RADA COLLABORATIVE

Colorful logo with four squares in white, blue, purple, and pink, intersected by a yellow plus sign, with the text 'RADA COLLABORATIVE' underneath.

Rada Collaborative is a Brooklyn based arts organization that uses cinema, visual art, and compelling visual stories to build narrative agency and material change for creators of color. We provoke critical thought and disrupt the status quo in nonfiction spaces and our world. We formed Rada Collaborative as a space to nurture and mentor BIPOC artists and provide a platform to spotlight their work and build an expansive sense of belonging for them.

We are building a community of creatives who redefine the cinematic canon. We question and challenge established theories and approaches that center the idea that diverse representation in storytelling power structures alone is not a sufficient or adequate measure for justice and structural change. Instead, we prioritize a complex deep examination of character and story motivation and agency within storytelling and artistic practices.

For a closer look at our recent work and collaborations, visit our BLOG and subscribe to our NEWSLETTER.

PROGRAMS

COLLABORATIVE INCUBATOR

Starting on 2017, the Collaborative Incubator encourages innovative approaches to storytelling for filmmakers, curators, and creatives at different stages of their artistic careers. Our support has expanded and deepened to include guidance in securing funding and navigating all phases of practice: research, production, post-production, and outreach. We are dedicated to advancing boundary-pushing narrative experimentation across mediums.

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  • Woman conducting a science experiment outdoors while surrounded by onlookers.
  • Silhouettes of two people with backpacks walking along the shore of a lake, with trees in the background and one tree partially submerged in water.
  • A woman wearing a black face mask holding a poster stands on a sidewalk beside a street with trees and houses in the background. There is a sign saying 'LA BOCA' with an arrow pointing left.
  • A Panamanian woman or person with curly hair holding a camera, taking a selfie in a mirror, with yellow text overlay reading 'Where does this hair come from'.
  • A woman in traditional dress in Panama and hat standing by a river looking at the water and distant mountains under a partly cloudy sky.
  • A collage showing historical Black civil rights figures on the left, a Black military officer in uniform in the center, and modern Black scuba divers underwater on the right, with a ship in the background. The text "Black Star Rising" is displayed across the middle.
  • A Panamanian woman with a large, curly afro hairstyle in profile against a background of trees and a building, with the word 'cuscú' and a question about identity overlaying her face.
  • A Mexican elderly woman with dark hair in a bun, wearing a blue dress and necklace, standing in a green field of tall plants under a blue sky.
  • A person holding a compact digital camera with an LCD screen displaying a photo of a young girl lying down on a bed, petting a small animal.
  • A woman dancing in a room with a chair and a bag in the background. She is wearing a long skirt and a top, captured mid-movement with her arms outstretched and her head tilted.
  • An AfroMexican woman with curly hair floating face down in the water at the ocean, with only her head and part of her body visible.
  • A AfroMexican woman with red hair, wearing a white tank top and pink shorts, sitting on the floor and painting a colorful portrait of a woman with dark curly hair, wearing a blue dress and pink shawl, against an orange background.
  • Three children sitting outdoors on a rocky hillside, looking into the distance, with a landscape of trees, industrial buildings, and mountains in the background.
  • An AfroMexican woman with a shaved head, wearing an orange dress with black patterns, holding a microphone and speaking. Behind her is a golden stage with hanging lights, creating a warm, festive atmosphere.
  • Person holding a clump of soil and roots in a field in Mexico, with green plants and a cloudy sky in the background.
  • A person standing outside a light blue house in Panama, holding a sign with a collage of images, wearing a black mask, with yellow subtitles that read, 'What does it mean to be black in this country?'

COLLABORATIVE COMMUNITY PROGRAMMING

We seek to ensure that BIPOC communities are part of local and diasporic engagement and that long-standing events continue to thrive and incorporate the works of artists we support in our incubator. These activities have included mentorship and support of emerging makers, rough cut screenings and talkbacks as well as community screenings around the world.

UPCOMING EVENTS
  • Silhouette of a man standing in front of a presentation slide with colorful geometric shapes and the words 'POWER', 'GAZE', and 'POWER' in red, green, and blue text in a film workshop in Lisbon.
  • Three women seated (among them director Michele Stephenson) on stage in front of a large screen, participating in a discussion or panel. The screen displays an animated poster for 'Black Girl Play: The Story of Handgames,' available on ESPN+.
  • A woman is presenting to a group of diverse people in a classroom or conference room, with a large screen behind her displaying an image and a timestamp.
  • Event poster titled "Improvisation in Hip-Hop: Screening + Q&A" scheduled for Thursday, May 15 at 7:30 PM. Features a Q&A with Lil Rodney C., an original member of Funky 4 + 1, moderated by Daniella Brito, and performer & MC OOMAN. The poster includes black-and-white and color photos of each speaker or performer, with information about screenings of "Dubbed In Glamour" (1980) and "Breakers Live" (1981). Logos of RADA Collaborative and Anthology Film Archives are at the bottom.
  • Panel discussion with three people seated on stage in front of a large screen displaying event information about a screening series called "Imaging Improvisation." The screen shows images and names of Lil Rodney C!, Ooman, and Daniela Brito, along with a QR code for newsletter subscription. The stage has a black background, and the panelists are seated in blue chairs.
  • A woman holding a microphone and speaking while a woman listens with a serious expression in a dark room.
  • Black and white image of a person lying on the ground with arms and legs outstretched, viewed through a digital screen, with text overlay about an event titled 'Imaging Improvisation.'
  • People watching a movie outdoors on a large screen in an urban park at night, with a building and trees illuminated in the background.
  • Two speakers, a woman on the left and a man on the right, seated at a table during a presentation. The woman is listening, while the man is speaking with hand gestures. A presentation slide behind them reads 'Telling Our Story: Complicating the Narrative in Documentary Filmmaking' with the names 'Michèle Stephenson & Joe Brewster'.
  • A poster for an event titled 'Imaging Improvisation' featuring a dance performance called 'Dancing For the Screen' with Blondell Cumming presenting 'Moving Pictures.' The poster includes a photo of a woman with painted gold hands and unkempt hair, dressed in purple, with her hands raised and an expressive facial expression. The event is scheduled for June 19 at 7:30 PM, with screenings of 'First Tape' (1975) and 'The Ladies and Me' (1980). Logos for RADA Collaborative and Anthology Film Archives are at the bottom.
  • Three people are sitting on stage in a panel discussion, facing an audience, with a large screen behind them in a theater setting.
  • A man wearing a hat and glasses is speaking into a microphone at a gathering, with an audience of diverse adults watching him. The event is in a room with black-and-white photos and a large text panel on the wall, and a large window in the background.
  • Three people sit on blue chairs on a stage, participating in a panel discussion. The person on the left is a woman holding a microphone and taking notes. The center is a woman with long hair, smiling and holding a microphone. The person on the right is a man wearing a baseball cap, a jacket, and sneakers, speaking into a microphone.
  • A person performing fire juggling outdoors at dusk, with the sky darkening and silhouettes of buildings and power lines in the background, promotional poster for an event titled 'Imaging Improvisation'.
  • People seated in an exhibition room watching a video presentation on a large screen, with posters on the walls.
  • An audience seated in a theater watching a presentation, with some people on the upper balcony, all wearing face masks.
  • A poster for a Q&A event titled 'Imaging Improvisation' featuring filmmakers Omolola Ajao and Kearra Amaya Gopee, moderated by Daniella Brito, with portraits of the three women and logos for Rada Collaborative and Anthropology Film Archives.
  • Audience members sitting in a dark auditorium, some wearing face masks, listening attentively during a presentation or discussion.
  • Four diverse individuals seated at a conference table in a meeting room, engaged in conversation with laptops and personal items on the table, and a window with blinds in the background.
  • Three men sitting on chairs in a room, with posters and photos on the wall behind them. The man in the middle is speaking into a microphone. The floor has a rug.
  • People sitting in an auditorium, some are listening and some are talking

COLLABORATIVE SALONS

In 2023, we launched a quarterly salon series bringing together artists across disciplines and career stages to break bread, discuss process, share work, and receive feedback from colleagues and peers.

  • A diverse group of people attending an event at a bookstore or gallery, some standing around tables with drinks, inside a space decorated with artwork and books.
  • People seated and eating food in a cozy living room with large windows, a painting on the wall, and musical instruments being played by musicians.
  • Group of diverse women and men posing together indoors, smiling, in casual and colorful clothing.
  • A group of smiling and happy people gathered outdoors, with some seated at a wooden table and others standing behind. The setting appears to be a sunny day with greenery and trees in the background.

COLLABORATIVE MEDIA PROJECTS

Continuing our commitment to bold storytelling, we designed for mid-career filmmakers to experiment with cinematic language and reimagine narrative forms. Working at the intersection of film, art, and technology, this initiative encourages artistic risk-taking, empowering filmmakers to push their craft and contribute to a broader cultural dialogue.

  • A person taking a photo with a phone inside a botanical exhibit with various grasses and flowers, in a modern indoor space.
  • A man taking a photo with his phone in an indoor garden exhibit with tall grasses and flowers.
  • A person holding a tablet with a digital hologram of a human figure made of pink and purple particles, standing above a circular pink platform, with a spacecraft and a starry sky in the background.
  • A woman with headphones looking at her phone in an indoor area decorated with tall grasses and flowers. There are other people in the background, some standing and some with raised arms, in a setting with bright lighting and large windows.
  • Two women are in an indoor garden with tall dried plants and flowers, one is taking a photo with her phone, and the other is posing for the picture.