places where they felt good and had a blast. Places that are cool. So with that, here is our list. FALL 2025
MOVIEMAKER.COM
KATIE AND IAN BIGNELL run Festival Formula, with 20+ years experience behind it, providing strategy support to filmmakers worldwide. They are active members of the Short Film Conference and Film Festival Alliance, and are a key voice on festival issues, with coverage in The Hollywood Reporter and Screen Daily regarding fraudulent film festivals. Previous speaking engagements include HollyShorts, Heartland Film Festival, BFI Flare, Clermont Ferrand International Short Film Festival, Sundance, SXSW, and many more. Selected prior jury service includes Cleveland International, Heartland International, St. Louis International, PÖFF Shorts Film Festival, Palm Springs Shortsfest, Young Directors Awards, Raindance, Tallgrass Film Festival, Fantoche and more. They were the co-recipients of the Pioneering Spirit Award from Heartland Film (2024), and the company received the award for Outstanding Contribution to Film from the London Breeze Film Festival (2024) and the Impact Award from the Poppy Jasper International Film Festival (2025). Katie is the Festival Expert in the inaugural online education program launched by University of Exeter, in conjunction with David Putnam’s Atticus Education and Screen International. HEATHER BRAWLEY, a Bay Area native, has spent the last 16 years at Archstone Entertainment in sales, acquisitions, and delivery, contributing to hundreds of films. She has also produced many award-winning shorts, with 70+ festival selections, while also co-producing feature films at Archstone, where she currently serves as VP of Marketing and Operations. Her experience with projects across a wide range of budgets enables her to scale and execute successful productions from development through delivery.
MOVIEMAKER.COM
GIANFRANCO FERNaNDEZRUIZ is an award winning writer and director. His short film “When Big People Lie” had its World Premiere at the 51st Telluride Film Festival. It also screened in competition at the Emerging Filmmaker Showcase at the American Pavilion at Cannes, and won Best Short Film Drama at NFMLA’s 13th Annual Awards. He is a recipient of the Latino Film Institute x Netflix Inclusion Fellowship and a finalist for the HBO Short Film Award and the Sony Future Filmmaker Award, and his work qualified for the 96th Academy Awards. Gianfranco earned a Masters from the AFI Conservatory in Directing. His seventh short, “Anemoia, Scenes From the Future” is currently in post-production and will be released in 2026. RAY SMILING is a director whose work focuses on finding universal emotion presented in wild specificity. The stories he creates are naturalistic yet absurd, with a distinct visual flair. They feature people you feel like you already know, in situations both funny and emotionally rich. Basically, you can tell you’re watching something he made, if you’re feeling feelings, about a thing you never thought you’d feel feelings about. H. NELSON TRACEY is a director, producer, and editor based in Los Angeles. His feature debut Breakup Season played at 39 film festivals in 2024 (and he attended 22 of them) before being acquired for distribution. After an 18-city theatrical run last winter, Breakup Season is now available to stream on Amazon. He directed his first music video in August and is now developing his sophomore feature film.
FALL 2025
2024
2025
LOOKING TO THE FUTURE - Prize Fest sets new all-time attendance record, including new records for Music Prize and Comedy Prize. - Film Prize Junior’s statewide program reaches parity in gender and racial participation. - Taco Wars see attendance (12,000) and food sales (over $160k paid to vendors).
NEW PARTNERSHIPS AND EXPANDED IMPACT - Prize Fest sets new records for ticket sales, welcomed the largest-ever attendance at Food Prize, and debuted the first Celebrity Chef BBQ in collaboration with Top Chef Winner Tristen Epps. - Comedy Prize winner Peter Revello is featured on Jimmy Fallon with Shreveport and Prize Fest mentioned by Fallon himself. - Film Prize launches its year-long film workforce development program in collaboration with Louisiana Economic Development with nearly 100 participants and collaborates with Fort Worth Film Commission to offer the winning film a path to the Oscars™! - Film Prize Junior set a new record number of films created (115) from 14 parishes. - Taco Wars sets another record with 12,000 in attendance from the tri-state area and over $160,000 in sales paid out to local and regional small businesses.
5
MIL VAY Uzbe Ame perfo direc cent traye pros Seas sters Story in Ba the 2 direc shor mad Shor alon MGM direc pher Were Us, S Mos men Refu refug since ing m build in re
ZHA KNI Zhan nah Lond recti soulf them iden gan com drea gain winn but s has w Ferra was Festi ing t
THE ORIGINAL PRIZE COMPETITION
Our vision for a stronger community began with a bold idea: create the largest cash prize for a short film in the world and tie it directly to a place. Filmmakers are invited to produce their films in Louisiana for a chance to win up to $25,000, with the top prize doubling to $50,000 for projects filmed in Caddo Parish. Twenty finalist films are selected and screened at Prize Fest, where both the audience and a panel of judges help determine the winner. This proven format has led to the creation of more than 1,200 short film projects, representing the equivalent of well over 150 feature films worth of storytelling. Film Prize alumni have gone on to screen at major festivals, earn national recognition, and achieve Oscar™ qualification, reinforcing Film Prize’s role as a launchpad for serious filmmakers and lasting creative impact.
6
PROGRAM STATS • Over 1,200 teams completed films. • More than 150 feature films equivalent. • $12M+ in economic impact. • Relocated 9 filmmakers to our community. • Facilitated competitor matriculation tofeature filmmaking and TV pilots. • Workforce development and capacity-building training opportunities.
INCENTIVIZING PRODUCTION AND ENGAGEMENT
BUILDING A LASTING, SUSTAINABLE FILM COMMUNITY
CONNECTING FILMMAKERS WITH INDUSTRY PROS
Sometimes the right incentive is all it takes to push someone to take a risk and create something exceptional. Film Prize’s cash award, the largest for a short film in the world, is a powerful motivator that helps uncover hidden local talent while attracting top filmmakers from outside the region. That incentive brings attention, ambition, and energy directly into our community.
Film Prize does more than bring creative entrepreneurs to Northwest Louisiana to make a film. It helps them imagine a future here. We are proud that filmmakers from Austin, Atlanta, Arkansas, and beyond have chosen to relocate to Shreveport and Bossier City after experiencing the openness, opportunity, and creative spirit the Prize represents.
It’s called show business for a reason. Arts and culture are economic tools that extend across the entire pipeline, from concept to production to exhibition. Film Prize connects filmmakers and their teams with industry professionals and critics, ensuring they gain the insight, feedback, and relationships needed to sharpen their work and successfully bring it to market.
PREPARING THE NEXT GENERATION
No plan for the future of our community can be complete without bringing the future creative professionals and entrepreneurs into the fold. Film Prize Junior — the middle school and high school version of the award-winning Film Prize — does just that. Students are celebrated with awards, schools benefit from equipment grants, and teachers receive cash incentives in recognition of their work. Film Prize Junior has become a statewide competition partially funded by a State of Louisiana grant to assist us in film education. We are cementing an intra-state coalition that aims to cultivate the next generation of Creative Entrepreneurs.
PROGRAM STATS • 5,000+ student participants. • 162 schools and programs from • 20 Louisiana parishes. • Gender/ethnicity parity.
2025 STATS • 115 student films completed. • 63 schools from across Louisiana. • 26 Title One Schools participated.
RESHAPING THE NARRATIVE OF STUDENTS’ FUTURES
CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR EDUCATORS
DELIVERING CAREER-AGNOSTIC SKILL SETS TO STUDENTS
In some educational settings, the path of learning is often on rails, focused on meeting the deadlines to pass standardized tests and college applications. Film Prize Junior opens a window into a world driven by Creative Entrepreneurship that allows students to see possible career paths they may not have considered before. Even a glimpse into non-traditional career paths can change their perspective on life forever.
Teachers want nothing more than for their students to succeed, and not all students are interested in sports, debate team, or theater. Film Prize Junior gives teachers yet another avenue for engagement that utilizes young peoples’ understanding of video media and virtual storytelling, meeting them where they are while side-loading important life skills.
Film Prize Junior provides an opportunity for students to engage in a large nontraditional competition project that demands collaboration, negotiation, project management, creativity, and independent skill development. Armed with the knowledge of their capabilities, Film Prize Junior students can graduate more ready for the workforce or entrepreneurship.
7
CREATING A WORLD-CLASS FOOD CULTURE
Since 2015, Food Prize has focused on cultivating and evolving the culinary culture of our region. The result of this effort has put our region on the map as a burgeoning hotspot for food and drink! From the Golden Fork Dinner Series and Come and Get It! to the cultural phenomenon of Taco Wars, Food Prize is dedicated to providing opportunities for collaboration, inspiration, and professional growth while shining a bright light on the incredible culinary talent we have here to our own community. Food Prize has provided a platform for our local chefs and restaurants to reach larger audiences, build community with one another, and to further expand their opportunities for connection with talented chefs from around the country. This nationally unique program continues to lead to delicious results!
8
PROGRAM STATS • 6 local restaurants started by Food Prize chef alumni. • Local chefs vaulted into the national spotlight on TV shows and in articles. • Taco Wars is one of the largest one day taco/ margarita festivals in the country with over 40,000 taco lovers served.
2025 STATS • Food Prize showcased 12 Golden Fork chefs, 6 Golden Shaker competitors, and 7 Top Chef™ alumni— including current champion Chef Tristen Epps. • The Celebrity Chef BBQ paired national chefs with Shreveport’s top culinary talent for one of Prize Fest’s most flavor-packed events, led by celebrity chef Tristen Epps. • All events were sold-out, elevating Louisiana’s food culture through mentorship, opportunity, and creativity.
CELEBRATING LOCAL EXCELLENCE IN THE CULINARY ARTS
CREATING WITH NATIONALLYRENOWNED CHEFS
WORKING TO ELEVATE LOCAL CULINARY CULTURE
An accessible but challenging diverse food culture is key to breaking down barriers, and no one is better suited to bring that to life than local Culinary Creatives. Competing chefs stretch their culinary talents by hosting elaborate dinners through the Society of the Golden Fork dinner series. The top-scoring chefs advance to compete at Prize Fest.
Food Prize attracts nationallyrenowned chefs to our city for Prize Fest. We connect these chefs with our local Golden Fork finalists, providing opportunities for further learning and potential partnerships. This unique experience provides mentorship opportunities for our chefs, leading to delicious results!
An important component of building a community that is attractive to tourism and new business is a strong food culture. Food Prize was designed to energize, educate and activate our restaurant and chef community. Through our mentorship programs, events and competitions, Food Prize has helped establish Northwest Louisiana as a food capital on the rise.
ELEVATING BUSINESSES WITH COMPETITION Startup Prize is one of the most unique entrepreneurial competitions in the country. Not just another pitch competition, we pride ourselves on activating, evolving, and transforming startups and connecting them with investors, world-class mentors, and resources that help Startup Prize competitors find success in their endeavors.
Startup Prize is in its sixth year of Focus on Health, supporting early-stage health startups by leveraging Louisiana’s growing health and medical innovation ecosystem. In 2026, Startup Prize will expand with the launch of Focus on Energy, building on this proven model to support energy-focused entrepreneurs. Beyond working directly with founders, we aim to spark and sustain innovation statewide, connecting thought leaders from across the country with partners and stakeholders throughout Louisiana. Startup Prize ensures entrepreneurs have the edge they need to succeed. No incubator or accelerator does it like Startup Prize.
PROGRAM STATS • 600+ startups engaged through Startup Prize and over 200 startups focused on health. • 50+ funding offers facilitated. • National partnerships include MassChallenge, Health Wildcatters and Harvard iLabs.
2025 STATS • 70 health and medical startups from 23 states across the country. • Hybrid online and in-person model. • 50% women founders, 45% founders of color. • Hosted the inaugural Focus on Innovation Conference, connecting innovation ecosystem partners across our state.
NATIONALLY-UNIQUE MODEL FOR ELEVATING ENTREPRENEURS
CREATING A PIPELINE FOR LOCAL AND NATIONAL STARTUPS
LEVERAGING OUR AREA’S STRENGTH IN HEALTH & ENERGY INNOVATION
Accelerators, incubators, and startup competitions are a dime a dozen. So why do entrepreneurs consistently call Startup Prize the most unique and fulfilling entrepreneurial experience? We provide opportunities for mentorship and fellowship that are often set aside in favor of day-to-day operations. Our intense retreat model increases retention and provides meaningful professional development.
All competing startups are provided with opportunities to engage with other startup/ health-focused organizations from Ochsner-LSU Health Shreveport to Blue Cross Blue Shield of LA and EAP. We connect our startups with world-class mentors, locally and around the country, ensuring entrepreneurs have the edge they need not only to get off the ground, but to succeed in an ever-shifting business environment.
Louisiana is a hub for health and energy innovation. We strengthen the state’s entrepreneurial community by supporting founders already here and attracting startups from across the country to engage with Louisiana’s growing innovation ecosystem. Through strategic connections to mentors, service providers, and partners statewide, we demonstrate that Louisiana has what it takes to support ambitious companies at scale.
9
TURNING OUR MUSIC SCENE “UP TO 11”
Music is a cornerstone of Shreveport and Northwest Louisiana history. From Leadbelly, Hank Williams Jr., and Elvis to Kix Brooks, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, and The Residents, our community has been a platform for incredibly successful musicians since the beginning of broadcast radio. Music Prize continues that legacy by providing local and regional artists an opportunity to perform and grow through mentorship with industry professionals, fellowship with other musicians, and the cultivation of a market for live music. The first-ever winner of Music Prize, AJ Haynes, subsequently started her band, Seratones, which was named as one of the top bands at SXSW 2019 by Rolling Stone Magazine. Our 2022 grand prize winner, The American Hotel System has since been signed by SONO/Universal Music Group.
10
PROGRAM STATS • Over 450 musicians elevated. • 3 bands signed or represented.
2025 STATS • Largest attendance of Music Prize in Prize Fest history. • Local and national acts attended and played Music Prize. • Continuation of MPCon, a conference where experts meet with musicians to elevate their music careers.
FROM THE GARAGE TO ROLLING STONE MAGAZINE
MENTORSHIP WITH NATIONAL PROFESSIONALS
REBUILDING OUR REGION AS A MUSIC POWERHOUSE
Music is made to be heard, and there’s no better platform than Music Prize at Prize Fest. Our model of competition and mentorship provides musicians the opportunities to hone their sound and elevate to new heights. We want to see the musicians both within and without our community find success in their craft, and put Shreveport and Northwest Louisiana back on the map.
Just as important as playing music is an artist’s professional development. Any musician that wants to grow needs to understand the constantlyevolving music industry. We require all artists to attend a conference called MPCon which features industry professionals from across the country, to break them out of the garage and put them on a path to a career as a musician.
This year, the Music Prize will continue our effort to rebuild Northwest Louisiana’s prestige as a place that changes the music industry and introduces new artists in the way the Louisiana Hayride introduced talents like Elvis to the world. Through our conference/showcase model, we can reclaim the title as a place that discovers and elevates new music talent.
MAKING PRIZEPORT A CAPITAL OF COMEDY
Comedy Prize is a nationally recognized stand-up comedy competition that brings some of the nation’s top rising comedians to Northwest Louisiana to compete for a $2,500 cash prize. These talented performers are judged by a panel of celebrity comedians and industry experts, ensuring a high-caliber event that celebrates the art of comedy. With its unique format, Comedy Prize combines live performances, mentorship opportunities, and professional connections to create an unforgettable experience for comedians and audiences alike. The event has become a cultural highlight, drawing attention from media and audiences across the region while positioning Northwest Louisiana as a hub for emerging comedic talent and entertainment excellence.
2025 STATS • Winner Peter Revello booked on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon after his win • Record number of submissions sent to Comedy Prize. • Finalists from across the country including Los Angeles, New York, and Portland. • Sold out stand-up event at Prize Fest for the fifth year in a row. • Diverse competitor pool including women, minorities, and LGBTQ+ participants.
GROWING A NEW AUDIENCE FOR COMEDY IN TOWN
CONNECTING COMEDIANS WITH OPPORTUNITIES
SPURRING LOCALS TO REACH NEW HEIGHTS IN COMEDY
We are revitalizing Northwest Louisiana’s comedy scene by showcasing fresh talent who deliver high-caliber performances. Featuring emerging comedians and hosting renowned industry Mentor Judges, Comedy Prize is fostering a vibrant appreciation for live entertainment while establishing the region as a growing hub for quality stand-up comedy.
The connections created at Comedy Prize provide participants with expert guidance, feedback, and potential career advancements. With a panel that includes acclaimed comedians and influential industry figures, we serve as a springboard for rising talent, offering a rare chance to network with professionals who have the expertise and connections to elevate careers in the world of stand-up comedy.
Comedy Prize is raising the bar for comedy in Northwest Louisiana, inspiring local comedians to strive for new levels of excellence. By showcasing top rising talent from across the country and featuring renowned industry judges, the event sets a high standard for comedic performance and professionalism, fostering a culture of growth and ambition in the region.
11
LET’S TALK SPONSORSHIP YOUR BRAND CAN BE PART OF OUR SUCCESS
Here at the Prize, we know we could rule the world if we had enough of two things: money and time. We rely on sponsorships from people like you to unlock the resources needed to create the social, economic, and educational opportunities our programs are designed to bring to the fore. Each year, we reach tens of thousands of competitors and attendees through our innovative events including filmmakers, chefs, musicians, entrepreneurs, comedians, students, festival-goers, VIPs, and audiences from Shreveport, Bossier City, and the Northwest Louisiana region. Our reach represents one of the most sophisticated and forward-thinking audiences of its kind. Your brand can be exposed to these taste-makers and influencers in ways which no other opportunity can provide. Prize offers a cutting-edge and value-focused VIP experience that rivals national experiences. Sponsors are provided with VIP access to Prize Fest which includes priority event entry and access to dazzling lounges filled with complimentary food and drink, creative competitors, international judges, sponsors, bon vivants, and more.
12
HOW IT WORKS STREAMLINED SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
With fifteen years of the Prize under our belts, we continue to evolve our sponsorship opportunities to expand your reach and target your impact, allowing you to better support our year-round mission of elevating and transforming Northwest Louisiana through education, events, and competitions that drive a creative, entrepreneurial economy.
HOW IT WORKS STEP 1: CHOOSE YOUR LEVEL
Think about what you can afford to make the largest impact in our community — then take a look at the sponsor loot! Each sponsorship level is packed with perks like VIP and General Admission Passes to Prize Fest, branding placement, and advertising opportunities which are meant to maximize your exposure and your Prize experience. Passes and event tickets to Northwest Louisiana’s most amazing events are great ways to thank your friends, family, employees, and clients for everything they do.
STEP 2: PICK YOUR PRIZE
Sponsors now have a presence at ALL of our Prize events, maximizing your brand’s exposure throughout the year. However, you may want to select a specific Prize audience to focus on for your message! Whether it’s reaching food lovers through Food Prize, students and parents through Film Prize Junior, massive audiences at Prize Fest, or any of our other amazing events and competitions, we are here to ensure that you get the most value and recognition for your contribution.
STEP 3: MAKE IT RAIN
Prize Foundation operates year-round events and competitions beginning in the spring with Film Prize Junior and Taco Wars, into the summer with Food Prize Chef Dinners and Startup Prize Entrepreneurial Qualifiers and into fall culminating with Prize Fest featuring film, food, music, and comedy. The sooner you become a sponsor, the more bang you’ll receive for your buck. Become a sponsor now to ensure you are a part of all that is the Prize Foundation.
TAX DEDUCTIBLE
The Film Prize Foundation, Inc. (dba “Prize Foundation”) is a 501(c)(3)nonprofit organization. Your donation is tax deductible under IRS guidelines.
13
PRIZE SPONSOR BENEFITS Our sponsor benefit system increases the value of your contribution to the Prize Foundation to a new height and gives you unique control of your Prize Experience.
GOLDEN TICKETS Golden Tickets are an important part of all Prize Foundation sponsorship packages. They are magical tickets that can be used to acquire complimentary passes to a variety of Prize Fest events at no additional charge. Want to treat yourself to a Film Prize VIP pass? Use a Golden Ticket! Want to treat a client to the VIP treatment at Comedy Prize? Use a Golden Ticket! Want your favorite, party-animal aunt to be a Music Prize VIP? You get the idea. How you use your Golden Tickets is up to you (and your favorite aunt)!
PRIZE FEST IS OCTOBER 14-18, 2026 Choose any combination of passes until your Golden Tickets are depleted. Check out the chart below to see how your Golden Tickets can be put to work including special experiences only available to sponsors. All events include food and drink when served, and preferred entry/seating.
Each perk described below is claimed with ONE Golden Ticket.
One Platinum Pass One Food Prize Come and Get It Pass (Limit 10 per sponsorship)
Two Comedy Prize Passes
Includes drink tickets and priority entry. (Limit 8 per sponsorship)
14
SPONSOR BENEFIT KEY Number of General Admission Music and Film Passes. Number of Golden Tickets (used for Premium Experiences like VIP and Food Prize). Size of your ad in the Prize Fest program. Social media shout-outs for your brand after the sponsored event has ended. Your brand will appear on print and web media. Ad or logo on screen during Prize Fest. Custom brand package (on request) You get first dibs on special events throughout the year, may also purchase up to 4 additional VIP passes at 50% off, and 10% off tickets.
15
SPONSORSHIP LEVELS TITLE SPONSOR $50,000 32
32 Film Prize General Admission
32
32 Music Prize General Admission
4
4 Golden Tickets to Premium Experiences
FULL
vv
Full Page Program Ad Social Media Shout-Outs Title Logo Placement Full Screen Festival Ad Custom Brand Package (on request)
PRESENTING SPONSOR $25,000 16
16 Film Prize General Admission
16
16 Music Prize General Admission
4
4 Golden Tickets to Premium Experiences
1st Access to Events & Discounts
FULL
Full Page Program Ad Social Media Shout-Outs Presenting Logo Placement Custom brand package (on request)
16
1st Access to Events & Discounts
SPONSORSHIP LEVELS EXECUTIVE PRODUCER $10,000 8
8 Film Prize General Admission
8
8 Music Prize General Admission
4
4 Golden Tickets to Premium Experiences
HALF
PRODUCER $5,000 4
4 Film Prize General Admission
4
4 Music Prize General Admission
4
4 Golden Tickets to Premium Experiences
Half Page Program Ad
Producer Logo Placement
Social Media Shout-Outs
1st Access to Events & Discounts
Executive Level Logo Placement Custom brand package (on request) 1st Access to Events & Discounts
LOVER OF THE PRIZE $2,500 4
4 Film Prize General Admission
4
4 Music Prize General Admission
4
4 Golden Tickets to Premium Experiences Lover of the Prize Logo Placement 1st Access to Events & Discounts 17
HOW AWESOME IS THE PRIZE? I laughed at Comedy Prize, I cried at Film Prize, I filled my belly with Regina’s prize winning and scandalously delicious Biscuit & Brisket dish at Food Prize, and lives were changed forever. Come on! A weekend doesn’t get better than that. Darion D’Anjou Award Winning Writer-Director
Being the 2018 Startup Prize winner... helps validate and push us to the next level with resources and expertise that are invaluable at this stage. I can’t wait for what’s next and to contribute to what the Startup Prize is creating. It’s special and awesome! Arthur Bart-Williams 2018 Startup Prize Winner
Being a part of Film Prize Junior was an amazing and unforgettable experience. It made us feel like our voices as young filmmakers really mattered. Maria Vu 2018 Film Prize Junior Winner
18
After a decade on the circuit, that was by far my favorite event, set of films, and group of people I have met at a single festival. Judah Ray Producer/Director/ Screenwriter
NATIONAL PRAISE FOR PRIZE We’re Calling It Now: The Next Big Filmmaker Is Coming From This Festival Katie Calautti Film Journalist, MTV.com
The confidence [Food Prize] has given me as a chef is unmatched. To be in the circle of competing chefs, getting to meet other chefs from out of town, learning methods and techniques – I take something away from every interaction. Tootie Morrison 2021 Food Prize Winner
It is my hope that this festival will continue to grow and garner the support it so richly deserves. In supporting this festival, one is supporting the arts, culture and job creation and growth. I look forward to seeing this festival becoming the ‘go to’ festival of films and music.
Fabulous and Original Hank Stuever The Washington Post
Step aside, California Moviemaker.com
If you want to see a real-world example of how entrepreneurial culture can empower a place, take a look at the energy that surrounds the Startup Prize, and the culture it has helped catalyze. Mark Newberg Impact Strategist
Mikel Rouse New York based Filmmaker/ Composer
19
Growing Local Community. Cultivating the Creative Class. Elevating Entrepreneurship. Evolving Education. Investing in the Economy. Watch the hype video!
For more information or to become a sponsor, please contact Gregory Kallenberg. gregory@prize.foundation