SHREVEPORT, LA — On Wednesday, February 8th, in front of a standing-room-only audience of creative entrepreneurs, the Prize Foundation announced the opening of its award-winning competitions in filmmaking, music, fashion, food, and comedy. Together the competitions will award over $100,000 in cash prizes.
“We are so excited about this year’s competitions and being a part of building our city’s creative economy”, said Founder and Executive Director of the Prize Foundation Gregory Kallenberg. “Last year was an epic year for the Prize, and we are counting on another big year of celebrating and rewarding creativity.”
During the presentation, Prize staff reported record-breaking numbers from the 2022 competition year, including the largest-ever number of Film Prize entries, the most Comedy Prize submissions, a massive Taco Wars attendance, and the most votes cast in a single year across all competitions. The Film Prize competition was even named one of the “Best Short Films in the World” in 2022, a title held by only 25 festivals.
“Together, these numbers show that the energy is growing in our creative community heading into 2023,” said Chris Lyon, director of the Film Prize competition. “We believe that this year will be even bigger than the last, with more competitors from more places and a brighter light will be shone on Shreveport, Northwest Louisiana, and the state as a whole.”
Four of the six Prize competitions were officially opened at the event, including the flagship Film Prize ($50,000 grand prize), Music Prize ($10,000 grand prize), Fashion Prize ($2,500 grand prize), and Comedy Prize ($2,500 grand prize). Other prizes include various cash prizes, grants, and stipends for finalist competitors, totaling over $100,000. Food Prize and Taco Wars competitor announcements will be made in the coming weeks.
The Prize kickoff event also featured a photography showcase and competition called “The Golden Lens Photography Competition”, created by Jen Robison in partnership with Bossier Parish Community College which features a series of photos taken during last year’s Prize Fest. A panel of judges and attendees of the kickoff voted on their favorite photo. The People’s Choice winner took home a $250 cash prize and the Grand Prize winner received $750.
Information about this year’s creative competitions, including prizes, deadlines, rules, and registration forms can be found online at prizefest.com.
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About the Prize Foundation
The Prize Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2012. Our mission is to promote economic growth, workforce development, youth job training, creative class entrepreneurial buildout, and increased tourism through education, entrepreneurship, conferences, contests, and festivals in Shreveport and Northwest Louisiana. The Prize Foundation operates six major initiatives year-round: Louisiana Film Prize, Film Prize Junior, Startup Prize, Food Prize, Music Prize, and Fashion Prize. Each Prize has a qualification process, engagement with economic and cultural resources, and an educational component.