Individual Artist Grants, Residencies San Francisco Bay Area
Artist Grants San Francisco Bay Area, Individual Artist Grants Sonoma, Oakland, San Jose, Alameda, Santa Clara; San Sonoma, Marin, Fellowships, Artist-In-Residency
Last Updated: August 11, 2026 3:30PM
Posted new grants from the Livermore Public Arts Fund this evening.
While I do post some updates on my Instagram account (via stories - be sure to follow), most updates will be made available here and through my free weekly email newsletter (sign up below).
I highly encourage anyone in California, especially artists to look up the unclaimed property site to see if they are owed money (banks, phone companies, insurance, past wages). The first Bay Area artist I looked up was owed $180 by her insurance company (there may be more especially if you have have lived in multiple cities, moved around). Each state has it’s own unique site. Some retreivals are easier than others.
Related News…
https://www.instagram.com/p/Db7Af3jjm0g/?hl=e
https://sfstandard.com/2026/03/21/artists-sold-dream-visionary-gallerist-turned-nightmare/
Bay Area Artist Grants, Artist Residencies & More
Visual, Dance, Music, Writing, Arts Grants & More
Individual Artist Grants & Residencies San Francisco Bay Area
Many grants were eliminated during COVID and by subsequent slashing of funds by this current federal administration. Some organizations have an online presence but details of active grants are unknown, adding extra time and effort to sift through opportunities. Similarly, when seeking individual grants for artists, most results reference organizations rather than individuals.
This quick guide was put together to highlight some incredible opportunities and encourage those entities to update information on their website and social media channels or at least mention when last grants were provided if none are on the horizon. As an artist, I know it can be frustrating to navigate these opportunities, and many people just pass on them.
To my knowledge, these organizations and foundations are all active in their grants with upcoming deadlines when possible (if not, last application window). Based on interest and feedback, I will update this list with more details and opportunities.
Did I miss a grant? Have feedback? Need help w/ something else? Let me know!
On occasion, I will publish updates to this guide and other timely announcements regarding grants, opportunities, vendor opportunities and more in the San Francisco Bay Area. Sign up below for my free weekly email newsletter (sent once a week, usually on Sundays).
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Grants come with stipulations. Please be aware of them before applying.
Please read this informative article in Mission Local about such instances.
San Francisco Artists Grants, Residencies
scholars, activists, poets, fiction writers, musicians & visual artists.
not sure about dates or if open or nomination only
San Francisco Arts Commission: Community Investments
For the 2025-2026 grant cycle, SFAC awarded $10.4M to 151 grantees, including $7.5M+ to 98 individual artists and 47 arts nonprofit organizations,
Culture Forward ($5M+); next window is Sept 1, 2026.
Supporting arts and culture projects that attract families, students, and young professionals to Downtown San Francisco
Closed June 1, 2026; 4 grants, $1,500 each
San Francisco Grants For The Arts
Ended June 30, 2026
San Francisco Award Application: May 1-June 1, 2026
Lisa Brown and Daniel Handler Residency (Friends of SFPL & McSweeneys)
Due August 10, 2026; Fiction, Nonfiction, Children’s writers and illustrators, Poets, Playwrights/screenwriters
5 SF writers: free, year-long studio space, a connection to the SF Public Library system, & opportunities to engage public through literary programming.
North Bay Artist Grants
Center For Cultural Innovation: CCI Arts Funds
Investing in Artists: Artistic Innovation
Marin, Sonoma, Solano, Napa residents
Feb 24-Apr 3; grants up to $9k
Sonoma County Arts, Artists Grants
Application August 14th, 2026-October 1, 2026; 45 grants of $4,000 each
Nonprofit arts & culture orgs, museums & culturally-specific nonprofit orgs
Center For Cultural Innovation: CCI Arts Funds
Marin County Artist Grants
Marin Cultural Association (MCA) Arts Grants
Artists (up to $5k) and non-profits (up to $10k); next opening Fall 2026.
Solano County Artist Grants
Center For Cultural Innovation: CCI Arts Funds
$7,500 individual artists; $1,800 for orgs
To submit event suggestions (art openings, exhibits & more), use the form below. Please read through the form, lots of important details. Similarly, I tend to favor larger exhibits (i.e. groups) over individual showings.
East Bay Grants For Artists
East Bay Fund For Artists (last fund application September-October)
Quarterly deadlines for mini-grants up to $1k
Public Art/Unsolicited Grants up to $10k due October 1, 2026
High School Junior & Senior Arts Awards due in February
Contra Costa County Artist Grants
Alameda County Artists Grants
“Oakland currently allots its entire arts community only $300k in grants — in contrast to the combined $29M that Grants for the Arts and the San Francisco Arts Commission apportioned across the bay last fiscal year.” -SF Chronicle
REACH Artist Grants, Oakland (40x40)
Deadline March 1, 2026. It’s unfortunate but the qr code points to a google form and there is no mention of the award on their site.
City of Berkeley: Individual Artist Projects
$5k, Application through March 30, 2026.
Dance, music, theater, literary arts, folk/traditional arts (varies year to year)
Arts for Oakland Kids Project Mini-Grants; application Feb 9-March 30
Arts orgs, teaching artists, & classroom teachers w/ hands-on arts education programming to TK-12th grade students at qualifying Oakland public schools.
South Bay / Peninsula Grants Artists
Artist Grants Santa Clara, San Jose, Palo Alto
Ended February 20, 2026, up to $5k for PA public space projects
City of San Jose Office of Cultural Affairs
San Jose Rotary Club Neurodivergent Artist Grants
16-25 years old; Feb 8-Mar 1, 2026
Center For Cultural Innovation: CCI Arts Funds
San José Creative Economy Fund:
May 12-July 17, 2026; up to $8k, $60k total fund
If you would like to support my efforts with creating and upkeeping free guides like this for everyone, you can buy me a coffee below.
San Francisco Bay Area Artists Grants (Regional)
UC Berkeley: The Donald Sidney-Fryer Fellowship
$2,500 to support a month of study; Deadline March 2, 2026
Supports scholarly use of primary source materials at Bancroft Library related to works of writers, poets, artists & community “West Coast Romantics”.
UCSF Library Artist in Residence: Due March 25, 2026
Open to artists in Northern California
San Mateo County Libraries Maker in Residence (Started in 2026)
Scientists, Technologists, Engineers, Artists and Mathematicians
Ended March 18, 2026
Rainin Arts Fellowship
Dance, film, public space and theater
IntermusicSF: The Musical Grant Program
$2k-$4k; Application: January 23, 2026-March 20, 2026
Small Ensembles, Guest Artist(s) + Small Ensemble Collaborations, Composer + Small Ensemble Collaborations, Concert and/or Festival Presenters Featuring Small Ensembles, Arts & Culture Organizations
Open to 9 Bay Area counties.
CA$H Theatre Grant Program (Fall & Spring)
CA$H Dance (next round: fall 2026, expect an announcement any day now)
Update, posted 8/10; $5k for artists & orgs; due Sept 2.
Creative Work FundCreative Power Awards - Sign Up For AnnouncementZellerbach Community Arts Program
Fiscally sponsored individual artists in Alameda, Contra Costa & San Francisco
Fiscal sponsorship for individual artists is a contractual arrangement with a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit. It allows independent artists and unincorporated collectives to solicit tax-deductible donations and apply for grants that are typically restricted to established nonprofit organizations, without having to form their own nonprofit corporation
Fleishhacker Foundation’s Eureka Fellowship Program (check back in 2028)
Southern Exposure: Grant Program Alternative Exposure
Bay Area + Santa Cruz Counties
CAC Artist Grants via Kala Art Institute
Application: April 2, 2026-June 5, 2026; $5k-$50k
Zoo Labs Fund: Ends August 7, 2026
Bay Area entrepreneurs who are building businesses that center music.
Grants For Artists California & Beyond
Craft Artists Emergency Relief Grant (U.S.)
Experienced a recent & substantially disruptive emergency or disaster. $3k.
Artists and Creatives Grants (California)
Up to $500-$2k mostly but up to $5k; deadline in September
Living Cultures Grant (California)
For those who practice traditional arts;
Application March 3-April 27, 2026
Center For Cultural Innovation: CCI Arts Funds
June 9, 2026-August 28, 2026; up to $5k
Creative Capital Award (Nationwide)
Deadline April 2, 2026
Community Engagement: Artists and Creatives Grants
Up to $2,500; Fall (September 15) & Spring Grants (March 15)
Encourage those who have been historically excluded from the mainstream art world. This includes, but is not limited to, those who are Black, Indigenous, People of Color, Trans, Deaf, Disabled, Immigrant or Refugee, or Self-Taught.
San Francisco Bay Area Film Grants
March 3-July 7, 2026
AXS Film Fund; Ends July 31, 2026
Specific focus on creators of color and individuals living with disabilities
Berkeley FILM Foundation Grants Program
Documentary Grant Program: Mar 16, 2026 – April 13, 2026
Narrative Short Grant Program: July 27, 2026 – August 24, 2026
Residents of Richmond, El Cerrito, Berkeley, Emeryville, Oakland or Alameda
More Tips For Finding Artist Grants, Funding, Jobs
Search by city, county i.e. Walnut Creek artist grants, Contra Costa artist grants
Sign up, register for city/county RFP’s like this one for San Mateo.
Look for grants for the entire state of California
When doing online searches, append search term with the year i.e. San Francisco Artist grants 2026
Go to advanced tools, narrow results from the last month, year etc.
Most grants open up early in the calendar year, so be prepared to apply as windows close rather soon.
If a window has closed, mark the application dates for next round, see if they have the application up so you can prepare (they don’t change much year to year) or ask to get a copy of the most recent grant.
Follow orgs on social media, sign-up for their email list so you don’t forget next opportunity.
Several opportunities for grants exist through organizations like ArtSpan in SF (for their members) and more. I am not familiar with the costs and details of those private opportunities, but if there is interest, I will work on getting more details.
There are also artist-in-resident programs offered by many institutions. If people are interested in them, I will work on aggregating those opportunities, but if you don’t comment below, like this post, I won’t.
Reach out to your local city’s cultural affairs board. Here is the one for Oakland. Petition them to lobby for funding.
There are major fellowships like the Rainin Arts Fellowship that you can’t apply to but if you are interested in opportunities like this, it may help to have a website, focus, show progress, have a mission statement, document work and of course, networking with local arts leaders. See past winners, take a look at their websites, social media accounts.
Important Notes
There are also opportunities to sell at art fairs, night markets and through city events. I listed guides for 2026 schedules above but proceed with caution. I would look up reviews on Reddit to make sure they are worth it as some have fees and structures that may not make sense for you. Similarly, these orgnanizers book out 3-6 months out, sometimes longer so you really have to plan ahead if you want to a space at these popular events.
Fiscal Sponsorships San Francisco Bay Area Artists
Some organizations require a fiscal sponsorship to apply and obtain grants. I am not familiar with the process, pros/cons, but if others do, please chime in the comments below. Please do your own due diligence on options below. Consult industry, ask Reddit etc. Some options below:
BAVC (Bay Area Video Coalition)
San Francisco International Arts Festival email: info@sfiaf.org
Artist In Residence Programs San Francisco Bay Area
Artist Residencies Bay Area, Oakland, San Jose, Marin, Sonoma & More. Read this KQED article from 2015.
Silicon Valley Artists-In-Residence Program
$20k over 4 months + $1.5k in materials
Application ends August 14, 2026
Art + Water Artist Residency, San Francisco
February 27-June 1, 2026
Headlands Center for the Arts Residency
April 1-June 1, 2025
Sonoma Community Center Ceramics Artist In Residency
2027 Deadline was June 15, 2026
Midway Artist Residency, San Francisco (lacks info)
Sunbeam Residential Artist Residency (lacks info)
3 weeks; prioritize Black, Native, Latin American, & underrepresented artists
Recology Artist Residency: June 1-September 1, 2026 (Bay Area)
Exploratorium Artist Residency: May 20-June 29, 2026 Application Window
The Lab Living Wage Residency Program; Applications due May 31, 2026
$17,530 artistic fee, $5k in support for collabs & materials, 3 months of access to The Lab’s space (rehearsals & workshops), 2 weeks of continuous use of exhibition & performance spaces for residency outcome.
Wheel House Clay Artist Residency, San Francisco
WOC Artist Owned; Encourage POCs and/or local Bay Area artists to apply!
Children’s Discovery Museum Artist Residency, San Jose
17-18 weeks; $1700 – $2125/month ($425/week); application thru 5/25/26
Djerassi Resident Artists Program, Santa Cruz Mountains, closed 11/14/2025
Lucas Artists Residency Program, Montalvo Arts, Saratoga
Santa Clara and Santa Cruz County residents?; Nominated by panels
California Artist In Residence Programs
Redwood Parks Conservancy Artist In Residence, Crescent City
Application June 1-30, 2026; $5k
Artists Fellowships San Francisco Bay Area
California for the Arts (Oakland & San Francisco only)
$12k for 9 months, 25 hours per month for (next one is TBD)
Gallery Route One, Pt Reyes Station
2027–2028 Fellowship Program; Application Sept 1-30, 2026
Other Related Opportunities
New York Times Portfolio Review (Photography)
End of Jan-Early Feb each year
Cubberley Artist Studio Program, Palo Alto (subsidized space)
Deadline: July 31, 2026
Obtain a grant, fellowship or artist residency you found it here? Let me know!
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Where is the link to the grants list? I don’t see it in the article