Bay Area Video Coalition

The Bay Area Video Coalition (BAVC) is a nonprofit organization that works to connect independent producers and underrepresented communities to emerging media technologies. It was founded in 1976 in San Francisco.

BAVC was founded in 1976 by a coalition of media-makers and activists who, initially, wanted to find alternative, civic-minded applications for a new technology – PortaPak video.

In 1976, The Rockefeller Foundation provided seed funding to a coalition of media makers, journalists, educators, and non-profit activists to complete a study that ultimately called for the founding of a media arts nonprofit. One year later, BAVC initiated its membership and fiscal sponsorship programs. Gail Waldron was hired as the first Executive Director. The nation's first nonprofit broadcast-level suite that meets PBS standards was created at BAVC in 1978. The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) funded BAVC to begin production of Western Exposure, a series of six diverse programs by Bay Area independents. The first workshop – Color Production – was taught with a Hitachi FP-1020 camera and JVC portable recorder.

In 1980, BAVC opened its Job Center, a space for students, job seekers, and industry pros to network.

As Executive Producer, BAVC produced The Stand In, directed by Bob Zagone and starring Danny Glover. One year later, BAVC produced The Life and Times of Rose Maddox, a documentary about the country western singer. The Grass Valley Switcher was installed in the Online suite, and Morrie Warshawski became the new Executive Director.

The BAVC artist-in-residence program was born with the Capp Street Project, sponsoring Mary Lucier, Daniel Reeves, and Francesco Torres. BAVC was the only video facility in San Francisco not damaged by the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, and was able to provide postproduction services for all American Red Cross relief reports. In 1991, the organization set up its Technical HelpDesk, initiated the Artist Equipment Access (AEA) program, now known as the Media Maker Awards, and co-published Illuminating Video: An Essential Guide to Video Art. BAVC acquired a ProTools system in 1993 and completed “Brothers,” the first interactive video program aimed at slowing the spread of HIV among African Americans. One year later, the organization was awarded an NEA Challenge Grant to develop a video preservation center. The captioning program was established with funds from the NEC Foundation of America and Toyota USA Foundation. Education expanded to 250 workshops a year; Avid authorized BAVC to be their Northern California Training Center.

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