With support from the California Arts Council, Root Division will sustain and grow its studios, exhibitions, and arts education programs that empower emerging BIPOC artists and engage communities of color through culturally responsive practices. Funding will support 2025–26 programming, staffing, and operations, enabling us to continue our unique studios incubator, offer free visual arts classes to underserved youth, and present exhibitions that center diverse voices and narratives. Root Division remains committed to cultivating leadership and shared knowledge across our ecosystem. Our core focus is on uplifting historically marginalized communities—specifically artists, educators, curators, and youth who identify as BIPOC, immigrants, and LGBTQIA+—and providing meaningful access to creative opportunities that reflect and shape the future of San Francisco’s vibrant cultural landscape.
Root Division’s ecosystem includes 4 interconnected programs: In our unique incubator Studios Program we offer discounted space to artists who each volunteer 8 hours of service per month. Artists spend this time teaching free art classes in the Youth Education Program, instructing courses in the Adult Education Program, and/or supporting the Exhibitions & Events Program. We link various interests & audiences in a mutually beneficial relationship making art, artists & arts education more accessible while cultivating artists who give back.
Since 2002, Root Division has provided 290+ artists with studios; empowered 480 artists to teach; provided 8,000+ hours of free art classes for neighborhood youth; hosted adult art classes for 4,400 students; exhibited 4,700+ artists; been a gathering place for 75,000 visitors to meet artists & see artwork; sold over $1.27M of emerging artwork; & developed partnerships with two-dozen public schools/ community centers & 180 local businesses.

