With support from the California Arts Council, SOMArts will sustain our midsize staff of dedicated arts professionals, allowing the Bay Area to retain their talent and knowledge. Funding would ensure we have the capacity to continue developing our digital programming, as we are still unable to host in-person events.
Our core programs include:
– the Curatorial Residency program – incubates and supports projects from two curatorial teams each year;
– our Dia de Los Muertos exhibition – illuminates the connections between cultural traditions and contemporary aesthetics, personal loss and urgent local & global issues;
– the annual Murphy & Cadogan Contemporary Art Awards exhibition – presents the work of emerging artists from the Bay Area’s MFA Fine Arts programs in partnership with The San Francisco Foundation;
– our Solo Exhibition series – honors the work of a local, mid-career artist; and
– the Ramp Gallery – a highly visible space in our front lobby that presents intimate solo exhibitions from emerging artists.
As a cultural center, we administer:
– a Fiscal Sponsorship program – supports the financial and administrative capacity of artists and organizations, including a neighborhood cultural district and an arts field building coalition.
– a Venue Rental Program – that supports the presentation of community-driven exhibitions, productions, workshops, and events at affordable rates, and a robust array of production support and equipment that prioritizes accessibility.