APPLICATION IS CLOSED

Las solicitudes se aceptarán solo en inglés. La aplicación es breve y sencilla. Por favor, encuentre un amigo que pueda ayudarlo a traducir y enviar su solicitud antes de la fecha límite del 11 de mayo a las 12 PM (mediodía) hora del Pacífico.

The Berkeley Arts Recovery Grants for Artists & Cultural Practitioners is a program led by the City of Berkeley’s Civic Arts Program and is made possible by federal funding resulting from the American Rescue Plan Act. The Berkeley Arts Recovery Grants for Artists & Cultural Practitioners makes available $275,000 in the form of grants up to $10,000 to help the City’s artists and cultural practitioners. Distribution of the Berkeley Arts Recovery Grants for Artists & Cultural Practitioners is through a partnership between the City of Berkeley’s Civic Arts Program and the Center for Cultural Innovation (CCI). CCI, a trusted intermediary focused on the economic security of people in the arts, is administering this grant program.

The Berkeley Arts Recovery Grants for Artists & Cultural Practitioners will distribute support to reflect the cultural and geographic diversity of the City of Berkeley—including those who are of historically underserved communities, and are especially vulnerable financially due to this ongoing economic crisis. Although not factors in grant decisions, we strongly encourage the following with financial needs to apply: individual applicants of historically marginalized communities, which may include, but are not limited to, African and African American, Arab, Asian and Asian American, Latinx, Middle Eastern, Native American and Indigenous, Pacific Islander; Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Queer, Transgender and Gender-Variant people; people with disabilities; women; and those who are low-income, have high debts, have difficulty obtaining or retaining sources of income, or live in immigrant and refugee communities.

ABOUT

The Berkeley Arts Recovery Grants for Artists & Cultural Practitioners is in response to the economic disruptions resulting from or exacerbated by the COVID-19 public health emergency and is intended to help mitigate the ensuing financial needs of individuals that have resulted from the pandemic—a federally recognized “qualified disaster.” The arts and culture sector remains hard hit, effectively disrupting artists and arts workers’ ability to earn income. Individuals are the backbone of arts and culture—exhibitions and performances, educational arts programming, community-anchoring cultural enterprises, and services by nonprofit arts organizations—and they need financial help to remain in our communities and contribute to making them meaningful and vibrant.

This grant program is for artists and cultural practitioners residing in Berkeley who need financial help as a result of this federally recognized qualified disaster. Individuals may apply only once for up to $10,000. Funds are unrestricted and can be used in any way that alleviates financial hardship. Applicants will be asked to describe their pandemic-induced financial needs, and we ask that you only apply if you are experiencing immediate and serious needs. This is because we want to reserve as much of the available funds as possible for those facing significant financial hardships.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

1. Must be a current, full-time resident of the City of Berkeley;
2. Must be an artist and/or cultural practitioner. Eligible applicants will make their primary income* in the arts and culture sector; this may include roles as fine artists, including literary, visual, and performing artists; musicians; teaching artists; culture bearers; art-making enterprises such as jewelry makers; artist members of collective-based or cooperative creative social enterprises; and specialized artist workers (e.g., lighting or sound designers, fabricators); and
3. Cannot have a conflict of interest (family or financial relationships) with the boards, staff, and directors of CCI or the City of Berkeley’s Civic Arts Program and Civic Arts Commission.

*Applicants will be asked to provide their arts-related income range for calendar years 2019 and 2020, and the percentage of lost income experienced since mid-March 2020. Percentage of lost income will be a factor that is considered as part of the funding distribution process.

TIMELINE

• Monday, April 4, 2022 at 9 a.m. Pacific Time: Application Cycle Opens 

• Wednesday, May 11, 2022 at 12 p.m. (Noon) Pacific Time: Application Cycle Closes 

• Wednesday, May 25, 2022 by 5 p.m. Pacific Time: Notifications Made

• Thursday, May 26, 2022: Grantee Payment Processing Begins

HOW TO APPLY

Applications will be accepted beginning April 4, 2022 at 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time and accepted until May 11, 2022 at 12:00 p.m. (Noon) Pacific Time. Completed applications must be submitted by the deadline—no exceptions can be made as that will negatively impact processing of all applications.

Applications will be accepted online ONLY through CCI’s Submittable platform. All applicants MUST create an account in Submittable before they will be able to access the grant application.

Additionally, applications will be accepted in English only. The application is brief and simple. If English is not your first language, please find a friend who can help to translate and submit the application by the deadline of May 11, 2022 at 12 p.m. (Noon) Pacific Time. Similarly, if you have a friend who you think qualifies but is not an English speaker, please help them to translate and submit the application by the deadline of May 11, 2022 at 12 p.m. (Noon) Pacific Time.

GUIDELINES & INFORMATION

Guidelines

Application Preview (pdf version)

 Application Preview (Word version)

Frequently Asked Questions

Submittable Quick Tips

QUESTIONS & SUPPORT

We’re here to help! If you have questions about the Berkeley Arts Recovery Grants for Artists & Cultural Practitioners program or the application process, contact CCI at grants@cciarts.org or 213.705.9112.

If you are experiencing issues with the Submittable platform, contact Submittable directly at support@submittable.com. You may also reach out to CCI at grants@cciarts.org or call us at 213.705.9112. For Deaf applicants and those with hearing loss, contact CCI using the California Relay Service—our staff are trained in making and receiving these calls.