The City of Oakland announced that applications are available for its 2019-2020 Cultural Funding Program grants supporting arts and cultural activities in four separate project categories. All applicants must be Oakland-based, and all arts activities must be presented in Oakland between July 1, 2019 and June 30, 2020. Interested artists and nonprofit organizations may access the grant guidelines and application forms online at www.oaklandculturalarts.org. The application submission deadline is 5 p.m. on Wednesday, May 15, 2019.
“Our vibrant arts scene is an essential part of what makes Oakland so special,” said Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf. “Cultural Funding Program grants are an important way that the City helps to support and nurture our arts community and give our young people exposure to the arts in school. I hope the artists and educators whose work enriches our community will take advantage of this unique program.”
To assist applicants, six How-To-Apply workshops are scheduled:
Individual Artist Project
- Monday, April 8, Noon
Oakland City Hall, Hearing Room 2, 1 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza - Monday, April 8, 5:30 p.m.
Oakland City Hall, Hearing Room 2, 1 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza
Organization Project
- Wednesday, April 10, Noon
Oakland City Hall, Hearing Room 2, 1 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza - Wednesday, April 10, 5:30 p.m.
Oakland City Hall, Hearing Room 2, 1 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza
Organizational Assistance (for eligible organizations only)
- Monday, April 15, Noon
Oakland City Hall, Hearing Room 2, 1 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza
Art-in-the-Schools, Individual Artist Project and Organization Project
- Saturday, April 20, 11:00 a.m.
East Oakland Youth Development Center, 8200 International Boulevard
All grant applicants are strongly encouraged to attend one of the free workshops. Advance registration is suggested; applicants should email dpate@oaklandca.gov to confirm attendance.
The Cultural Funding Program offers funding support in four separate project categories during fiscal year 2019-20: individual artists, organization project support, organizational assistance (general operating support), and arts education residencies in Oakland schools.
In FY18-19 $1.2 million in grants were awarded to 79 individual artists and nonprofit organizations. The exact amount of funds available for the FY 2019-2020 grants will not be known until the Oakland City Council adopts the 2019-2021 Policy Budget in June.
The Cultural Funding Program relies on a competitive panel process to determine award recipients and funding allocations. Grant recommendations must be approved by the Funding Advisory Committee and City Council before contracts are awarded.
The Individual Artist Project category awards grants of $4,999 to Oakland-resident individual artists producing publicly accessible arts activities in Oakland. Activities funded in the past include performing arts, classes and workshops, exhibits and literary production. Non-profit organizations are eligible to apply for Organization Project grants that support project expenses (up to 20 percent of projected cash expenses, to a maximum of $20,000) for publicly accessible arts activities in Oakland. The Art in the Schools grants support up to 50 percent of the cash expenses of artist residences at Oakland public school and charter school sites. Arts organizations that have received Cultural Funding awards in two of the past four years, are eligible to apply in the Organizational Assistance category for general operating support.
The Cultural Funding Program is administered by the City’s Cultural Affairs Division. For more information, please visit www.oaklandculturalarts.org or contact Denise Pate, Cultural Funding Coordinator, at (510) 238-7561 or dpate@oaklandca.gov.
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About the Cultural Affairs Division
The Cultural Affairs Division is housed in the City’s Economic & Workforce Development Department. The division includes the City’s cultural funding program, which provides approximately $1 million in grants to support the arts in Oakland; the public art program, which has more than $1 million in funds currently dedicated for public art installations across Oakland and staff working on special events, film production permitting and a walking tours program.