
Catalyst content festival
Oct 4-7, 2023 | duluth, mn
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Catalyst is proud to be part of the North Star Story Summit, a week-long event showcasing indie TV, web & film in partnership with the Duluth Superior Film Festival & Minnesota WebFest
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STRIKE UPDATE
This Catalyst will look different from other years due to the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes currently taking place. This year's festival will be a peer-to-peer networking and educational event. This means we did not do Official Selections. Everyone who submitted was welcomed to attend and show their work and received feedback from Creators. Please continue to check our Strikes & Festival Updates page for the most up to date information.
TICKETS & BADGES
MULTIDAY BADGE

Multiday badges give you UNLIMITED access to all Catalyst panels, workshops, and screenings on all days of the festival. Multiday badges also include ALL Duluth Superior Film Fest and Minnesota Webfest screenings. Multiday passes do not include Catalyst industry events and Gala.
RSVP
$100
In-person tickets & Badges
Virtual tickets & Badges
For those who can't make it to Duluth this year, we are providing a low-cost option to participate virtually!
- Click the Virtual Theater Pass, which will take you to our partner's website, Entertainmint.
-Create your free Entertainmint account.
- Purchase the 2023 Catalyst Festival
- When the festival begins, the virtual theater will open!
SCHEDULE & VENUES
SPEAKERS & PANELISTS
STORIES & SHOWS
Due to the ongoing strikes, there are no Official Selections in 2023. All submissions were welcomed to attend for peer-to-peer networking and educational review of their projects.
TRAVEL & LODGING
AIRPORTS
Duluth International Airport (DLH)
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15 mins from downtown
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Delta
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Sun Country
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United
Minneapolis/St Paul Airport (MSP)
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2.5 hour drive to Duluth
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Most major airlines
HOTELS
Duluth offers over 40+ hotel options. See the full list here.
AWARDS & HONORS
Due to the ongoing strikes, there are no Awards in 2023. All submissions were welcomed to attend for peer-to-peer networking and educational review of their projects.
FESTIVAL PHOTOS
2023 festival photos will be posted in October
SPONSORSHIP
Catalyst champions independent storytellers and advances their careers. Storytelling is a key piece of our cultural fabric that ties us together and provides hope and opportunity for many.
We provide a strong professional community for storytellers to engage with through the Catalyst Institute and highlight their work for the world at the annual Catalyst Content Festival.
Catalyst is not possible without the generosity of our passionate community. Whether your gift is $500 or $50,000, there is a way for you to connect with Catalyst. We hope you will join our community and help us strengthen independent artists and the storytelling landscape.
To learn more about how you can support our year-round programs, please contact us at (218) 208-0140 or office@catalystories.com
Sponsor Levels: Local
Starts at $500
Sponsor Levels: Industry
Starts at $5,000
Volunteer
Thank you for being part of Catalyst! Our work would not be possible without your time and support. Volunteer options include:
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Festival Production
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Box Office
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Venue greeter
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Information booth attendant
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Transportation
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Lounge assistant
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Merchandise
Volunteers receive one tshirt and 10 complimentary festival tickets ($55 value) to use for themselves, friends, and family.
SUBMIT CONTENT
Submission Deadline
Submissions are now closed for 2023.
Selection Notifications
August 15, 2023
Submission Fee
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$65 non-members
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$49 members (become a member)
Categories & Types of Content
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Narrative/episodic/serialized content of any genre
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Comedy, drama, thriller, scripted, unscripted, documentary, social media, short series, anthology, limited series, podcast, reality, animation, kids, etc.
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We do not accept feature films
More Details
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You can submit your project as a pitch, a script, or a video (or any combination) in most categories, see category listings below
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We do not have any premiere requirements
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Works in progress are welcome
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For video submissions, we only accept one singular video file that includes a maximum of 65 minutes of content and/or a maximum of 3 episodes, whichever is shortest. For example: (1) 60 min ep or (3) 15 min eps.
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Watch our walkthrough video on this page for more details