17th District

POWER&FULL

17th District Presents

POWER&FULL

Season 1 — Out The Mud

A competitive creator funding platform awarding $150,000 to emerging storytellers. Apply. Get selected. Present live. Win funding that changes what you can build.

Submissions close in02mo 00d 02h 06m 42s

See What You Win

You keep your IP · $75 non-refundable entry fee · Winners selected by judges (70%) + public vote (30%)

$150,000 in Prizes

70% Judges · 30% Public Vote

Live Premiere at the Festival

You Keep Creative Control

How it works

Submit Your Project

Pay the $75 entry fee and submit your project. Storytellers across every discipline — film, music, visual art, content, brand, and community — are eligible.

Judges Select the Top 50

Industry judges review every submission. The Top 50 are selected based on story strength, originality, execution plan, and cultural impact.

Public Voting

Festival ticket holders vote live during the finalist presentations. Public vote = 30% of the final score. Judges hold 70%.

Winners Announced Live

The highest final score wins. Results are verified before announcement. Winners revealed live on stage at the Power & Full Festival — September 20, 2026.

What you win

$50,000 — Grand Prize

1 Winner

Full funding to complete your project.
Live premiere at the Power & Full Festival — red carpet, the room, the moment.
Mentorship, strategy sessions, and accountability support.
Media spotlight and press campaign around your story.

$25,000 — Runner Up

2 Winners

$25,000 in project funding — each.
Live premiere showcase at the festival.
Press feature and spotlight inclusion.

$15,000 — Finalist Prize

2 Winners

$15,000 to fund gear, crew, post-production, or travel.
Festival inclusion and premiere access.

$5,000 — Honorable Award

4 Winners

$5,000 micro-grant per winner.
Recognition, exposure, and community inclusion.

Total of $150,000 awarded across 9 winners — announced live on stage. September 20, 2026.

How winners are selected

70% Judges · 30% Public Vote

Industry judges score each finalist independently across six criteria. The public — every registered ticket holder — votes live during the finalist presentations. The highest combined score wins.

01 —

Story Strength

Power and clarity of the narrative.

02 —

Originality

Work that hasn't been seen before.

03 —

Execution Plan

How real the roadmap actually is.

04 —

Budget Clarity

Does the financial plan hold up.

05 —

Cultural Impact

Reach, resonance, and relevance.

06 —

Completion Viability

Feasibility of finishing the work.

Judges announced at Top 50

To protect the integrity of the process, judges are revealed during the Top 50 phase — not before. This keeps the competition merit-first.

Who can apply

Any emerging storyteller with an original project. No gatekeeping — if you have a story worth funding and a plan to execute it, this is for you.

Filmmakers

Short film, doc, feature, or narrative series.

Musicians

Album, EP, live experience, or sonic project.

Content Creators

Digital storytellers, podcasters, writers.

Visual Artists

Photographers, illustrators, designers.

Creative Businesses

Brands and platforms rooted in culture.

Community Builders

Advocates and cultural voices with a story.

Timeline

Now: Applications Open

Apr 15 – Jun 15, 2026

Applications Open

Submit your project and pay the $75 entry fee. All creative disciplines welcome.

Now

Jun 16 – Jul 15, 2026

Judges Select Top 50

Industry judges review every submission and select the Top 50 finalists.

Jul 16 – Jul 31, 2026

Public Voting Opens

Festival ticket holders vote live. Public vote counts for 30% of the final score.

September 20, 2026

Power & Full Festival

Finalists present live. Winners announced on stage. $150,000 awarded in real time.

Ready to submit?

$75 entry fee. You keep your IP. Merit wins.

Not ready to apply yet? Leave your email and we'll notify you when the final deadline approaches.

By joining, you agree to our terms & updates.

17th District

POWER&FULL

17th District Presents

POWER&FULL

Season 1 — Out The Mud

A competitive creator funding platform awarding $150,000 to emerging storytellers. Apply. Get selected. Present live. Win funding that changes what you can build.

Submissions close in02mo 00d 02h 06m 42s

See What You Win

You keep your IP · $75 non-refundable entry fee · Winners selected by judges (70%) + public vote (30%)

$150,000 in Prizes

70% Judges · 30% Public Vote

Live Premiere at the Festival

You Keep Creative Control

How it works

Submit Your Project

Pay the $75 entry fee and submit your project. Storytellers across every discipline — film, music, visual art, content, brand, and community — are eligible.

Judges Select the Top 50

Industry judges review every submission. The Top 50 are selected based on story strength, originality, execution plan, and cultural impact.

Public Voting

Festival ticket holders vote live during the finalist presentations. Public vote = 30% of the final score. Judges hold 70%.

Winners Announced Live

The highest final score wins. Results are verified before announcement. Winners revealed live on stage at the Power & Full Festival — September 20, 2026.

What you win

$50,000 — Grand Prize

1 Winner

Full funding to complete your project.
Live premiere at the Power & Full Festival — red carpet, the room, the moment.
Mentorship, strategy sessions, and accountability support.
Media spotlight and press campaign around your story.

$25,000 — Runner Up

2 Winners

$25,000 in project funding — each.
Live premiere showcase at the festival.
Press feature and spotlight inclusion.

$15,000 — Finalist Prize

2 Winners

$15,000 to fund gear, crew, post-production, or travel.
Festival inclusion and premiere access.

$5,000 — Honorable Award

4 Winners

$5,000 micro-grant per winner.
Recognition, exposure, and community inclusion.

Total of $150,000 awarded across 9 winners — announced live on stage. September 20, 2026.

How winners are selected

70% Judges · 30% Public Vote

Industry judges score each finalist independently across six criteria. The public — every registered ticket holder — votes live during the finalist presentations. The highest combined score wins.

01 —

Story Strength

Power and clarity of the narrative.

02 —

Originality

Work that hasn't been seen before.

03 —

Execution Plan

How real the roadmap actually is.

04 —

Budget Clarity

Does the financial plan hold up.

05 —

Cultural Impact

Reach, resonance, and relevance.

06 —

Completion Viability

Feasibility of finishing the work.

Judges announced at Top 50

To protect the integrity of the process, judges are revealed during the Top 50 phase — not before. This keeps the competition merit-first.

Who can apply

Any emerging storyteller with an original project. No gatekeeping — if you have a story worth funding and a plan to execute it, this is for you.

Filmmakers

Short film, doc, feature, or narrative series.

Musicians

Album, EP, live experience, or sonic project.

Content Creators

Digital storytellers, podcasters, writers.

Visual Artists

Photographers, illustrators, designers.

Creative Businesses

Brands and platforms rooted in culture.

Community Builders

Advocates and cultural voices with a story.

Timeline

Now: Applications Open

Apr 15 – Jun 15, 2026

Applications Open

Submit your project and pay the $75 entry fee. All creative disciplines welcome.

Now

Jun 16 – Jul 15, 2026

Judges Select Top 50

Industry judges review every submission and select the Top 50 finalists.

Jul 16 – Jul 31, 2026

Public Voting Opens

Festival ticket holders vote live. Public vote counts for 30% of the final score.

September 20, 2026

Power & Full Festival

Finalists present live. Winners announced on stage. $150,000 awarded in real time.

Ready to submit?

$75 entry fee. You keep your IP. Merit wins.

Not ready to apply yet? Leave your email and we'll notify you when the final deadline approaches.

By joining, you agree to our terms & updates.