Applications Closed: 2023 California Arts Council Individual Artists Fellowship Program for Region 3 - Central California a
Supporting individual artistic practice through unrestricted funding and state-wide recognition. Award notifications will be made by August 2023.
This year’s California Arts Council (CAC) Individual Artist Fellowship (IAF) Program for Region 3 - Central California closed on Friday, May 5. The Central California Region grant program is open to artists living in 17 counties across central California: Fresno, Inyo, Kern, Kings, Madera, Mariposa, Merced, Monterey, San Benito, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Stanislaus, Tulare, and Ventura.
Merced County Arts Council is happy to partner with other county arts agencies throughout this region to promote this opportunity to local artists.
IAF Program grants support individual artistic practice through unrestricted funding and state-wide recognition to artists at key moments in their careers, elevating their capacity for continued contribution to the field and our state. This program is intended to support a broad spectrum of artists working in all disciplines, from diverse geographies and communities of all sizes across California.
The 17 counties in Central California have been divided into 3 micro-regions, each with a Lead Agency who will administer an application and review process for that micro-region. SVCREATES will partner with the three Lead Agencies to assist with hyperlocal panelist representation and hyperlocal support to individual artists through the application and award process. The micro-regions and their respective lead organizations include:
MICRO-REGION 1
Kern, Santa Barbara, Ventura, San Luis Obispo
Lead Agency: Santa Barbara County Office of Arts and Culture
MICRO-REGION 2
Fresno, Inyo, Kings, Madera, Mariposa, Merced, Stanislaus, Tulare
Lead Agency: Fresno Arts Council
MICRO-REGION 3
Monterey, San Benito, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz
Lead Agency: San Benito County Arts Council
Awards will be made in three fellowship categories:
CAC Emerging Artist Fellows - $5,000
Emerging artists are those in the beginning stages of making their work public and engaging the larger community in their practice. Individuals at this career stage may have had a few public showings of their work, but do not yet have ongoing resources or support.
CAC Established Artist Fellows - $10,000
Artists in the Established tier regularly make their work public and engage the larger community in their practice. Individuals in this tier can give multiple examples of artistic and/or cultural works that have made significant social impact.
CAC Legacy Artist Fellows - $50,000
Artists in the Legacy tier can point to a significant body of work, produced over a substantial period of time, that has engaged their communities and made a significant social impact. Artists in this tier may be able to point to Emerging and Established Artists that they have mentored or influenced.
Up to 63 total awards will be made across the Central California region. The CAC has selected additional administering organizations for other regions in the state; interested parties outside of Central California can find more information on how to apply by visiting the CAC website.
Links to application forms and application support will be available on the SVCREATES’ website on Friday, March 10. Applications were due Friday, May 5. Award notifications will be made by August 2023.
Applicant Webinar: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/info-session-cac-individual-artists-fellowshipcentral-california-region-tickets-543252923117.
Registration for the applicant informational webinar is available.
March 22nd @ 5:30 pm
Overview of the program, breakout groups for application process/platform, Q&A
CaC Individual Artist Fellowship
United Way of Merced County and the Merced County Arts Council, along with Stanislaus Arts Council, & Tuolumne County Arts, have recently launched the HeARTland Creative Corps, a regional regranting program using funding from a record $4.2 million grant from CAC for a new statewide arts program that targets high priority communities in our region. Applications are now closed. Grantees will be awarded on June 1, 2023.
For more details:
Merced County Arts Council
As Part of the Heartland Creative Corps, the Merced County Arts Council sought applications from arts and social service organizations, as well as individual artists and culture bearers to create projects aligned with these four focus areas:
Public health awareness messages to stop the spread of COVID-19
Public awareness related to water and energy conservation, climate mitigation, and emergency preparedness, relief, and recovery
Civic engagement, including election participation
Social justice and community engagement
The grant funding is intended to act as a job creation project, with 80% of all funding intended to be used as direct artist support, and more specifically artist salaries. The remaining 20% of any grants can be used for materials and administration, including working/living space and all project supplies.
We look to provide grants to artists, impact our region, and increase the awareness and power of art within our communities. Artists, cultural workers, arts organizations and social service organizations from any level of experience and discipline may apply for funding; however, the projects created must benefit and impact communities within the bottom quartile of the Healthy Places Index (HPI). Funding will be tiered and prioritized based on the artist or organization’s proximity to the targeted community. Applications are now closed.
Community Q&A Sessions:
The community Q&A sessions are a part of the Creative Corps grant guideline building process so we can make a bigger impact in our region through the grant funding. Anyone interested is encouraged to attend. More to come.
