CITY OF SANTA BARBARA
CULTURAL ARTS Grants
2023-2024 grants are closed
Cultural Arts Grant programs:
Funded by the City of Santa Barbara and administered by the Office of Arts & Culture, the Community Arts (CA), Organizational Development (OD), and Community Events and Festivals (EF) grant programs provide opportunities to support nonprofits producing or providing arts and culture programming within city limits.
First-time applicants must participate in a grant orientation workshop. Returning applicants are strongly encouraged to attend.
Please review the full City of Santa Barbara Cultural Arts Grants Guidelines for detailed eligibility requirements.
2024 Cultural Arts Grant Recipients
Community Arts Grant Recipients: Poetry In Motion, Lum Magazine- Debra Herrick, A Dancing Net Skirt Project - Mia Lopez, Performing and Visual Arts Camp (PVAC), Gateway Educational Services, Jana Brody Artist, Mission Poetry Series
Community Events and Festivals Grant Recipients:
Grace Fisher Foundation, Lobero Theatre Foundation, Mental Wellness Center, Pacific Pride Foundation, Cinco de Mayo Festival, Santa Barbara Culinary Experience, Santa Barbara Historical Museum, Santa Barbara Revels, The Brazilian Cultural Arts Center of Santa Barbara
Organizational Development Grant Recipients: ARTSPACE INC, DBA Center Stage Theater, Boxtales Theatre Company, Camerata Pacifica, Everybody Dance Now!, Museum of Contemporary Art Santa Barbara, Notes for Notes, Out of the Box Theatre, Santa Barbara Arts Collaborative, Santa Barbara Youth Performing Arts Center (Marjorie Luke Theater), Slingshot/Alpha Art Studio, State Street Ballet
2023-2024 timeline
Applications Open
August 2023
Grant Workshops
September 8, 2023 12:00-1:00 pm
David Gebhard Meeting Room
600 Garden St.
September 14, 2023 4:00-5:00 pm
Zoom- Click here to register
Applications Due
September 22, 2023 by 5:00pm
Award Notifications
November 2023
Grant Recipient Webinar
November 17, 2023 12:00pm
Revised Budgets Due
December 1, 2023
Grant Agreements Due
No later than December 15, 2023 and prior to commencing grant project.
Funded Activity Period
January 1, 2024- December 31, 2024
Community arts grant program
The City of Santa Barbara’s Community Arts (CA) grant program funds small-scale projects and programs for underserved communities and youth. Often, projects supported by Community Arts grants occur one time only and are not offered on an ongoing basis.
The Community Arts program aims to ensure accessibility to the arts for all members of Santa Barbara’s community.
The maximum award for the CA grant is $6,000
Organizational development grant program
The City of Santa Barbara’s Organizational Development (OD) grant program funds local arts organizations to improve organizational sustainability, capacity and performance, enhance audience reach, and increase earned income. Grants support operational, marketing, and promotional expenses. Applicants must indicate the impact that grant funds will have on audience development and earned income.
The maximum award for the OD grant is $18,000
community events & festivals
The City of Santa Barbara Community Events & Festivals (EF) grant program funds local organizations for promotional development and event production. Applicants to this program must demonstrate the ability to produce events and festivals which contribute to the cultural vitality and promotion of the City. Learn more here.
The maximum award amounts for the EF grants are:
Up to $15,000 for new events and festival-producing organizational applicants
Up to $10,000 for returning event and festival-producing organizational applicants
