Here's a deceptively simple question: how do you create a grassroots art movement... from scratch?
Today I’m talking with Laura Bettelheim, the founder and Director of the Lake Stevens Film Festival. This is a volunteer-run, female-led hyperlocal film festival that draws regional talent and even national talent to the city of Lake Stevens, WA.
As we’ll get into in the episode, Laura conceived the idea of the Lake Stevens Film Festival during COVID. Like so many of us, she missed culture during lockdown. She wanted connection. So, she set out to build culture and connection.
Today, in talking to Laura, we’ll find out how one goes about building something from nothing – how the former bedroom community of Lake Stevens is attracting indie film fest star power, offering free public access to cultural education, and making it look easy.
