In 2012, Beasts of the Southern Wild was filmed in Louisiana. Together with a small professional crew, dozens of local, Louisiana artists came together to create this work of art. They called themselves Court 13. Off the back of the 4 Academy Awards nominations the film received in 2013, along with numerous other accolades including the Caméra d'Or at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival and the Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival, Beast's writer and director Benh Zeitlin founded the Court 13 Arts organization to give back to & forge space for Louisiana artists like those who were instrumental in making his film. Through cultural, educational, and mentorship programs, artist residencies, festivals, events, and the provision of affordable studios for artists who would otherwise not have access to fabrication space, we have been dedicated to the guiding principle of giving back since the organization's official inception in 2015.