SACRAMENTO, CA – The California Arts Council has reissued its Request for Proposal (RFP) for organizations interested in providing arts services as part of California’s Arts in Corrections (AIC) program. Organizations of all sizes seeking to promote healing and well-being are encouraged to submit programming proposals that broaden the art and cultural disciplines of institution workshops.

This reissuance comes in response to the cancellation of the previous programming RFP upon review of the panel evaluation and scoring process and documentation, in an effort to minimize any gap in program services.

About the RFP

Read the Request for Proposals and download all available attachments here.

As part of the California Arts Council’s effort to simplify the submission process and increase access, equity, and inclusion among interested organizations, the RFP includes plain-language templated forms, instructions, and an informational webinar for submission guidance. Optional anonymous feedback and demographic surveys are also included to help assess the program’s equitable practices, clarity, and accessibility.

The newly released RFP will be submitted electronically. No hard copy forms or documents and no USB thumb drives will be required to submit a complete proposal package. Additionally, award amount limits have been adjusted to expand opportunities for additional proposers to be successful in competing within the regions.

Webinar and Q&A Resources

An optional webinar was held on September 7, from noon to 2 p.m. CAC Arts in Correction staff assisted attendees with understanding the RFP process to submit a complete proposal; provided technical knowledge; and identified the purpose and reviewed components and evaluation criteria of the RFP. An archived version of the webinar is available to watch at this link.

Questions regarding the RFP were submitted through a public inquiry process, due by 5 p.m. PDT on September 8. Responses were posted online at 5 p.m. PDT on September 9.

The final deadline for submitting proposals is September 19 at 11:59 p.m. PDT.

About Arts in Corrections

Arts in Corrections is a partnership between the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) and the California Arts Council designed to have a positive impact on the social and emotional well-being of people experiencing incarceration, promoting healing and interpersonal transformation both inside and outside of the boundaries of their institutions.

The program upholds the following values:

• People experiencing incarceration are deserving of dignity and respect.  
• Policies should dismantle the root causes of incarceration. 
• Community-based interventions reduce harm and make communities safer by replacing state-sanctioned systems of retribution and punishment. 
• Individual and collective accountability for harm, and the healing of trauma, can create a more safe and just society for all.

California’s Arts in Corrections program is made possible by funding from the Division of Rehabilitative Programs at CDCR. Services provided span the full spectrum of art disciplines, with organizations offering instruction in visual; literary; media; performing; and cultural, folk, and traditional arts.

Since the program’s re-launch in the 2013-14 fiscal year, CDCR’s investment has increased from $2.5 million in the first two years to an $8 million annual commitment. As of June 2017, arts programming is provided at all 35 state adult correctional facilities.

For more information about the program, including a list of all current Coordinating Organizations, visit the California Arts in Corrections website.

Media Inquiries:
Kimberly Brown
Public Affairs Specialist
kimberly.brown@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: Lilia Gonzáles-Chávez, Chair; Consuelo Montoya, Vice Chair; Gerald Clarke, Vicki Estrada, Jodie Evans, Ellen Gavin, Alex Israel, Phil Mercado, and Roxanne Messina Captor. 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.