Consider Supporting MASA'S 10th Anniversary!
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MASA Turns 10! See MASA Impact Statements and Support Our Work This Year
Hello, Friends! Media Arts Santa Ana (MASA) is celebrating its 10th Anniversary this year, and we are proud of the programs we have created, audiences we have served and artists we have worked with over the past decade.
We invite you to help us mark this milestone and continue our work empowering Orange County residents through free media arts training and programs by making a tax deductible contribution to support our 10th Anniversary programming at https://masamedia.networkforgood.com.
You can also help by sharing our information to benefactors, foundations, funders or philanthropists who would be interested in supporting our work.
For more information on how you can help support MASA's 10th Anniversary programs, please email MASA Founding Director Victor Payan at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Scroll Below for Video Testimonials by Herbert Sigüenza, Skeith DeWine, Megan Francisco and OC Indies Founder Tony Godfrey!
Testimonials: See What People Are Saying About MASA!
I have long admired MASA’s support of California artists and their work to address community issues and well-being through innovative arts and culture programs. MASA is a hidden gem whose impact reaches far beyond Orange County. I am proud to serve as a MASA Advisory Board Member.
Herbert Sigüenza
Co-Founder, Culture Clash
MASA Advisory Board Member
I am very familiar with Media Arts Santa Ana and the transformative work they are doing in Santa Ana. To my knowledge there is no other Latinx/é organization in the region doing what they are doing. I worked with Victor as the administrator for the California Arts Council California Creative Corps fellowship that resulted in the creation of the VOTOS LOCOS video game and was impressed with how effectively they mobilized artists, programmers and community organizations to realize and launch this cutting edge project.
Evonne Gallardo
Senior Program Director, Community Partners
SAMMI is a really cool resource for people that want to learn all aspects of filmmaking, but that don't have a lot of time to go to graduate school, film school, all of that. It’s really designed for people that just want to learn the essentials of doing it so that they can get out there and start filming, like, right now. And that's amazing. That's empowering. And, that is really cool for helping people of all kinds of backgrounds, whether you're an artist or whether you're in the nonprofit world, all kinds of backgrounds that you may want to get ideas out on to film or even document what's going on in your neighborhood.
Greg Ramirez
SAMMI Class Participant / Board Member, Museum of Social Justice
MASA has been wonderful in showing me and my daughters how to use technology, video and social media in our community work, which includes police issues, combatting hunger and advocating for youth programs to the city council and our neighborhood association. As a single working mom, MASA's free programs are a godsend. There is nowhere else to go for the quality and variety of programming MASA provides.
Vanessa Balderas
Parent
Healing Urban Barrios / Chicanxs Unidxs
Eric is learning so much through the fabulous SAMMI class at Media Arts Santa Ana! They have been a blessing to inspire Eric's love of photography and non linear thinking!
Elsa Moreno
Parent
I sincerely believe that my experience with MASA programs has enhanced my life. Their contributions have made a deep and positive impact to me as an artist and as a human being, and I am grateful for their continued dedication to offer meaningful experiences to all of us. Their presence has greatly helped me as an artist and as a person struggling with a myriad of obstacles.
Survey Response
OC Film Fiesta is one of those festivals that arrives without noise but stays with you forever. It’s an intimate, welcoming festival with a huge spirit and an even bigger heart. From day one, I found a team driven not only by passion but by a kind of human warmth that is rare in the festival world.
At the helm are Víctor Payán and Pocha Peña, who don’t just run the festival—they build community. They make you feel welcome from the very first moment, always attentive and always present. That energy flows through the entire staff, creating an environment where filmmakers can genuinely share, learn, and connect.
The curation is exceptional: diverse, thoughtful, and deeply committed to new voices. It’s a festival that embraces originality, freshness, and perspectives that expand the cinematic language. Their selection celebrates innovation and artistic risk, making it a unique home for independent cinema.
OC Film Fiesta opens doors—to new narratives, new aesthetics, and filmmakers seeking that first space where they can be truly seen. It understands that the future of cinema lies not only in industry but in creativity, artistic honesty, and personal storytelling.
I leave deeply grateful. OC Film Fiesta won my heart — and it is definitely a festival I hope to return to.
Sebaztian Baz (Chile)
Writer / Director / Producer of Sombras Chinas
A lot of my friendships have grown a lot because of this recurring program, and we've been able to collaborate and build each other's music together in collaboration. So that's been really wonderful. Go MASA!
Megan Francisco
Host, Santa Ana Sound Circle
The O.C. Film Fiesta continues to be one of the most community-driven, filmmaker-friendly festivals I’ve had the pleasure of being part of. Highly recommend this festival to any filmmaker seeking a welcoming, well-organized, and inspiring experience. I look forward to hopefully attending in person next year — whether or not I have a film screening.
Robb S. Garcia
Fimmaker
The 16th OC Film Fiesta is a celebration of Latin culture and diversity! It has impeccable communication, a celebratory energy, and is a space where artists from around the world come together to celebrate cinema! Viva OC Film Festival!
Alexandre Britto
Fimmaker
Relevant, welcoming, fun, and cool. The hosts at MASA (Media Arts Santa Ana) of OC Film Fiesta provided a great space to share out stories. I hope to return in the future, even if not to present a film, but to be there in support of all the works in the years to come.
Gregory Esparza
Filmmaker
With their support and encouragement, I applied for and received an artist grant. This has given me the confidence to continue creating and networking.
Survey Response
Herbert Sigüenza's Testimonial
CLICK HERE TO WATCH HERBERT'S TESTIMONIAL
Acclaimed playwright and Culture Clash co-founder Herbert Sigüenza shares a testimonial about how Media Arts Santa Ana has impacted him and encourages you to support MASA in your end-of-year giving.
"Organizations like MASA have been very instrumental in the development of my career, and I just love this organization. I think they're doing wonderful work here for the community and for artists here in Orange County.
And I just want you guys to support them. If you're a donor, please, please support them now more than ever. They're on their 10th anniversary. This is the season of giving. So please give to masa media Arts Center at Santa Ana. I think they're a great organization. Like I said, they have, done wonderful work for, and have supported me during my career."
- Herbert Sigüenza
Co-Founder, Culture Clash
Megan Francisco 's Testimonial
CLICK HERE TO WATCH MEGAN'S TESTIMONIAL
Musician Megan Francisco is the host of our monthly Santa Ana Sound Circle. Hear what Megan has to say about the impact Media Arts Santa Ana has had on her work and her community."A lot of my friendships have grown a lot because of this recurring program, and we've been able to collaborate and and build each other's music together in collaboration. So that's been really wonderful. I've been working with Victor for a couple of years now here at MASA Media, and I truly believe that they've been going strong since they started in July of 2015 in order to spread the word towards other creatives here in Santa Ana. So please help them fundraise a lot of money. You can do that at masamedia.org. So give back to your community and go MASA!"
- Megan Francisco
Musician, Host, Santa Ana Sound Circle
Skeith De Wine's Testimonial
CLICK HERE TO WATCH SKEITH'S TESTIMONIAL
Skeith DeWine is a senior artist and co-founder of the Santa Ana ArtWalk and the Artists Village. Hear how MASA has impacted Skeith on the development of his "Out in the Streets" Orange County LGBTQ+ and BIPOC skateboarder documentary project.
"My name is Skeith DeWine. I'm an arts activist and a founding member of the Santa Ana Arts District and Artist Village and the Art Walk, and as of the past year, I have been working on a project on LGBTQ and BIPOC skateboarders. A really exciting project. And I'm working with media Arts Indiana under the tutelage of Victor Payan Pocha Peña. I can't tell you how exciting the whole project is and working with them, and I highly recommend that you donate to Media Arts Santa Ana. It's a terrific program, so I can't recommend it highly enough."
- Skeith DeWine
Senior Santa Ana Artist and Arts Activist
Tony Godfrey's Testimonial
CLICK HERE TO WATCH TONY'S TESTIMONIAL
Video game developer Tony Godfrey is the founder of the OC Indies game developer group which meets at MASA's TVGB space the last Wednesday of the month and draws participants from throughout the region and as far as Bakersfield. Hear his testimonial about how Media Arts Santa Ana has impacted his diverse community of developers.
"It's been great to have the community here to help us. And we've even collaborated with the studio on some of the games that we've been building. So it's really been a great collaborative effort. And I'm so happy that we've been able to find a place here with MASA and TVGB. So please be sure to support MASA and the foundation. And if you see any efforts you can join in on, please join and bring whatever talent you have."
- Tony Godfrey
Founder, OC Indies Game Developer Group
