Grants & Artistic Support

Dancers’ Group maintains this calendar of grants, residencies, and opportunities that support dance and dance-makers in the Bay Area. This calendar is not exhaustive and details can change – please confirm details with each grant/opportunity.

Deadline: Mon, Apr 6

Dresher Ensemble Artist Residency (D.E.A.R.)

The Dresher Ensemble Artist Residency (D.E.A.R.) was established in 2012 to support Northern California artists actively exploring new aesthetic premises and pushing the boundaries of conventional art forms and media. The program provides artists free studio space and up-to-date equipment to create new work in time-based arts such as theater/performance, dance/movement, music/sound art/instrument invention, and collaborative and interdisciplinary work. D.E.A.R. grants up to six awards annually to individual artists or groups of artists collaborating on a single project. The lead artist must be a Northern California resident and not a student at the time of the application and residency.

Deadline: QUARTERLY – Apr 13, Jul 13, Oct 13

Zellerbach Family Foundation: Community Arts

Supports the creation of work by Bay Area artists and access to the arts for Bay Area communities. Grantseekers must be located in or serving communities in Alameda, Contra Costa or San Francisco Counties. While Community Arts grants are awarded as general operating support, application materials must include information about an upcoming project. Applications must be submitted by 5:00pm on the application cycle due date. Late and/or incomplete applications will be considered in the following cycle, if eligible. $5,000, $10,000 or $15,000.

Deadline: Fri, Apr 17

2026 World Arts West Cultural Dance Catalyst Fund Guidelines + Application

World Arts West is honored to be part of the Wallace Foundation’s Advancing Well-Being in the Arts National Arts Partners initiative, alongside 11 other BIPOC-led arts service organizations. Through this regranting program, World Arts West will support California-based organizations whose work sustains, advances, and uplifts diverse cultural traditions, advances well-being in their communities, and strengthens connections across generations. This initiative is designed to increase access to resources, foster equity in funding, and amplify the voices of under-resourced cultural communities. In addition to direct funding, grantees will also join a cohort-based engagement model (including a beginning, mid-point, and closing gathering and other professional development opportunities based on cohort feedback), creating opportunities for exchange, collaboration, and mutual support.

Deadline: Sun, Apr 26

Mendocino Art Center: Moving Artist Residency July 2026

Created for those artists interested in embodying and working with the timescapes, legacies, ruptures, and knowledge of the present moment — in deconstructing and alchemizing one thing into another. This residency also holds a unique opportunity to take creative work off the ground and into the towering redwood trees on the Mendocino Coast.

Finding motion in slowness, listening, prayer, ritual, convening, and communication, this residency is meant for those attuning to spaces of uncertainty and abundance. For those searching for traces of remembrance, for a space to experiment alone or in community with the unique landscapes and waterscapes of Mendocino, whose timelessness and boundlessness are our original movers.

Deadline: Mon, Apr 27

Alliance for California Traditional Arts: Apprenticeship Program

The Apprenticeship Program encourages the continuity of the state’s thriving traditional arts and cultures by contracting mentor artists to offer intensive, one-on-one training to eligible apprentices. Each $5,000 contract will support a period of concentrated learning, from 6 mos. to a year, for apprentices who demonstrate a committed engagement with, and a talent for, a specific traditional art form or cultural practice.

Deadline: Mon, Apr 27

Alliance for California Traditional Arts: Living Cultures

The Living Cultures Grant helps communities in California carry forward, strengthen, and share their traditions with $7,500 grants to individual artists/culture bearers and $10,000 grants to nonprofits and Tribal Nations, as well as other organizations and community groups who work with fiscal sponsors.

Projects involving any genre of traditional arts—including but not limited to music, dance, storytelling, theater, traditional cooking, and crafts, or other handmade arts—are welcome.

Deadline: Tues, Apr 28

The Democracy Cycle 2026

Over a five-year period, The Democracy Cycle will commission and develop 25 new performing arts works across the fields of theater, dance, music, opera, and multi-disciplinary performance. The commissioned works, to be selected over the course of three annual Rounds of Open Calls (2024, 2025, and 2026) will explore themes relating to the nature, practice, and experience of democracy. Our hope is that projects commissioned as part of The Democracy Cycle will enrich and expand the discussion around and participation in democracy – be it in the national, state, regional, or hyperlocal community realm – as it is practiced both within the United States and worldwide. The Cycle will provide $60,000 in support to each awarded project, consisting of a $30,000 commission as well as an additional $30,000 towards each commissioned project’s development process (research, readings, workshops etc.). The commissions will be awarded across three annual Open Calls, beginning in January 2024. In each Open Call, The Democracy Cycle will commission at least eight projects.

Deadline: Tue, May 12

California Art Council: Arts and Youth

The Arts and Youth program is rooted in the CAC’s belief that arts learning and engagement should be available to all young people in California. Providing access to meaningful, culturally responsive arts experiences helps youth develop a greater sense of self, deepen their connection to their communities, and make meaningful connections across histories and cultures. By participating in the arts, youth gain the knowledge, skills, and understanding to actively take part in creative processes, projects, and pursuits throughout their lifetimes as culturally literate, engaged citizens.

Deadline: Tue, May 12

California Art Council: General Operating Support

The General Operating Support grant program provides direct funding to arts and cultural organizations in support of ongoing operations. Arts organizations defined: An arts and cultural organization is defined as an entity with a primary purpose of providing arts, creative, or cultural programming/services. Up to $30,000 in direct funding to arts and cultural organizations in support of ongoing operations.

Deadline: Tue, May 12

California Arts Council: Impact Grant

Up to $25,000 in support collaborative projects that center artists and artistic practice in responding to issues experienced by California’s historically and systemically under-resourced communities.

Deadline: Tue, May 12

California Arts Council: State-Local Partners

The State-Local Partners (SLP) program provides general operating support and technical assistance for county-designated local arts agencies. The purpose of the program is to foster cultural development on the local level through a partnership between the State and the counties of California. The nature of this partnership includes funding, information exchange, cooperative activities, and leadership. The partnership enables individuals, organizations, and communities to create, present, and preserve the arts of all cultures to enrich the quality of life for all Californians.

Deadline: Mon, June 1

Headlands Center for the Arts: Artist in Residence

Awards fully sponsored residencies to approximately 50 local, national, and international artists each year. Residencies of four to ten weeks include studio space, chef-prepared meals, comfortable housing, and travel and living expenses. Artists selected for this program are at all stages in their careers and work in all media.

Deadline: QUARTERLY – June 1, Sep 1

The Svane Family Foundation: Culture Forward Grant

Culture Forward is a $5 million grant initiative by The Svane Family Foundation supporting arts and culture projects that attract families, students, and young professionals to Downtown San Francisco. Grants are open to individual artists, collectives, and arts and culture organizations. Applications will be reviewed and grants will be distributed on a quarterly basis.

Deadline: Mini-Grants are offered monthly and applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Submit your application before the end of the month to be considered for the next month’s award.

ARTogether: Mini-Grants for Artists

Awards $500 to Bay Area refugee and immigrant artists for work on a current or ongoing art project. Preference will be given to refugee artists and to projects which are beyond the development stage.

Deadline: Applications are reviewed and grants are awarded monthly based on available funds. Apply by the 10th of every month.

First Peoples Fund: Yéigo Action Grant

Offers grants for individual Native artists and culture bearers who are in need of quick financial assistance for an artistic opportunity, emergency situation and/or sudden unanticipated expense related to their art practice or business. $100-$5,000.

Deadline: Monthly, visit each chapter’s page for their guidelines.

The Awesome Foundation

Each fully autonomous chapter of the Awesome Foundation supports awesome projects through micro-grants, usually given out monthly. There are chapters in Marin (currently inactive), Oakland (currently inactive), San Francisco, San Jose, and Santa Cruz. Awesome Disability and Awesome On the Water are independent chapters of the Awesome Foundation. $1,000.

Deadline: Applications for residencies at different parks are continuously updated and rotated throughout the year. Visit the website for current listings and deadlines.

National Parks Arts Foundation: Residencies

Works directly with select artists and the National Park Service (and their affiliates) to create unique Artist in Residency programs within the wonders of the National Parks. The NPAF is currently active in parks across the nation.

More info at https://www.nationalparksartsfoundation.org/allresidencies

Deadline: Applications are open periodically throughout the year.

Rauschenberg Medical Emergency Grants

Provides one-time grants of up to $5,000 for unexpected medical, dental, and mental health emergencies to artists in financial need who are creating in the visual arts, film/video/electronic/digital arts, and choreography.

Deadline: Ongoing; Applications must be received by the JFLA at least 3 months prior to the beginning date of the project.

Japan Foundation Los Angeles: Arts & Culture Mini Grant

Supports projects that will enhance further understanding of Japanese arts and culture. Applications can be accepted only for projects that take place within the 13 states west of the Rocky Mountains. Up to $5,000, paid in the form of reimbursement.

Deadline: Ongoing; For online projects, applications are accepted on a rolling basis and must be received by JFNY at least 1 month prior to the project start date. For in-person/hybrid projects, applications must be submitted at least 3 months prior to the project start date.

Japan Foundation New York (JFNY): Grant for Arts & Culture

Aims to support projects that will further understanding of Japanese arts and culture. They accept applications from non-profit organizations for projects that take place within the 37 states east of the Rocky Mountains, plus Washington DC, regardless of the location of the applicant organizations. Up to $5,000, paid in the form of reimbursement.

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