City Grants Available for Berkeley Arts Groups, Artists, Festivals

Funding for Berkeley artists, nonprofit arts groups and festival organizers is available through the city's Civic Arts Grants program, with applications due by Jan. 16.

The program is intended to "provide funding to strengthen the local ecosystem of arts and culture," the city said in an announcement.

Grants for individual artists are available up to $5,000, "which comes with a requirement that the produced work provide Berkeleyans an opportunity to view the work for free -- be it through a gallery showing, reading or performance."

Eligible organizations can apply for awards between $10,000 and $17,000, which can often be used to leverage funding from outside sources, the city noted. Past grants have gone to organizations such as Freight & Salvage, the Aurora Theater and the Kala Arts Institute.

Festival grants of $5,000 up to $17,000 are available for small-scale and first-time events to large-scale and established festivals, depending on the size of the event.

All grant-funded activities must take place within the City of Berkeley between July 1, 2020 and June 30, 2021.

A workshop on the grants program and cultural equity will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Dec. 11 in the community room of the Tarea Hall Pittman South Branch Library, 1901 Russell St.Guidelines, applications and information on the Civic Arts Grant Program are available online at https://www.cityofberkeley.info/City_Manager/Civic_Arts/Civic_Arts_Grants_2019.aspx. For more details email civicarts@cityofberkeley.info or call (510)981-7539.

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