Beyond Hollywood and Cartoon Network, there is an amazing world of animation you’ve never seen.

Independent animators produce hundreds of short films each year that are in turn hilarious, heart-warming, and profound. Sadly, without million-dollar advertising budgets, you probably won’t ever hear about these gems. The NW Animation Festival seeks to change this.

Here’s our vision: We want Portland Oregon to host the biggest animation festival in the USA. Instead of a dozen or so films, our goal is an abundant feast of 200+ each year. Let there be a mix of new work both from masters of the art and from remarkable amateurs. An event that inspires and brings together a community of artists.

1. To feed animation lovers’ craving with a sprawling feast of new work.
2. To showcase the breadth of animation methods: hand-drawn, computer-generated, stop-motion, hybrid experiments, and more.
3. To re-inspire independent animators each year with an infusion of new ideas and imagery.
4. To encourage students and emerging artists by helping them get their first showing on the big screen.
5. To expand audiences’ understanding of what can be done with this art form.
6. In some small way, to nourish the art of animation, helping it grow and evolve.