By Rebecca Huval
If you have artist friends in Sacramento, don’t be surprised to find them furiously scribbling grant proposals until the end of July. But if they haven’t heard, you might share these two summertime opportunities because a pretty chunk of change is attached. It’s somewhat rare to find open-call grants for individual artists in Sacramento, making these prizes all the more coveted.
To support creative projects of many stripes, the City of Sacramento is offering $500,000 in grants, with smaller prizes of up to $5,000 and larger sums of up to $25,000. Cha-ching! The list of eligible endeavors for the Creative Economy Pilot Project is long, with an emphasis on short-lived events, including “public art/installations, performing arts/music, Farm-to-Fork, urban tech, pop-ups, temporary activations, multi-purpose spaces, marketing/communications, youth/education, cultural equity, and underserved communities.” Applications are due July 30 to https://cityofsac.forms.fm/creative-economy.
At a loss of how to apply? A technical assistance workshop will walk attendees through the application process and answer questions. It’s 6-7:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 5, at the Art Institute of California, Room 241, 2850 Gateway Oaks Drive. Register at www.eventbrite.com/e/creative-economy-pilot-project-public-workshop-at-the-art-institute-tickets-35737157801.
On top of that, a new fellowship gives artists a $10,000 gift—with no strings attached. It’s just “to be used in the exploration and creation of new works.” Fancy that. The Gloria Burt Sacramento Region Arts Fellowship, named after a Sacramento artist, aims to become an annual award. This year, artists living in the counties of El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento, Sutter, Yolo and Yuba are eligible to apply by July 17 to www.sacregcf.org. Oh, and if your friend isn’t a fine artist, not to worry—the committee is also interested in electronic media, folk arts, performing arts, literature, architecture and design.
So, for just a few hours, it might be worth it to put away those paintbrushes and fire up those laptops.
