Launched in 2005 by Project 59 at 59 Franklin Street in Tribeca, the 59 Seconds Video Festival is an alternative festival and one-time art project.

Through a series of open calls, artists were encouraged to submit 59 seconds long works that incorporated number 59 in any manner. 59 videos at a time, 59 seconds each were shown 59 times around the globe. The audience rankings were then used to select the 59 best videos.

The 59 Seconds Festival is a play off as well as a metaphor for the short video format. While sampling an emerging international video art scene, it introduced participating artists to as broad an international audience as possible; shared a unique collection of works and provided an exchange of ideas and information.

The final selection of the 59 best videos selected by 59 international audiences with documentation of the screenings and votes was shown in Spring, 2010 at Spectre Gallery in Brooklyn, NY: 59 SECONDS (and beyond)