State-Local Partnerships Contacts

Creativity is Californian. And the success of our communities in achieving community health, well-being, resilience, and equity relies on our state’s arts ecosystem—one that creates jobs, stimulates dialogue, advances cultural equity, preserves a community’s unique identity, and promotes positive change for the future of our state.

County arts agencies play a vital role within that ecosystem, and the state acknowledges that role by investing in these agencies annually through the State-Local Partnership grant program.

The program seeks to foster cultural development at the local level through a partnership between the state and the counties of California, including funding, information exchange, cooperative activities, and leadership. The partnership enables individuals, organizations, and communities to create, present, and preserve the arts of all cultures to enrich the quality of life for all Californians.

The SLP’s Vital Role

State-Local Partners contribute to community arts development and serve as a countywide cultural resource for local artists, arts organizations, social service organizations, the general public, and the broader creative landscape. They are responsive to community needs, values, and priorities with reach and engagement across the entirety of their respective counties.

Our State-Local Partners strengthen and sustain their communities by:

• Maintaining an accessible public office offering publicly accessible arts and cultural programs and services
• Prioritizing engagement and support for historically under-resourced communities
• Administering a countywide Poetry Out Loud competition to determine a county champion for participation in the State Finals in Sacramento
• Hosting meetings on behalf of or in collaboration with the CAC
• Promoting CAC grant opportunities, including providing in-person or online workshops and other technical assistance to applicants and grantees
• Partnering with the CAC to gather data on communities served, constituent needs and values, and support the CAC’s general evaluation efforts