About

The Texas Lights Grant provides $50,000+ catalytic grants to exceptional Texas filmmakers advancing bold, artistically significant work. The program is designed to support filmmakers and projects at meaningful inflection points—where substantial, flexible support can change the trajectory of a film, strengthen an artist’s career, and contribute to a thriving independent film ecosystem in Texas.

Texas Lights considers projects through an invitation-only process. Projects are identified and selected directly by Texas Lights, and only invited filmmakers will be asked to submit a full grant application. See 2026 Texas Lights recipients.

Eligibility

To be considered for a Texas Lights Grant:

• The project must have a meaningful connection to Texas. Projects with Texas-based director, producers and/or Texas-based production prioritized.
• The applicant must be the project’s director or producer.
• The project must be an independently produced narrative or documentary feature film. Texas Lights does not fund studio productions, television projects, commercials, PSAs, branded content, or other commissioned work.
• The director must be the primary creative force behind the project — responsible for its artistic vision and execution, not a director-for-hire on someone else’s material.
• Projects may be considered at stages ranging from development through production, post-production, and distribution.
• Projects should demonstrate a clear need for funding and an identifiable opportunity for Texas Lights support to meaningfully advance the work.
• Applicants must provide all required materials and, when requested, documentation necessary to confirm eligibility.

Additional eligibility requirements, including residency and project requirements, may vary by grant cycle.

What We Look For

Texas Lights prioritizes projects that demonstrate strength across the following areas:

Artistic Vision
Projects should reflect a distinctive creative vision and a strong sense of authorship. We are especially interested in ambitious, original work that takes creative risks and contributes meaningfully to contemporary independent cinema.

Filmmaker Track Record and Career Trajectory
Texas Lights is designed primarily to support established and mid-career filmmakers whose work demonstrates artistic achievement, professional momentum, and the potential for continued long-term impact. We consider where a filmmaker is in their career and how meaningful support at this moment could help advance their next stage of growth. 

Potential for Transformative Impact
Grant support should have the potential to materially change the trajectory of the project or filmmaker. This may include unlocking a critical phase of production, strengthening the creative work, positioning a film for completion or release, or creating new opportunities for the filmmaker’s career.

Project Strength and Feasibility
Projects should demonstrate a compelling creative foundation and a thoughtful, realistic path forward. Texas Lights will consider the strength of the filmmaking team, project plan, financing strategy, production approach, and the likelihood that the project can successfully reach its intended audience.

Audience and Cultural Potential
We seek films with the potential to resonate meaningfully with audiences and contribute to the broader cultural conversation. Projects may demonstrate potential through their subject matter, artistic approach, anticipated festival or exhibition pathway, distribution opportunities, or other forms of cultural impact.

Connection to Texas
Texas Lights exists to strengthen independent filmmaking in Texas and support the state as a place where filmmakers can build sustainable careers. Priority will be given to projects and filmmakers whose work meaningfully contributes to Texas’s creative community, including projects rooted in Texas stories, talent, production, communities, or long-term artistic practice.

Our Approach 

Texas Lights recognizes that strong independent films take many forms and follow different paths. There is no single formula for a competitive project, and applicants are not expected to meet every consideration in the same way.

Our goal is to identify exceptional filmmakers and landmark projects for which catalytic support can strengthen both the work itself and the long-term future of independent film in Texas.

General Information about Texas Lights

Texas Lights is an initiative of the Austin Film Society and a statewide network. The Fort Worth-based Lone Star Film Society and Round Top Film Festival are official partners of Texas Lights; additional partnerships will be announced as the program grows. 

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Texas Lights does not accept unsolicited applications or materials. For inquiries, you may contact the team via this contact form.

Filmmakers are encouraged to read the guidelines for both the AFS Grant and Texas Lights to understand eligibility for these programs. The AFS Grant supports filmmakers from early to mid-career, and most Texas Lights applicants have previously engaged with the AFS Grant either as an applicant or recipient.

AFS maintains an open application process for the AFS Grant.