The Community Arts program ensures vibrant work is created, new voices are celebrated, and artists and audiences inclusive of the Bay Area’s diverse communities and cultures have opportunities to thrive. We support the creation of work by Bay Area artists and access to the arts for Bay Area communities. We celebrate the rich diversity of the region by awarding funds to emerging artists and small to mid-sized arts and culture organizations engaging their communities with meaning and purpose.

ELIGIBILITY:

Hold a 501c3 nonprofit organization status or are fiscally sponsored individual artists, organizations, collectives, or groups

Have an annual organization budget under $2 million

Are located in or serving communities in Alameda, Contra Costa or San Francisco Counties

Present or produce work within one of the following

Primary Disciplines: dance, music, theater, literary arts, visual arts

Sub-Disciplines: circus arts, traditional/folk art, performance art, drag, installation, fiber art, craft, sculpture, painting, photography, puppetry, spoken word, poetry, musical theater, multimedia performance, multidisciplinary, illustration, fiction, non-fiction, festival, cultural fair, other

The following disciplines are excluded unless they are a component of multidisciplinary work within one of the Primary Disciplines listed above: film, digital media, radio, podcast, journalism, games, AR/VR, hardware/software, video art

NEXT DEADLINE: April 13th, 2026

• April 13, 2026 – for notification on July 6, 2026
• July 13, 2026 – for notification on October 5, 2026
• October 13, 2026 – for notification on January 11, 2027