Please note: Due to feedback from the field, the CAC is closing the current grant opportunity for Creative Youth Development to clarify applicant eligibility, requirements, and review criteria. A newly revised release of the funding opportunity and guidelines will reopen on Friday, May 27. Application submission deadlines will be extended accordingly, from June 16 to June 23. -California Arts Council
Background & Purpose
The Creative Youth Development program (formerly Youth Arts Action) is rooted in the CAC’s belief that arts learning is an essential tool for healthy human development and that it should be available to all young people throughout California. The CAC envisions that all of California’s young people are provided with meaningful, culturally responsive arts-learning experiences so that they can reach their full potential.
Beneficiaries of Creative Youth Development projects include youth from infancy to 24 years of age. All projects occur outside of traditional school hours, taking place in arts venues, community centers, school sites, and other youth-oriented settings.
- Children ages 0-5 and school-age youth are a priority for this program, with successful projects demonstrating the ability to cultivate positive social and emotional development, as well as promote artistic expression and creativity.
- Support for transitional individuals, ages 18 to 24, are an additional priority, with successful projects demonstrating the capacity to engage with transitional youth in relevant, dynamic, and innovative ways.
Examples of applicable projects include but are not limited to: arts projects in early learning, daycare, or foster-care environments; projects that support the transmission of traditional arts and cultural practices; youth leadership and mentorship opportunities in arts settings; and arts programming that supports workforce development and entrepreneurship.
Application Links:
Online Application Portal:
calartscouncil.smartsimple.com
Guidelines – revise coming 5/27
Guidelines in Spanish – Coming soon
Program Timeline:
| Guidelines Published | April 28, 2022 / *Revised* May 27, 2022 |
| Application Opens | April 28, 2022 |
| Application Deadline | June 23, 2022, 11:59 PM |
| Panel Review | Approx. June – July 2022 |
| Funding Decision | Approx. July 2022 |
| Funding Notification | Approx. August 2022 |
| Grant Activity Period | Jan 1, 2023 – Dec 31, 2024 |
| Interim Report Deadline | January 31, 2024 |
| Final Report Deadline | January 31, 2025 |
Staff contact:
Natalie Peeples
(she/her/hers)
Arts Program Specialist
creativeyouthgrant@arts.ca.gov
