CURRENT OPPORTUNITIES - UPDATED MAY 2, 2023

This annual national prize, now in its 5th year, is designed to provide finishing funds, including outreach and marketing, for feature-length U.S. historical documentaries. The award recognizes one filmmaker whose late-stage documentary uses original research and compelling narrative to tell stories that bring American history to life using archival materials. The winner receives a $200,000 finishing grant to help with the final production and distribution of the film. In addition, one runner up receives a grant of $50,000 and four finalists each receive $25,000. The funds are to be used for finishing, marketing, distribution, and outreach. The Prize will be presented on September 26, 2023 at a ceremony held within the Great Hall of the Library of Congress.

Deadline – May 15, 2023

CALI Catalyst provides unrestricted grants of up to $7,500 to California changemakers who are shifting the arts and culture sector in ways that tangibly give underrepresented voices more power and influence.

Individuals who take bold actions do so with risks to their jobs, social standing, and reputations. But this is precisely the moment when the arts and culture sector can embrace and support people who are changing the field in ways that work better for marginalized people—BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and those with disabilities. The CALI Catalyst grant program is meant to give such leaders financial support, understanding that the fear of financial risk is, itself, a silencer and discourages changes to the status quo.

CALI Catalyst applicants can be individuals or teams of individuals.* To be eligible for CALI Catalyst consideration, applicants must:  

  • Be an artist or arts worker (e.g., arts administrator, cultural producer, culture bearer, creative, cultural practitioner, teaching artist, or specialized technician); and
  • Be a full-time resident of California. 

Additionally, to be eligible for review, an applicant’s action must have taken place or commenced (i.e., the action is still in progress) on or after January 1, 2020.

Deadline Round # 1 – May 3, 2023
Deadline Round #2 – July 27, 2023

Created in 1993 to further FCA’s mission to encourage, sponsor, and promote the work of a contemporary, experimental nature, Emergency Grants provide urgent funding for visual and performing artists who: Have sudden, unanticipated opportunities to present their work to the public when there is insufficient time to seek other sources of funding or incur unexpected or unbudgeted expenses for projects close to completion with committed exhibition or performance dates.
WHO: U.S. artists
FIELD: Visual and performing arts
AMOUNT: Grants range in amount from $500 to $2,500, and the average grant is now $1,600
DEADLINE: Ongoing
FINE PRINT: Each month FCA receives an average of 95 Emergency Grant applications and makes approximately 12-15 grants. Artists should review all eligibility guidelines and FAQs before applying. Learn more here.

The Quick Grant program supports artists and arts organizations’ financial resilience through professional development support.

The Quick Grant program awards reimbursement funds up to $600 to California artists, creatives, cultural practitioners, and cultural producers, and San Francisco/San Jose nonprofit arts administrators to participate in professional development activities that build administrative capacity, hone business skills, and strengthen the financial resilience of the grantee’s practice, area of cultural production, or arts organization.

Deadline – Applications are due on the 15th of the month with a one-month turnaround. Applications received after the 15th of a given month will be reviewed in the following month’s application cycle.

A micro-granting organization, funding “awesome” ideas, The Awesome Foundation set up local chapters around the world to provide rolling grants of $1000 to “awesome projects.” Each chapter defines what is “awesome” for their local community, but most include arts initiatives and public or social practice art projects.
WHO: Anyone is eligible for a grant — individuals, groups, and organizations alike.
FIELD: Any Field. Each chapter has their own requirements, most consider arts projects.
AMOUNT: $1000
DEADLINE: Ongoing—monthly grants offered.
FINE PRINT: Grants not given for studio space or strictly salary or supplies. Needs to make the community more “awesome.” Think public works. More info here.

The Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation will only fund young artists who are pursuing their studies or are in the early or developmental stage of their career, are working in a representational style of painting, drawing, sculpture or printmaking, and demonstrate the determination and talent to pursue a lifetime career in their art practice.

Deadline – Ongoing: grants are offered 4 to 6 times throughout the year.

This year, OAC will be introducing the Sacramento Arts & Culture Match Program – a program that will provide match funds for crowd-funded, community-led creative placemaking projects in neighborhoods throughout the city. The City will provide matching funds up to $15,000 for eligible projects. We recognize that traditional grant application processes pose barriers for grassroots level projects. Often, the application process only occurs annually, which makes it difficult to respond to new opportunities as they arise; this program serves to address this issue. The OAC Match Program will be administered by IOBY, an organization that has worked with ArtPlace America and Cuyahoga Arts & Culture on similar programs to support creative placemaking.

The California Art Leaders Investments Accelerator (aka CALI Accelerator) program provides grants to emerging arts leaders in California to pursue professional development opportunities and activities that will confer them with professional learning while also enabling them to identify, exercise, and hone their leadership vision and voice.

Individuals meeting the CALI Accelerator program eligibility criteria may apply for one grant of up to $1,000 per year to support the direct costs of proposed leadership activities.

Deadline – Applications are due on the 15th of the month with a one-month turnaround. Applications received after the 15th of a given month will be reviewed in the next month’s application cycle.

RESOURCES FROM COVID CRISIS ACROSS THE CITY, STATE AND NATIONWIDE

ANTI RACISM RESOURCES

The Atrium stands in solidarity and in action with the communities and people affected by 400 years of racism, colonization and the genocide of indigenous peoples. America was not only built upon stolen labor,  culture, and black/indigenous ideas but continues to function on the oppression of black and indigenous people. BIPOC have fought to dismantle white supremacy and racism for centuries. It‘s time for all of us, especially white people, to join this work.
We also stand with, defend and provide a loving space for the LGBTQ2AI community.