IMI Fest,

About the event

IMI Fest is a one-of-a-kind festival celebrating independent media creators who share their work online. Produced by the Independent Media Initiative (IMI), it brings together a diverse group of creators, educators, and industry professionals across formats and genres for a weekend of discovery and connection.

​Held each November in Austin, TX, IMI Fest features workshops, exhibits, performances, and the presentation of the IMI Awards—honoring exceptional creators and the educational and artistic value of their work. Learn more about IMI at theimi.co.

Why should you sponsor?

IMI Fest — What It Is & Why It Matters

IMI Fest isn’t a typical festival, and it’s not built around scale.

It’s a curated gathering of independent creators working across YouTube, film, journalism, and education—people who are building real audiences and developing long-form work.

Most events optimize for size and visibility.
IMI Fest is intentionally the opposite.

We keep it small so the room actually matters.

The creators attending are:

• building trust with their audiences
• developing documentaries, series, and media projects
• operating outside traditional systems, but often moving toward them

These aren’t influencers.
They’re early-stage cultural voices.

What Partners Get

This isn’t a traditional sponsorship.

There’s no focus on logos or forced content.

Instead, partners get:

• direct access to a curated group of creators
• time in an environment designed for real conversations
• the opportunity to support creators directly (travel, participation, work)

Partners typically engage by:

• funding individual creators to attend
• participating in small-group conversations or dinners
• collaborating on programming that aligns with their brand

We don’t force a format.
It’s designed to be intentional and flexible.

Why This Is Valuable

The media landscape is shifting.

Independent creators are:

• building long-term audience relationships
• moving into larger formats (film, series, journalism)
• shaping how information and culture spread

Kyndal Jeter

The internet has empowered more people than ever to make and share media, offering unprecedented opportunities for human expression. Our vision is to create a public media for today’s world that connects creators and audiences. Audiences benefit when independent creators can pursue their authentic vision. Creators benefit when audiences can discover and support them.

​We’re building a place where audiences can come to find exceptional content by spotlighting the best educational and artistic creators on the internet. 

Contact the Organizer Contact the Organizer