Individual Artists Fellowship (Central California Region)

Individual Artists Fellowship (Central California Region) is sponsored by California Arts Council (administered by SVCREATES). This program supports artists at key career stages through unrestricted funding to recognize and increase artists' capacity for continued contribution to the field.

California Arts Council Individual Artists Fellowship Program (CAC IAF) Central California Region - SVCREATES 2023 California Arts Council (CAC) Individual Artist Fellowships totaling $660,000 have been awarded to 71 artists in the seventeen county central California region, ranging from Fresno through Santa Clara to Santa Barbara and nearly everywhere in between.

The program is designed to recognize, uplift, and celebrate the excellence of California artists practicing any art form. In doing so, the CAC is showcasing the centrality of artists’ leadership in guiding the evolution of our traditional and contemporary cultures. The fellows were selected from 512 artists that applied within the region.

Note: The California Arts Council has not renewed the funding for this program. The details below are for reference only. There will not be a 2024 grant cycle.

This program will support artists at key career stages. It is intended to recognize and increase artists’ capacity for continued contribution to the field and our state. Through unrestricted funding and state-wide recognition as a California Arts Council Artist Fellow , this program is meant to uplift individual artistic practice.

Artists and cultural practitioners from all disciplines are eligible to apply, with the intention of supporting diverse geographies and communities. Applications were accepted between March and May 2023.

Central California Region Program The California Arts Council Individual Artists Fellowship Program (CAC IAF) is statewide, but these application and program guidelines are specifically designed for artists living and working in Central California.

The Central California Region grant program is open to artists who live in one of 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.

Artists residing in other California counties are eligible to apply for the California Arts Council Individual Artist Fellowship Program in their region. For more information, please visit the California Arts Council website. Fellowship Program Administration SV CREATES is the Administering Organization for this grant program, working in partnership with the CAC and leadership from local county arts agencies across 17 counties.

To help make this program more accessible, the Central California Region has been divided into 3 micro-regions (see list below). The application and review process for each micro-region will be facilitated separately, through designated Lead Agencies.

Micro-Region 1 - Lead Agency Santa Barbara Office of Arts and Culture Counties: Kern, Santa Barbara, Ventura, San Luis Obispo Micro Region 2 - Lead Agency Fresno Arts Council Counties: Fresno, Inyo, Kings, Madera, Mariposa, Merced, Stanislaus, Tulare Micro Region 3 - Lead Agency San Benito County Arts Council Counties: Monterey, San Benito, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz Legacy Artists Only: SV CREATES will facilitate the application and review process for Legacy Artist applicants from all 17 counties in the Central California Region.

Fellowship Funding Levels The CAC IAF program identifies three career tiers at which artists may benefit from this support, click below to read detailed descriptions and determine the right tier for you: ▸ 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 should be able to provide 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 influenced. Eligible applicants will: Be 18 years of age or older at the time of application submission.

Have, at minimum, a two-year history of artistic practice in California. Reside in one of the following central California counties: Fresno, Inyo, Kern, Kings, Madera, Mariposa, Merced, Monterey, San Benito, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Stanislaus, Tulare, Ventura. Eligibility will be determined by your mailing address.

Recipients of the 2021 CAC Individual Artist Fellowship are not eligible to apply. Applications from individual artists and culture bearers will be adjudicated by peer review panels based on the following review criteria: Creative Vision: Artist effectively communicates their personal story, artistic medium or practice, and long-term aspirations for their work.

Aesthetic Excellence: Artistic work and/or examples of cultural practice demonstrate strong alignment with the components of the Attributes of Excellence in Arts for Change , including commitment, communal meaning, disruption, cultural integrity, risk taking, sensory experience, emotional experience, openness, coherence, resourcefulness, and stickiness.

Community Engagement and Social Impact: Artist effectively communicates a practice of meaningful engagement with their community(ies), and the positive social impact their work has had locally, regionally, and/or statewide, addressing themes including but not limited to race, diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. Application requirements include narrative questions, work samples, artist resume/CV and one letter of support.

Describe how you came to be an artist, your traditions or artistic practices, challenges and accomplishments. (500 words max) Describe the long-term aspirations for your work. How do you hope to grow as an artist?

(250 words max) Who are the specific social or artistic communities/participants/audiences you seek to engage/inspire/impact through your work? What is your connection to these communities and what is your desired impact? (250 words max) Legacy Artist Applicants only: In what ways, if any, do you support or mentor emerging artists?

(250 words max) ▸ Work Samples Applicants must submit one or more of the following work samples. The work samples should represent your art practice and discipline. You are not required to submit all file types.

Digital images: up to 10 images Video/Audio Samples: up to 3 video/audio samples, 5-minutes maximum length per sample Writing sample or music composition/score: maximum 10 pages (your writing sample may include more than one work, e.g. ten one-page poems) Choose samples that highlight your individual approach and voice as an artist.

For example, some artists may wish to present work in chronological order, while for others it can be a disservice. Submit work that you are most passionate about and believe is the strongest. ▸ Artist Resume of Professional Activities and Achievements Include significant awards and training, selected exhibitions, performances, installations, presentations, community recognition and/or publications.

If possible, please include the city, state, and country (if outside the U.S.) ▸ Letter of Support or Testimonial Applicants must provide a written statement from a key stakeholder, partner, or community member that speaks to the impact of the artist’s practice and impact in their community.

▸ Supporting Materials (optional) Applicants may also submit up to two additional supporting documents, such as press materials, flyers, brochures, programs, newsletters, and other marketing pieces. More recent materials are preferred. Applications are evaluated by panels of recognized field representatives who rank applications according to the program criteria.

A limited number of fellowship grants will be awarded based on available funding. Grant contract administration and award notification will be managed by SV CREATES and Micro-Region Lead organization staff. Panels are not open to the public.

Due to the high volume of applications, individual scores, ranking data, and feedback will not be available to applicants or the public. All award decisions will be final.

Fellowship recipients will be required to: Submit a W-9 form with their Social Security Number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) for payment purposes Submit a brief report on the impact of the award after the conclusion of the Fellowship term (August 31, 2024) Attend one online or in person convening of 2023 Fellows during the grant period Application Opens: March 10, 2023 Application Deadline: May 5, 2023 at 5:00 pm Panel Review period: June - July, 2023 Panel Interviews of Legacy Finalists: mid July Award Notification: August 2023 Fellowship Term: September 1, 2023 - August 31, 2024 Fellows Final Report Due: December 16, 2024 Note: The CAC has not renewed this program.

There will not be a 2024 grant cycle. Congratulations to our 2023 CAC Artist Fellows for Central California >> To view artists by fellowship tier, click here . Read the press release here .

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