Prism: UO Stories // culture & communication

 

 

Funding and Support

When the festival began in 1993, it received a one-time budget allocation of $2,500 from the Student Senate, and, Martin said, it was a success. The funds raised at the first festival were rolled over to the next year's budget, and for many years the Queer Film Festival was financed this way.

"The idea in the beginning was that it would be a self-supporting program," Adkins said. But, the adminsitration recently said funds could no longer be rolled over from year to year, and any remaining funds would instead be allocated to other University of Oregon programs, according to Martin. The 2003 festival was the last to receive funds from the previous year.

Since rollover funding was prohibited, and even with financial support provided by the previous year's success, festival coordinators have always found it neccessary to seek out alternative financing.

In 2002 and 2004 the festival received a $2,000 grant from the Equity Foundation, a Portland based nonprofit that, according to its mission statement, "works to promote social justice, educations and welfare of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender communities, and of the people of Oregon in general, by providing suport to nonprofit organizations throughout the state."

Jamie June, coordinator for the 11th festival, sent a letter requesting financial contributions to nearly "every applicable deparment, college, school (and) office on campus, and received about $1,000," she wrote in an email.

June said that the festival also receives grant writing support, logistical support and ticketing support from university staff. Students dedicate volunteer hours and help promote the events, while community organizations and businesses provide discounted printing, donations of raffle gifts and promotion for the events.

Promoting Diversity

Although the response to the festival has generally been positive, Martin can recall running into some opposition in the past.

"They say a university shouldn't be doing this because it is a tax-supported institution," she said. Martin said that the festival has generated some controversy because of the sexual nature of some of the films shown, which have raised concerns about pornography. Adkins also recalls that one year a film "with explicit sexuality" was shown, and a professor took a lead role in defending the film.

Martin feels that the university is a good place to deal with these issues and show the material because the festival can "raise the issues and examine them in a setting that is safe and appropriate."

Martin advises that at least one faculty member be on the jury to cast the competition in a more "academic light," she said.

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