California’s arts grant season begins January 19
Mark your calendars: The first cycle of applications opens next month
As the world’s fifth leading economy and home to more artists than anywhere else in the nation, California understands the value of culture and innovation.
At the California Arts Council, we envision a California where all people flourish from universal access to and participation in the arts. Our program structure established for the 2022 grant season was developed in service of that specific vision, prioritizing our equity goals and inclusive of extensive public input to support our “State of the Arts.”
This year, 12 grant programs have been rooted in several of the aspirational areas identified in the CAC’s strategic framework, including increased capacity building for local arts agencies, general operating support, multiyear grant opportunities, geographic equity, small organization prioritization, and funding for individual artists.
In an effort to make the agency’s grantmaking processes more effective and efficient, Council members voted to align grant activity periods with the fiscal year from which grant funds are allocated. To achieve this, the 2022 grant season will consist of two cycles, A and B, with applications opening in January and April, respectively.
Programs opening in Cycle A versus Cycle B are largely reflective of when current grant activity periods from our previous grant season will end. The two-part timeline also accounts for added time to develop new programs, and for programs that may be administered differently than they have been in the past. It provides an opportunity to receive outcome reports from programs to determine possible guidelines changes, allowing Council to invest more deeply in each program, reduce confusion in the field, and increase grantmaking efficiency for staff.
Take a look at the 2022 program offerings below and stay tuned for our Cycle A’s launch, coming January 19!
2022 CAC GRANT OPPORTUNITIES
GRANT CYCLE A
APPLICATIONS OPEN JANUARY 19
Arts & Cultural Organizations General Operating Relief — Up to $30,000 in operational funding for arts and cultural organizations, prioritizing small organizations.
Cultural Pathways — Up to $30,000 for two years of support for arts programs in communities of color, recent immigrant and refugee communities, or tribal groups.
Impact Projects — Up to $20,000 for collaborative projects that center artists and artistic practice in responding to issues currently faced by California’s communities, prioritizing projects of small organizations.
JUMP StArts — Up to $50,000 for high-quality arts education and artists-in-residence programs for priority youth and young people impacted by the justice system.
Reentry Through the Arts — Up to $50,000 for arts projects for return residents who have experienced incarceration.
State-Local Partners — Up to $60,000 for general operating support and technical assistance for county-designated local arts agencies.
State-Local Partner Mentorship — Up to $40,000 to establish a county-designated local arts agency in a county with no such identified agency.
GRANT CYCLE B
APPLICATIONS OPEN APRIL 2022 — More details coming soon
Administrators of Color Fellowship* — Support for an inclusive workforce for the field of arts and culture.
Arts and Accessibility* — Support for enhanced opportunities for arts participation by people with disabilities.
Folk and Traditional Arts — Support for California’s rich and diverse cultural traditions, its culture bearers and practitioners.
Individual Artists Fellowships — Support to recognize, uplift, and celebrate the creative practices of California artists at key career levels.
Statewide and Regional Networks — Support for arts service organizations providing practical resources for the communities they serve.
*Initial funds for these programs will be awarded to a single partner organization to administer funding on behalf of the CAC. Applications for Arts Leaders of Color fellowships and Arts and Accessibility grants will be announced through both the CAC and the partnered administering organization at a later date during the grant season.
Updates to our Grant Resources page are coming soon! Find frequently asked questions and other need-to-know information for grant applicants, such as informational workshops, webinars, and more in one location.
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The California Arts Council is a state agency with a mission of strengthening arts, culture, and creative expression as the tools to cultivate a better California for all. It supports local arts infrastructure and programming statewide through grants, initiatives, and services. The California Arts Council envisions a California where all people flourish with universal access to and participation in the arts. www.arts.ca.gov
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