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| | Are you interested in being a grant panelist? | | |
Center for Cultural Innovation (CCI) seeks grant panelists to support our California and National grant programs for individual artists and arts workers. Prospective panelists should be interested in the grantmaking process and in supporting individuals in the arts. We also encourage folks who are coming up in the field to consider serving on a grant panel as a professional development experience.
All panelists receive an honorarium for their valuable time, insights, and efforts.
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| | Learnings and Insights from the LA Arts Community Fire Relief Fund | | | | |
In January 2025, the Palisades and Eaton fires swept across Los Angeles County, leaving a profound impact on communities throughout the region. Through the LA Arts Community Fire Relief Fund, administered by CCI, $16.4 million in relief funding was distributed directly to 1,689 artists and arts workers across disciplines whose homes and/or studios were impacted by the fires. We were honored to be selected as the administrators of this fund, and we carry that responsibility with care. Today, we’re equally honored to share some of the key findings and takeaways from this effort, namely what we heard from artists as continued needs in their recovery efforts, and what we understood to be the conditions facing artists pre-fires.
We invite you to explore the findings of this effort here. And a special thank you to our partners at the Getty, to each of the more than 115 individual and institutional donors, and to our research partners—all of whom made this Fund, and the insights we’re now able to share, possible.
| | Investing in Artists: Artistic Innovation - Applications Open Now | | | | |
CCI’s Investing in Artists: Artistic Innovation program provides grants of up to $9,000 to diverse, Bay Area working artists who are developing new work in the performing or media arts that pushes the envelope of their creative process, explores new artistic collaborations, and/or supports artistic growth and experimentation that extends the boundaries of their art-making.
For the 2026 round, applicants must reside full-time in Marin, Napa, Solano, or Sonoma County at the time of applying and for the duration of the grant period (June 2026 – June 2027) if awarded funding.
Applications will be accepted from February 24 - March 27, 2026, at 11:59 a.m. (morning) PT.
CCI will also host two virtual Office Hours sessions for applicants to ask questions and receive answers from staff in real time:
March 19 from 12:00-1:00 p.m. PT (Register Here)
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CCI's Quick Grant program provides microgrants of up to $600 on a monthly basis to help you enroll in workshops, attend conferences, and work with consultants, coaches, and mentors in order to build administrative capacity, hone business skills, and strengthen the financial sustainability of your art practice or area of cultural production.
Apply by March 15 at 12 p.m. (noon) PT for activities starting on or after April 16.
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| | We're Searching for a Precious Stone (Hiring a Technical Leader for the Project!) | | | | |
The Cookie Jar Collective is a tech incubation project being stewarded by the Center for Cultural Innovation’s (CCI) Research to Impact Lab (R2i Lab). The aim is to build a collectively-governed savings and benefits platform for artists and gig workers that fills a widening gap in America’s social safety net.
Our goal with this piece is to share our orientation to this work in hopes of attracting our next team member. We are soon kicking off a hiring process for a technical leader for this work! But we need some help finding the right person—Hint: they’re probably not your traditional fintech builder…
Read more about who we are looking for on our Substack!
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Program Officer, Research to Impact Lab (For applicants located in the U.S.)
The Program Officer, Research to Impact Lab will be responsible for high-level relationship building with new and potential partners, stewardship of existing relationships, management and facilitation of incubated projects, and pursuing and leading public communication (writing, speaking engagements, conference presentations) about the work of R2i Lab.
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The following workshops are provided by our peers in the field, and are not affiliated with CCI. Please contact their respective presenters with any questions.
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Funding & Followings
INDEPENDENT ARTS & MEDIA
3/3
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Intellectual Property
CA LAWYERS FOR THE ARTS
3/12
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Business Plan Essentials
SPRINGBOARD FOR THE ARTS
3/14
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Taxes for Creative Entrepreneurs
YOUNGARTS
3/18
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Engaging Customers & Selling Work
SPRINGBOARD FOR THE ARTS
3/21
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Legal Basics for Artists
CREATIVE CAPITAL
Ongoing
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| | Do you have an upcoming professional development workshop/training for artists or arts workers? We may be able to share it in our monthly e-newsletter. Contact info@cciarts.org with details. | | The following funding opportunities are provided by our peers in the field, and are not affiliated with CCI. Please contact their respective administrators with any questions. | | | |
Emergency Resources for Artists and Freelancers |
Find a running list of resources and opportunities to support emergency needs.
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San José Small Business Start-Up Grants
BAY AREA
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The City of San José’s Office of Economic Development and Cultural Affairs Small Business Start-Up Grant program is now open!
This new funding opportunity will support early-stage small businesses owners in all industries, including home-based businesses. Grant funds will support an eligible business's start-up expenses, such as licensing, equipment purchase, staff recruitment, loan down payments, or other activities that help support the launch, of a new business. Up to 20 grants totaling $150,000 will be awarded.
The program is open to for-profit businesses registered in San José with fewer than 35 employees. Apply by March 6.
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Native Arts and Heritage Fund
NATIONAL
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The Native Arts + Heritage Fund (NAHF) is a community-rooted award program created to support Native American and Alaska Native artists, culture bearers, and cultural practitioners across the Creative West region. Co-designed with Native-centered artists, advisors, and community leaders, NAHF centers care, cultural continuity, and self-determination. In addition to unrestricted funding, selected artists will participate in a three-month virtual cohort experience designed for connection, reflection, and shared learning. Apply by March 8.
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Bay Area Arts Readiness Listening Sessions
BAY AREA
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The Bay Area Arts Readiness Network (BAARN) invites artists of all disciplines, arts workers, and artist-run organizations to participate in upcoming in-person Listening Sessions focused on emergency preparedness and recovery for the arts community.
These sessions are your opportunity to share your insights, lived experiences, and ideas for how we can better support one another before, during, and after a crisis. Register by March 11.
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The DAG Prize is an annual $20,000 award from the DAG Foundation supporting innovation in the arts. It includes prizes in literature, music, and visual art, each aimed at creators whose work expands their field’s boundaries and shows artistic promise. Writers, musicians, and visual artists use the funds to advance significant projects already underway, such as new books, recordings, or exhibitions. Eligibility focuses on originality and meaningful contribution to American cultural life. Apply by March 18.
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Open Call for Artists
BAY AREA
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Mayor Adena Ishii's Office is seeking artwork from Berkeley community members that celebrate the theme of Berkeley's regenerative culture, whether that is renewal, material reuse, or the art of giving new life. Previously created works that resonate with the theme are acceptable, as long as its relevance is clearly explained in the synopsis. All mediums and backgrounds welcome. Selected works will be showcased in the Mayor’s office and considered for cash prizes and public recognition. Apply by March 31.
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National Arts Marketing, Development and Ticketing Conference
NATIONAL
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Arts Reach is hosting the National Arts Marketing, Development, and Ticketing Conferences in 2026 in Seattle, August 11 & 12. Constituents of the Center for Cultural Innovation can take advantage of a special 3-for-1 registration offer and the lowest price by registering by the deadline. This conference provides two full days of networking and strategy-sharing under the theme "New Ways Forward—Relevance and Resurgence." Register by March 31.
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