ARTS COUNCIL SANTA CRUZ COUNTY

Grants
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Grant Resources
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Answers to some of the frequently asked questions about our current grant offerings.

Grant Panels
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Recent Grants Search
Searchable information about California Arts Council grant awards from 2010 to today.

Grantee Map
View an interactive map of recent California Arts Council grantees.

Programs Evaluation Plan
Learn about the CAC’s process with the consulting firms Scansion and WolfBrown to evaluate the agency’s portfolio of programs, assessing the effectiveness of our grantmaking and contract-based funding.

Online Application Portal
SmartSimple is the California Arts Council’s online application portal and grants management system.
Collective
Collective: Statewide Opportunities Resource
Browse opportunities such as jobs, internships, artist calls, grants, conferences, workshops, and more.

Collective: Organizational Profile Login
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Learning Center
Why the arts?
Arts and culture are essential to us all. Explore the benefits of the arts by topic.

Research & Reports
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Racial Equity Learning Resources
Access racial equity tools, research, and community learning resources.

CAC Publications & Reports
A collection of reports published by the California Arts Council.

Arts Glossary
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News
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Blog
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COVID-19 News & Resources
Find the latest COVID-19 announcements, including emergency funding opportunities, arts reopening resources, and state guidance.

DREAM Magazine
Voices and stories from across the state, sharing a glimpse into the depth of impact of creativity and cultural expression in a region as large and diverse as California.

Art News
Find relevant arts and culture stories from the local and national media and blogosphere.
Programs
Arts in California Parks
Arts in California Parks helps to nourish, educate, and inspire individuals and communities.

Arts in Corrections
A partnership with the CA Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, designed to have a positive impact on the social and emotional well-being of people experiencing incarceration. www.artsincorrections.org

California Creative Corps
A media, outreach, and engagement pilot program designed to support communities statewide following the COVID-19 pandemic.

Creative Economy of California
Building a resilient future for California’s creative economy.

California Cultural Districts
Highlighting some of the thriving cultural diversity and unique artistic identities within local communities across the state. www.caculturaldistricts.org

Poetry Out Loud
Igniting student potential through the power of poetry. An initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts, administered statewide by the California Arts Council. www.capoetryoutloud.org

California Poet Laureate
The Governor’s advocate for the art of poetry. Visit www.capoetlaureate.org.

California Teen Poet Laureate
COMING SOON: State legislation supports the development of the state’s first Youth Poet Laureate program.

Individual Artists Fellowship
Through a network of regionally based Administering Organizations, the Individual Artists Fellowship program will continue to recognize, uplift, and celebrate the excellence of California artists practicing any art form.
About
About Us
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Racial Equity Statement
We believe that racial injustice is the most pervasive and entrenched form of injustice permeating the institutions and structures that everyone must access. Read our Racial Equity Statement.

Strategic Framework
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Council Members
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Staff
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Calendar
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Work With Us
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Support the Arts
Donate
Your direct contribution to the California Arts Council is tax-deductible.

Keep Arts in Schools Fund
Support creativity in California’s classrooms by donating to the Keep Arts in Schools Voluntary Contribution Fund on your state tax return.

Arts License Plate
Proceeds from the California Arts Plate support arts programming across California.

Grantee Database

Grant Year

2025-26

Grant Program

Arts and Youth

Award Amount

$20,250.00

Project Description

With support from the California Arts Council, ARTS COUNCIL SANTA CRUZ COUNTY will enhance arts education for youth, especially those from systemically disinvested communities. We’ll ensure access to high-quality, culturally relevant arts experiences by training local artists and teachers, mentoring youth, and offering school-based programs, directly addressing inequities.
We’ll achieve this through three key initiatives: Mariposa Arts, an after-school program, delivering visual art, music, dance, and theatre to over 3,000 students across 17 schools. Its unique intergenerational model trains high school students to co-teach younger children, developing their creative talents and crucial life skills. Our Artist Teacher Partnership Residencies connect teaching artists with non-arts subject teachers for 10-week collaborations, developing arts-integrated curriculum with a social-emotional learning focus. Finally, our Summer Arts Education Institute trains 45 educators annually in arts integration, fostering creative expression and well-being.

Organization Summary

Guided by its 2022-27 Strategic Plan, Arts Council Santa Cruz County will build, support, and sustain a dynamic, responsive, and inclusive arts culture in Santa Cruz County as characterized by:
-Culturally rich and historically neglected communities are elevated, celebrated, and have a position of power in the arts ecosystem that reflects their cultural assets
-Art and artists drive the County’s cultural and economic success and well being
-Santa Cruz County residents of all backgrounds are engaged in a continuum of meaningful and relevant arts engagement activities that provoke a greater sense of belonging
-BIPOC artists and arts organizations that serve the County’s BIPOC community are well-resourced and well-positioned for their important work
To do so, the Council will pursue five strategic priorities:
-Promote an inclusive vision of arts in the County and the importance of vibrant and thriving arts ecosystems
-Increase investment in BIPOC communities and organizations in Watsonville and throughout the County
-Partner with a diverse set of actors to develop the County’s cultural economy
-Elevate the importance of high-quality, culturally relevant arts learning and support capacity and programming to foster the future generation of artists and art lovers
-Strengthen the Council’s culture and operations to enable its intended impact in the community

Through grants to artists and arts organizations, arts education programs that serve more than 18,000 youth across Santa Cruz County, and community initiatives such as Open Studios, the Tannery Arts Center, and the Watsonville Center for the Arts, we help Santa Cruz County thrive.

Organization