Background & Purpose
The California Arts Council mission is to strengthen arts, culture, and creative expression as the tools to cultivate a better California for all. The CAC is committed to the just and equitable disbursement of resources across geographies to reach cultural communities of all sizes and needs. The CAC recognizes all art forms and artistic traditions that enable full and meaningful creative expression.
Folk and traditional art forms are rooted in and reflective of the cultural life of a community, whose members may share common ethnic heritage, cultural mores, language, religion, occupation, or geographic regions. These art forms are preserved and revitalized through efforts to pass down skills and knowledge across generations. By providing opportunities for hands-on learning, collaboration, and practice within families and communities, these traditions remain vibrant and continue to evolve, ensuring the lasting strength of cultural legacies.
The Folk and Traditional Arts (FTA) grant program supports the culture bearers practicing these arts across California.
Program Oversight
The CAC will be responsible for distributing funds to the AO for regranting and program administration. The awarded AO will be required to provide a Statement of Work that will detail program activities and timelines for program deliverables. The CAC will provide input, guidance, and approval on program development and implementation. Throughout the duration of the grant period, the AO will participate in regular check-in meetings with CAC staff.
Living Cultures Grant Program
FTA funding for 2026 is administered by the Alliance for California Traditional Arts (ACTA), a statewide organization dedicated to supporting and uplifting folk and traditional arts. Through the Living Cultures Grants, ACTA works directly with artists and communities to ensure that cultural knowledge is not only preserved, but actively practiced, taught, and celebrated across generations.
The program emphasizes sustaining traditions through hands-on learning, intergenerational exchange, and access to the tools and resources needed for cultural continuity. Whether through mentorship, apprenticeships, community workshops, or cultural gatherings, Living Cultures Grants support meaningful opportunities for communities to engage with and pass on their traditions.
Funding Opportunities
In 2026, the Living Cultures Grants program will distribute a total of $707,500 in funding to support cultural work throughout California, including:
- $7,500 grants for individual artists and culture bearers
- $10,000 grants for eligible organizations
Eligible applicants include:
- Individual artists and culture bearers
- Community organizations working with a California-based nonprofit 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor
- Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations
- Cultural programs of federally recognized Tribal Nations based in California
- Cultural programs of Tribal Nations without federal recognition (with a nonprofit 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor)
