2021 Call For Entry Amid Novel Coronavirus

Deadline for the 2021 Film and Video Poetry Symposium is September 4, 2021

Beginning spring 2020 our platform experienced the stress and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Both the FVPS 2020 call for entry deadline and our annual symposium were rescheduled. The 2020 Film and Video Poetry Symposium team worked closely with local authorities to safely present a public screening. We designed a protocol that met the public health rules in our region and transformed an outdoor parking lot into a cinema. In addition, FVPS deployed a 24-hour online streaming channel to present the works of over 60 poets, artists, and filmmakers in an uninterrupted cycle.

The Film and Video Poetry Society commends the programmers, organizers, and coordinators that continue on with their programming and have made public statements in an alliance to safety and awareness. We salute those organizations that resolved to safely coordinate their event either online or in person. We commend the organizations that have made the difficult but responsible choice to cancel or postpone their events. There have been no easy solutions for those involved in the event industry during this crisis and our hope is high for illness and transmission to reseed.

With this in mind, The Film and Video Poetry Society is once again committed to present our annual symposium this Fall 2021. We are optimistic, and if forced to postpone or reschedule because of the public health crisis, FVPS has now established a road map of how to remain stabilized, effective, and operational through the unstable nature of the covid-19 pandemic. FVPS pledges to follow ethical guidelines regarding rescheduling and postponements and we remain in direct contact with public health officials in not only Los Angeles, but around the globe.

We are deeply saddened for everyone whose lives and careers have been disrupted by this pandemic, especially the poets, educators, filmmakers, and artists who are at the very heart of our platform. We are also encouraged by the countless supporters who have seized this moment to champion independent media.

The Film and Video Poetry Society will continue to pursue new and experimental ways to support and connect artists and audiences in person and online. We look forward to this experience strengthening our return to the cinemas and theaters around the globe.

Thank you for reading our 2021 statement regarding the COVID-19 pandemic and our commitment to screen and exhibit your work this fall.

Be safe. Follow the recommendations from the health officials in your township, and above all remain hopeful, educated, and aware.