The Tribeca Festival announced plans for a new Creator vertical in partnership with Whalar Group. The vertical bridges Hollywood with the creator economy by spotlighting creators as storytellers, community builders, and publishers redefining entertainment.

The Creator vertical launches with a talk at the 2024 Tribeca Festival featuring filmmaker Archie Gips and creators Brandon Edelman and Coco Mocoe. It explores how creators interact with fandom and tell authentic stories. Beyond the festival, Whalar’s physical campuses in New York and Los Angeles will host a year-round Creator talks series.

“Tribeca goes where our audiences go,” Jane Rosenthal, co-founder and CEO of Tribeca Enterprises, said in the announcement. “We’re curious about innovative storytelling formats like social media used by filmmakers and creators to reach audiences.”

The festival’s Tribeca X Awards adds a new Creator/Influencer award category for social media creator content. On June 8, Tribeca convened Hollywood and creator economy leaders at Neuehouse for a networking event kicking off the new vertical.

“Creators are at the heart of everything we do,” said Neil Waller, Whalar Group’s co-founder and Co-CEO. “This Tribeca partnership empowers creators by unlocking opportunities and amplifying diverse voices in brand storytelling.”

Rosenthal, Robert De Niro, and Craig Hatkoff founded Tribeca in 2001 after 9/11 to revitalize lower Manhattan through arts and culture. James Murdoch’s Lupa Systems acquired a majority stake in 2019. The 23rd annual Tribeca Festival runs June 5-16, 2024.