Grantee Database
The Arts Council of Kern
Grant Year
2026-27
Grant Program
State Local Partner Mentorship
Award Amount
$50,000.00
Project Description
With support from the California Arts Council, ARTS COUNCIL OF KERN (ACK) will provide mentorship, technical assistance, and organizational development support to the emerging Arts Council of Kings County as it works toward becoming a sustainable and locally governed arts agency. A primary goal of this assistance is to support completion of the organization’s 501(c)(3) nonprofit status already in progress and to help position the new organization to become a State-Local Partner (SLP) with Kings County and the California Arts Council.
This partnership builds upon the important foundation established during Years One and Two of regional arts leadership and technical assistance led by the Fresno Arts Council. ACK will help bring this work to completion by supporting the coordinator and founding board through the final stages of organizational development and nonprofit formation.
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
Congressional District
California's 20 Congressional District
State Assembly District
District 35
State Senate District
District 16
