To increase cultural participation and improve the financial sustainability, management and governance capacities of leading arts organizations located in select regions of the state.
The nonprofit arts and cultural sector faces major challenges brought on by technological advances, demographic changes, funding fluctuations and shifting consumer behaviors. Created in 2006, the Arts Regional Initiative supports regional arts organizations as they respond to these challenges by helping them build their operating capacity, improve their financial sustainability, refine artistic products, diversify audiences and strengthen management and board governance.
This initiative supports leading organizations that occupy an important role in communities outside of California's largest metropolitan areas. These organizations are critical to providing high-quality, publicly accessible art, fostering the careers of emerging artists and contributing to community development. The initiative funds activities in any aspect of an organization, including programs, operations, technology, finance, marketing, audiences and leadership.
Irvine has identified the following regions as priorities for this initiative:
Focus of Phase Two
In October 2009, Irvine launched a second phase of the Arts Regional Initiative in order to go beyond the results from phase one and create longer-term benefits for the participating arts organizations and communities. Based on lessons from the first phase, the more focused goal for phase two is to increase cultural participation and improve financial sustainability.
We define cultural participation as artistic or educational activities that:
- Broaden audiences by increasing the audience size within existing demographics
- Deepen audiences by increasing involvement of the existing audience and their appreciation of, interaction with and connection to the art form or the arts organization
- Diversify audiences by focusing on new audiences that are demographically distinct from the existing audience
We encourage projects that allow audiences to participate in the creative process.
Selection Criteria
Competitive organizations in this initiative will:
- Have an annual operating budget of $500,000 to $7.5 million
- Offer a clear and compelling artistic vision and demonstrate a track record of high-quality arts programming
- Be committed to reflecting changing demographics of their region in their programming, leadership and audiences
- Have diverse revenue streams and a track record of sound fiscal management
- Demonstrate critical capacity-development needs and how, if addressed, the organization will become more sustainable
- Have a high willingness and ability to engage in building organizational capacity
- Have a strategic plan in place
- Demonstrate leadership capacity on board and staff
Grant Inquiries
Application to this grant program is by invitation only. We accept unsolicited inquiries for arts funding only through our Exploring Engagement Fund.
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