Mission & Vision

woman on a darkened stage in a white dress, holding and looking into a clear glass orb

Independent Arts & Media’s Mission 

. . . is to steward and empower independent art and media projects that foster community and civic participation, and facilitate cultural engagement and free expression.

Media, journalism, the arts and culture are all arenas of social interaction and civic engagement. Yet even in the Internet era, these arenas are closed to public participation due to commercial or institutional barriers. We champion media producers and culture makers doing significant work to advance civic engagement and cultural participation in our communities and our democracy.

Our Ultimate Vision 

. . . is to strengthen a culture of democracy by cultivating art and media projects that engage neighbors in civic life.

This vision of fiscal sponsorship as a transformative “free speech platform” comes from our own experiences as journalists, artists, and media producers who needed better infrastructure for their public-interest work.

IAM Values 

. . . diversity, equity, inclusion, sustainability, leadership, advocacy, transparency, and accountability:

 

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion: 

IAM is committed to supporting services and programming where all people regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, age, ability, citizenship, religion, education, or socio-economic position have access to the resources they need to express themselves; we work both internally and externally towards the liberation of all people.

Sustainability: 

Resilient, mission-driven revenue streams and efficient, cost effective operational design are the foundation of long-term success for IAM and its affiliates.

Leadership & Advocacy: 

IAM recognizes the importance of cultivating economic, social, and civic engagement as a means of broadening and deepening community leadership and participation. 

Transparency & Accountability:  

IAM’s reputation and role as a steward of charitable funding and resources on behalf of our affiliates, and its status as an IRS-recognized nonprofit public charity, require the highest degree of transparency and accountability in its financial operations and programmatic services.

 
Photo courtesy of Phadroid Collective