Advance and amplify an inspiring Iowa documentary, 'The Negro Artist,' on Giving Tuesday as it breaks out nationally

Here’s a project that deserves your consideration on Giving Tuesday:

Nik Heftman is a documentary director/writer from Iowa who is now showing his film, “The Negro Artist,” dealing with race, resilience and other social issues. The feature-length film spotlights emerging spoken-word poet and artist Caleb “The Negro Artist” Rainey.

It’s a wonderful opportunity on this Giving Tuesday to advance eye-opening filmmaking and showcase Iowa, and America, at their best.

The “The Negro Artist” is 50 minutes and earning acclaim and standing ovations.

Many of you have an interest in promoting/supporting such relevant works, especially in light of the state of the nation at the end of 2024.

Heftman is booking “The Negro Artist” around the United States.

Please consider making a TAX—DEDUCTIBLE donation through Heftman’s fiscal sponsor, Creative Visions. All proceeds will go toward securing more screenings of “The Negro Artist,” getting the film in theaters in Iowa, the Midwest and beyond.

“The film screenings are evolving into an immersive experience of poetry, storytelling, film and Q&A’s with audiences,” Heftman said. “We’re taking it further and developing a storytelling workshop to add to the film experience.”

“The donations will contribute to our effort to bring the film experience to local theaters, high schools, museums, and rural arts communities,” Heftman continued. “We’re looking to inspire tangible change through poetry and film. Please consider making a contribution.”

“The Negro Artist” has graced theater screens in:

Des Moines
Spirit Lake (Lake Okoboji)
Jefferson

And soon:

Iowa City
Detroit
Chicago
Winterset, Iowa
Burlington, Iowa
And several more showings in Des Moines

---

“The Negro Artist” was selected to screen at the Culver City Film Festival in Los Angeles, California! The film will show at the iconic Regal LA Live theater in downtown.

“It will be an honor and privilege to screen the film in the movie capital of the world,” Heftman said.

The exact date and timing info is TBD. If you can’t make it to Los Angeles, purchase tickets to the screening in Iowa City. Tickets are going fast! Purchase them here:

(Douglas Burns, founder of The Iowa Mercury and a fourth-generation Iowa journalist from Carroll, is a member of the Iowa Writers’ Collaborative. Read dozens of the most talented writers in Iowa in just one place. The Iowa Writers' Collaborative spans the full state. It’s one of the biggest things going in Iowa journalism and writing now — and you don’t want to miss. This collaborative is — as the outstanding Quad Cities journalist Ed Tibbetts says — YOUR SUNDAY IOWA newspaper. )