Grantee Database

The Arts Council of Kern

Grant Year

2024-25

Grant Program

State-Local Partnership

Award Amount

$140,979.00

Project Description

With support from the California Arts Council, the Arts Council of Kern, in collaboration with local artists and arts organizations, will develop a more robust arts community through:

Community Grants: Funding and technical assistance for organizations and artists, primarily in underserved and remote areas to support community-focused arts projects.

Celebration of Kern Arts: A visual and performing arts exhibition event, featuring diverse artistic expressions from all five districts of Kern

Artwalk: A monthly free event for hundreds of residents providing a platform for visual and performing artists and nonprofit arts organizations.

Poetry OUTLOUD: With two arts ed staffers, we will bring the program to high school students in Kern, especially outlying areas.

Arts Workshops: To be held in our new gallery/workshop and convenient public places around the county, on a variety of subjects.

Organization Summary

Community Grants and Partnerships: Provides grant funding, technical assistance, and free monthly Cultivate Kern workshops (sponsored by The Wonderful Company) to support artists, nonprofits, schools, libraries, and museums, expanding participation and organizational capacity. Includes marketing, social media, and storytelling support to increase visibility and engagement.

ACK Gallery: A central hub for community engagement, hosting eight annual exhibits, workshops, and performances. Signature events like Latination engage up to 5,000 participants through cultural arts, music, dance, and hands-on activities.

Artist Promotion: Art Walk & Makers Markets: Dynamic monthly public event in downtown Bakersfield for original visual and performing artists to showcase their work. Makers Market showcases local arts/crafts for sale, rotating artists every quarter and is open when ACK is open.

Arts Education/Creative Economy Training: ACK offers arts integration classes for teachers, artists in residency (classroom/after-school), community schools CTE, and a new workforce development program for junior high students. Summer camps and Artist Catalog also key features.

Prison Arts Initiative: Provides multidisciplinary arts programming for incarcerated individuals, building self-awareness, communication skills, and workforce readiness.

Art4Rehabilitation (A4R): Award-winning program serving justice-involved youth most vulnerable to recidivism, reducing behavioral incidents while building creative and career skills through mentorship and internships.

Common Ground: Indigenous arts program offering workshops, storytelling, murals, and exhibitions that strengthen cultural identity and expand access in underserved communities.

Public Art Programs: Partnerships with Caltrans and public parks to engage communities in mural projects that increase cultural storytelling and neighborhood pride.

Literary Arts: Poet Laureate, Poetry Out Loud, Stories on the Sidewalk, and open mic events promote literacy, storytelling, and community dialogue.

2026-27 Pilot Programs: Creative Pathways for Healthy Futures, a Kaiser-funded initiative and Creative Recovery for Women, another grant funded program, using the arts to support individuals facing barriers to employment to find work in the creative economy.

Organization

The Arts Council of Kern

Address

1020 18th Street

BAKERSFIELD

93301

County

Kern

Region

Central Valley

Website

Email

Congressional District

California's 20 Congressional District

State Assembly District

District 35

State Senate District

District 16

Subscribe to the California ArtBeat weekly newsletter

Skip to content