How CÎROC’s Blue Dot Creative Residency Inspired My Artistic Outlook

Being a creative is an exhilarating experience that can carve out space inside oneself that allows us to more deeply explore paradigm changing thoughts, ideas, beliefs, and curiosities.

Yet, it is not easy. The terrain is thick with gatekeepers, barriers and stumbling blocks that make getting any project off the ground a sysphean task.

Whether it be lack of a funding, experience or resources–name the limiting factors–these issues can grind groundbreaking concepts and massive societal change to a halt.

CÎROC has taken notice of this void of opportunity and the spirits brand is aiming to empower creatives with a program that will help creators acquire the tools necessary to bring their visions to life.

Launched early in 2025, the CÎROC Blue Dot Creative Residency (BDCR) is eligible to U.S. residents age 25 and older who are currently in the entertainment, music, art, fashion, and multimedia industries.

The initiative is centered around professionals and creatives who want to explore opportunities outside of their current role or field and bring their passion projects to life.

Ciroc‘s residency will provide artists with grants of up to $500,000 to fund the inaugural class, which will be unveiled Summer 2025.

Eligible projects under the CÎROC Blue Dot Creative Residency include unscripted documentaries, features films, podcasts, visual arts, fashion collections, art instillations, and any other creative proofs of concept.

CÎROC welcomed VIBE to experience the Blue Dot Creative Residency and partake in a creative boot camp centered around the process of ideation and execution.

Set in Austin, Texas during the opening weekend of the annual SXSW Festival, we began with film producer Devon Libran and shared our own distinct approaches to conceptualizing and bringing a vision to life.

After getting a sense for our respective professional journeys, Libran, who also serves as Senior Vice President of Creative & Production at Republic Records, taught a crash-course on how he was able to excel at his craft and continuously expand his base as a creative.

The Oakland native, currently resides in Los Angeles, named “sense of urgency” as his most important tool, positing that not procrastinating is essential to his success.

This industry has allowed Libran to parlay his experience in film and theatre into a budding career in the music industry with various partnerships and opportunities that have served him well.

Another aspect Libran stressed was the importance of not only properly developing an idea but paying attention to the smallest detail. The creator used the example of Pop The Balloon dating shows, which became a phenomenon in 2024 but failed to used branding to insulate itself from copycats, costing them name recognition and market share, as a result.

Acclaimed actress Erika Alexander, an inaugural member of the Blue Dot Creative Residency, then joined the conversation, sharing how she’s remained flexible to expanding her own craft and exploring other facets of her artistic mission.

Alexander, fresh off a live taping of her appearance on CÎROC’s House Guest series agreed with Libran and myself that it’s the concept that “sticks” with a particular audience and what sticks is of the utmost importance. In fact, could also very well be the difference between a pilot being greenlit or remaining lost in a pile of pitches, never to see the light of day.

Jen Sall and Kathryn Takis, fellow Blue Dot Creator collaborators, also contributed to the group chat providing insights from their own experiences in the entertainment industry

Other topics discussed during the residency included the value in outsourcing in an effort to preserve one’s bandwidth, exploring uncharted ventures, funding, and more aspects of the creative grind.

The CÎROC Blue Dot Creative Residency was an immersive, hands-on experience that added new perspective to my own borders as a creative and ways to fully capitalize on my passions and pursuits moving forward.

Applications for Blue Dot Creative Residency will open in the coming weeks. Be the first to apply by signing up at www.Ciroc.com.