Avid Participation, Abundant Arts Organizations and Dramatic Regional Differences are Hallmarks of the State

San Francisco — California has 11,000 arts and culture nonprofits, a number that places the state ahead of most nations in the world. Californians are more likely to participate than other Americans — but arts involvement and nonprofit organizations are unevenly spread across California’s geographic and demographic communities.

New findings generated by Markusen Economic Research and commissioned by The James Irvine Foundation offer fresh illustrations of the California nonprofit arts sector and the people who take part in it. Released today, Arts, Culture and Californians draws highlights from the research.

This new research illustrates that arts and culture plays a significant role in the daily lives of Californians. The state is noteworthy for the avid participation of its people, the diversity and abundance of its arts organizations and the varied regional characteristics of its arts sector. California’s regions reflect distinctive populations, participation rates, numbers and types of arts and culture organizations, and levels of arts funding.

Groups Receive $2 Million in Investments from Widely Influential Private-Public Collaboration to Revitalize America's Cities and Towns

San Francisco – In an innovative development that is affecting the Bay Area as well as some two dozen other cities and towns across the nation, five leading arts organizations have received more than $2 million in grants from an unprecedented new private-public collaboration, ArtPlace (www.artplaceamerica.org). 

Announced for the first time on September 15, ArtPlace is an initiative of 11 of America’s top foundations working in conjunction with the National Endowment for the Arts and seven federal agencies. Its aim is to drive revitalization across the country by putting the arts at the center of economic development. ArtPlace has now announced its first round of grants, investing $11.5 million in 34 locally initiated projects in cities from Honolulu to Miami. Each project supported by ArtPlace has been selected for developing a new model of helping towns and cities thrive by strategically integrating artists and arts organizations into key local efforts in transportation, housing, community development, job creation and more.

Among the groups funded in the Bay Area are San Francisco-based Intersection for the Arts ($777,000) and the Creative Work Fund ($183,000); the San Jose-based ZER01: The Art & Technology Network ($500,000) and 1st ACT Silicon Valley ($500,000); and the Berkeley-based Berkeley Repertory Theatre ($750,000).

San Francisco — The Board of Directors of The James Irvine Foundation has approved 15 grants totaling more than $17.6 million in support of the Foundation's mission of expanding opportunity for the people of California to participate in a vibrant, successful and inclusive society. (For a list of approved grants, click here.)

Advancing Innovative Ideas and Initiatives

Grants approved as part of the Arts program were made as part of the Arts Innovation Fund, which supports the state’s larger, established arts institutions, and included the Berkeley Repertory Theatre ($1 million), the Pacific Symphony ($850,000), and the San Francisco Ballet Association ($900,000). Irvine’s Arts program seeks to promote a vibrant and inclusive artistic and cultural environment in California.

Fostering Informed Public Involvement and Decision Making

Grants approved as part of the California Democracy program align with its Civic Engagement priority, including a grant to TransForm CA ($550,000) to engage diverse communities in the San Joaquin Valley and Southern California in major land use decisions. Irvine’s California Democracy program seeks to advance effective public policy decision making that is reflective of and responsive to all Californians.

San Francisco — The Board of Directors of The James Irvine Foundation has approved 12 grants totaling more than $4.4 million in support of the Foundation's mission of expanding opportunity for the people of California to participate in a vibrant, successful and inclusive society. (For a list of approved grants, click here.)

Deepen Cultural Participation in the Arts

Grants approved as part of the Arts program include grants to American Friends Service Committee ($200,000), Movimiento de Arte y Cultura Latino Americana ($180,000) and New Conservatory Theatre Company ($200,000) for a variety of audience engagement efforts. Irvine’s Arts program seeks to promote a vibrant and inclusive artistic and cultural environment in California.

Involving the Public in Local Decision Making

Grants approved as part of the California Democracy program include a $450,000 grant to Environmental Health Coalition to provide opportunities for San Diego County residents to participate in public decision making on land use and environmental health issues. Irvine’s California Democracy program seeks to advance effective public policy decision making that is reflective of and responsive to all Californians.

San Francisco — The Board of Directors of The James Irvine Foundation has approved 26 grants totaling more than $11.5 million in support of the Foundation's mission of expanding opportunity for the people of California to participate in a vibrant, successful and inclusive society. (For a list of approved grants, click here.)

Supporting Active Arts Engagement

Grants approved as part of the Arts program include a $500,000 grant to Los Angeles Philharmonic Association for support of the YOLA Neighborhood Project, which would provide high-quality music and music making opportunities for families and community members in underserved Los Angeles neighborhoods. This grant is aligned with the goal of Irvine’s Arts program, which seeks to promote a vibrant and inclusive artistic and cultural environment in California.

Expanding Opportunities for Voter Participation in Redistricting

Grants approved as part of the California Democracy program include a $600,000 grant to Common Cause to expand voter participation in elections and public participation in redistricting through policy development, public education and coalition based projects. This grant is aligned with Irvine’s California Democracy program, which seeks to advance effective public policy decision making that is reflective of and responsive to all Californians.

San Francisco — The Board of Directors of The James Irvine Foundation has approved 31 grants totaling nearly $21.4 million in support of the Foundation's mission of expanding opportunity for the people of California to participate in a vibrant, successful and inclusive society. (For a list of approved grants, click here.)

Improving Sustainability of Leading Arts Organizations

Grants approved as part of the Arts program include nearly $3.8 million to 12 leading organizations in the Central Valley that are participating in phase two of the Arts Regional Initiative. Each grantee proposes projects that would address the dual challenges of building organizational capacities and financial stability, while improving programs to increase cultural participation. These grants are aligned with the goal of Irvine’s Arts program, which seeks to promote a vibrant and inclusive artistic and cultural environment in California.

Advancing Reforms to Improve California’s State Governance and Fiscal Systems

Grants approved as part of the California Democracy program include a $6 million renewal grant to California Forward that provides support for the organization to advance reforms to improve California’s state governance and fiscal systems. California Forward is a bipartisan organization bringing Californians together to advance governance and fiscal reforms that lead to a more responsive, effective and accountable government in California. The grant is aligned with Irvine’s California Democracy program, which seeks to advance effective public policy decision making that is reflective of and responsive to all Californians.

San Francisco — The Board of Directors of The James Irvine Foundation has approved 15 grants totaling nearly $8.6 million in support of the Foundation's mission of expanding opportunity for the people of California to participate in a vibrant, successful and inclusive society. (For a list of approved grants, click here.)

Supporting Innovation Among Major Arts Institutions

Grants approved as part of the Arts program include $3.7 million to five major California arts institutions through Irvine's Arts Innovation Fund (AIF). The Fine Arts Museums in San Francisco, the La Jolla Playhouse, the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, the Music Center in Los Angeles and the San Francisco Symphony will each receive grants to support creative audience development approaches and/or innovative programming plans. All of the organizations are previous AIF grantees and some will receive funding to further institutionalize projects that were previously funded; others are proposing new innovations that will be developed. These grants are aligned with the goal of Irvine's Arts program, which seeks to promote a vibrant and inclusive artistic and cultural environment in California.

Establishing a Linked Learning Center

Grants approved as part of Irvine’s Youth program include a $750,000 grant to the Los Angeles Small Schools Center to establish a regional Linked Learning Center in Los Angeles. The center would support Linked Learning practice at Los Angeles Unified School District's Local District 4 while also providing specialized support to other Los Angeles area Linked Learning District Demonstration sites. The center will also identify potential new Linked Learning districts within LAUSD over the next two years. Grants made as part of Irvine's Youth program seek to increase the number of low income youth in California who complete high school on time and attain a postsecondary credential by the age of 25.

San Francisco — The Board of Directors of The James Irvine Foundation has approved 13 grants totaling more than $9 million in support of the Foundation's mission of expanding opportunity for the people of California to participate in a vibrant, successful and inclusive society. (For a list of approved grants, click here.)

Of the $9 million, $4.5 million will fund the expansion of the California Linked Learning District Initiative as part of Irvine’s Youth program. $750,000 from the California Democracy program grant will fund Strategic Concepts in Organizing and Policy Education to conduct outreach related to state budget and fiscal issues. Additionally, a grant in the Arts program provides $300,000 to the East Bay Center for the Performing Arts to expand programming and audiences following the renovation of its facility.

Expanding the Linked Learning Approach

Irvine’s Youth program seeks to increase the number of low-income youth in California who complete high school on time and attain a postsecondary credential by the age of 25. Grants approved as part of Irvine’s Youth program include a $4.5 million grant to ConnectEd to develop, expand and support the California Linked Learning District Initiative, which supports nine high school districts to implement systems of Linked Learning pathways, which bring together strong academics, demanding technical education and real world experience in a range of fields such as engineering, arts and media, and biomedicine and health.