SACRAMENTO, CA – The California Arts Council (CAC) is proud to announce the opening of the application period for the 2025 Cultural Districts grant program. This initiative will designate up to 10 new state-designated cultural districts, expanding the original cohort established in 2017. These cultural districts represent vibrant, creative communities across California, driving cultural, economic, and social vitality.
The California Cultural Districts program was established through Assembly Bill 189, authored by Assemblymember Richard Bloom and signed into law in 2015. The legislation grants the CAC the authority to identify, designate, and promote areas of concentrated cultural activity.
“California’s cultural districts reflect the extraordinary diversity and creativity that define our state,” said Danielle Brazell, Executive Director of the California Arts Council. “This program is about more than just geography—it’s about creating sustainable ecosystems where artists and cultural workers can thrive, where history and heritage are honored, and where the arts serve as a catalyst for connection and community transformation.”
The Cultural Districts program helps communities harness their unique cultural assets to stimulate local economies, attract tourism, preserve historic sites, and support vibrant, inclusive creative economies. Districts are selected through a rigorous, equity-centered application process that emphasizes authentic community partnerships, vision clarity, and demonstrated cultural depth.
With applications due by August 7, 2025, the Cultural Districts program offers grants up to $10,000 over a two-year period, official state certification, technical assistance, and access to joint marketing and branding resources. The 2025 cohort designation period will run from January 1, 2026 to December 31, 2030, with grant activities taking place from January 1, 2026 to December 31, 2027.
Eligible applicants must be a partnership of at least three organizations—an arts and/or cultural nonprofit or collective, a local business or business association, and a local government entity. Applications and full guidelines are available now at calartscouncil.smartsimple.com.
For more information, including eligibility requirements and application resources, please visit the California Arts Council Cultural Districts website or contact the Cultural Districts grant team at culturaldistrictsgrant@arts.ca.gov.
Media Inquiries Only:
Carissa Gutiérrez
Director of Public Affairs
carissa.gutierrez@arts.ca.gov
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The California Arts Council is a state agency with a mission of strengthening arts, culture, and creative expression as the tools to cultivate a better California for all. It supports local arts infrastructure and programming statewide through grants, initiatives, and services. The California Arts Council envisions a California where all people flourish with universal access to and participation in the arts.
Members of the California Arts Council include: Roxanne Messina Captor, Chair; Leah Goodwin, Vice Chair; Gerald Clarke; Caleb Duarte; Vicki Estrada; Roy Hirabayashi; Alex Israel; Dorka Keehn; Phil Mercado; Nicola Miner. Learn more at www.arts.ca.gov.
The California Arts Council is committed to increasing the accessibility of its online content. For language and accessibility assistance, visit https://arts.ca.gov/about/about-us/language-communications-assistance. To read this announcement in Spanish, please use the website’s Google Translate tool by clicking the “Translate” link in the upper righthand corner of this page.
El Consejo de las Artes de California se compromete a aumentar la accesibilidad de sus contenidos en línea. Para obtener ayuda con el idioma y la accesibilidad, visite https://arts.ca.gov/about/about-us/language-communications-assistance. Para leer este anuncio en español, utilice la herramienta Google Translate del sitio web haciendo clic en el enlace “Traducir” situado en la esquina superior derecha de esta página.
