Artists, festivals, arts organizations invited to apply for grants by March 2023

Webinars on Jan 11, 13, and 18 will outline the grant guidelines, eligibility, review criteria, and how to apply.

Artists, festivals, and arts organizations can apply for one-time grants of up to $4,000, $7,000, and $10,000, respectively, and use one of our webinars to help answer any questions.

The grants support individual artists creating new work, festivals creating an event that’s open to the public and has a free component, or arts organizations needing support for ongoing programming.

The separate webinars for each type of grant will cover guidelines, eligibility, and how to apply on the Submittable site, which requires you to create an account. You can also learn more about the grants on the artist,festival, or arts organization application portals.

Coordinated by our Civic Arts Program, these grants support a culturally vibrant and diverse arts ecosystem within the City of Berkeley by funding artists, festivals, and arts organizations.

Grants to support artists’ new projects

Individual Artist Project grants support Berkeley artists in creating new work. The new work must include a public presentation that engages Berkeley residents in a meaningful way.

To be eligible, applicants must provide proof of a residential address in the City of Berkeley. Only individuals may apply; partnership, group, or collective applications are ineligible.

- Grant request amount: $4,000

- Webinar: January 11, 2023 at 5:30 pm

- Application deadline: March 1, 2023 at 11:59 pm

- Grant activity period: July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024

Apply on the artist grant portal.

Grants for Festivals and Special Events

Festival Grants support community festivals and events that honor and preserve a rich variety of culture. Grants support a range of events from small-scale and first-time events to large-scale and established festivals.

Events must be open to the entire public and have a free component. This grant is for festivals that are one- or multi-day events, but generally events that occur one time per year, and is not intended to fund ongoing programming.

501(c)(3), 501(c)(4), and 501(c)(6) nonprofit organizations producing a festival in Berkeley are eligible to apply. Organizational entities without a nonprofit exempt status may use a 501(c)(3) Fiscal Sponsor. Grantees are responsible for obtaining all necessary City permits.

- Grant request amount: up to $7,000

- Webinar: January 13, 2023 at 12:00 pm

- Application deadline: March 8, 2023 at 11:59 pm

- Grant activity period: July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024

Learn more and apply for community festivals and special events grant.

Grants for Arts Organizations

General Operating Support grants providing funding for operational and programming expenses to Berkeley arts and cultural nonprofit organizations. This grant operates on a two-year cycle; awardees will receive grant payments for two consecutive years.

501(c)(3) nonprofit arts organizations with an official Berkeley business address are eligible to apply. Organizational entities without a nonprofit exempt status may use a 501(c)(3) Fiscal Sponsor. An arts organization is defined as an entity with a primary purpose of providing arts, creative, or cultural programming/services.

- Grant request amount: up to $10,000

- Webinar: January 18, 2023 at 11:00 am

- Application deadline: March 13, 2023 at 11:59 pm

- Grant activity period: July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2025

Learn more and apply for operating support grant.

Berkeley Civic Arts program supports cultural vibrancy

These grants provide a way to expand the reach and increase the vibrancy of Berkeley's arts, a core part of our community. 

For questions about these grants, contact the Civic Arts Program at [email protected], (510) 981-7539, or schedule a virtual appointment with Civic Arts staff.

If you're an artist, nonprofit or festival organizer, or an arts organization seeking to enrich Berkeley's arts and culture, we hope you'll apply for one of our grants. If you know someone who might be interested, please spread the word!

Links

- Individual Artists Grant - Guidelines and Application

- Community Festivals and Special Events Grants - Guidelines and Application

- Arts Organization Support Grants - Guidelines and Application

- Civic Arts Program

- Civic Arts Grants

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City run vaccine clinics

Saturday, January 14, 21, & 28

Judge Henry Ramsey Jr. South Berkeley Senior Center
2939 Ellis Street
Berkeley, CA 94703

Registration and appointment link

See more planned vaccine clinics.

As cases of flu, RSV, and COVID-19 rise, use simple tools to protect yourself, others

Take advantage of the skills you learned and new medical tools gained through this pandemic to protect you from surging cases of three different viruses: COVID-19, the flu, and RSV.

Use vaccines or boosters that strongly protect you against severe cases of flu or COVID-19. If you get sick, medications are available to protect you from each of those two illnesses.

Combine those with everyday skills like masking in indoor public places, staying home when sick, washing hands, and testing when symptomatic, exposed, or before a gathering. Each of those strategies can help protect you and others from a range of illnesses, including these three viruses.

These recommendations from the City of Berkeley’s Health Officer and 11 other Bay Area Health jurisdictions come as infections continue to rise for each of these viruses and holiday gatherings pose a risk for even greater spread.

Read more at berkeleyca.gov.

Volunteers needed at senior centers

Come out and volunteer at our senior centers to help enrich the lives of our elders — and your own.

Support the Senior Centers when you sign up for various shifts that fit your schedule and interests.

Connect with members when you do wellness checks from the front desk, send outreach mailers or make greeting cards for special projects, teach a course in person or online, decorate for events, and more.

Do you have an idea for a way to share your unique skills at the centers to enrich the experience of seniors? We want to hear it.

Your support as a volunteer helps keep vital Aging Services programs accessible for members. Sign up to volunteer by calling or emailing:

- Matthew at North Berkeley Senior Center, (510) 981-5193; [email protected]

- Karen at South Berkeley Senior Center, (510) 981-5202; [email protected]

Read more at berkeleyca.gov.

More news from the City of Berkeley

- With another round of strong winds and rain predicted, stay alert, stay safe and report problems, January 3, 2022

- Attend City Council meetings in person or virtually, December 8, 2022

We're hiring! Featured jobs:

- ADA Program Coordinator, closes January 23, 2023

- Aquatics Facilities Supervisor, closes January 16, 2023

- Assistant Recreation Coordinator, closes January 16, 2023

- Associate Human Resources Analyst, closes January 16, 2023

- Associate Management Analyst, closes January 16, 2023

See all open positions or learn more at berkeleyca.gov/jobs.

Upcoming City Events

- January 11, 5:30pm-6:30pm: Civic Arts Grant Webinar: Individual Artist Projects

- January 12, 6:00pm-8:00pm: Free Quit Smoking Class

- January 13, 12:00pm-1:00pm: Civic Arts Grant Webinar: Community Festivals

See details for all upcoming city events.

Upcoming meetings

City Council

- January 17, 6:00pm: Agenda

- January 18, 4:00pm: Agenda

Boards & Commissions

- January 11, 2:30pm: Civic Arts Commission
- January 11, 6:00pm: Commission on Disability
- January 11, 6:00pm: Police Accountability Board
- January 11, 6:00pm: Parks, Recreation, and Waterfront Commission
- January 12, 7:00pm: Zoning Adjustments Board
- January 18, 6:00pm: Environmental and Climate Commission
- January 19, 7:00pm: Design Review Committee
- January 25, 7:00pm: Commission on Labor

See details for upcoming boards and commission meetings.