For those inquiring about the Individual Artist Fellowship - this is a program of the California Arts Council, which engaged us to administer the application and jurying process for Region I. At this time, to the best of our knowledge, there is no future round announced. Due to the overwhelming interest in the program it is our abiding hope that it will be revived in some form; but for now, all questions about it should be directed to the CAC.
2023-24 Fellows Announced!
All Media - All Disciplines
Emerging - Established - Legacy Artists
Up to $50,000
Open to Artists & Cultural Practitioners residing in Region 1:
Imperial, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego Counties
Fellowship Period: July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2024
Arts Orange County is the administering organization for this program in Region 1
APPLICATIONS ARE CLOSED FOR THIS PROGRAM
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Background: Why is this program being offered?
With few opportunities for individual artists to apply for funding, and even fewer for their achievements to be recognized, the California Arts Council has created this program as a way to celebrate the state’s artists and culture bearers.
Purpose: What is the intended impact of this program?
The Individual Artists Fellowship (IAF) program will recognize, uplift, and celebrate the excellence of California artists and culture bearers practicing any art form with unrestricted grants ranging from $5,000 to $50,000.
Region I
California Arts Council has contracted with Arts Orange County (ArtsOC) as the lead Administering Organization in Region I, comprised of the counties of Imperial, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and San Diego. ArtsOC has joined with the City of San Diego Commission for Arts and Culture, Riverside Arts Council, Arts Connection – the Arts Council of San Bernardino County and North County Coalition for the Arts (Imperial County) in creating a collaborative of the five State-Local Partner arts councils that serve those counties.
The Program
This program will support artists and culture bearers at key moments in their careers, elevating their capacity for continued contribution to the field and our state. Fellowship grants support individual artistic practice through unrestricted funding. This program is intended to support a broad spectrum of artists working in all disciplines, from diverse geographies and communities of all sizes across Imperial, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and San Diego counties.
Excellence, for purposes of this grant, is defined as an artist’s:
- Unique artistic vision
- Ongoing commitment to creative practice
- Engagement with and impact on the larger cultural ecosystem
The grant program identifies three career tiers at which artists may benefit from this support:
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.
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.
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 that has made significant social impact.
Artists in this tier may be able to point to Emerging and Established Artists that they have mentored or otherwise positively influenced