Grants offered to artists

Local artists, art groups and art and cultural organizations are encouraged to apply for mini-grants of up to $2,500. 

The San Benito County Arts Council’s Arts Express! Grant Program aims to support cultural and artistic growth, foster arts accessibility and equity and promote cultural diversity in the county.

Grant requirements include that applicants must be based in San Benito County. Proposed projects must be for the benefit of San Benito County residents, and project activities must reflect artistic practices and traditions in the visual and performing arts (i.e. music, dance, theater, fine art, traditional arts, etc.), as well as demonstrate quality, originality and creativity through artistic production. All projects must promote cultural awareness, diversity and inclusion.

Applicants may request funding for the creation of new work; exhibitions and presenting; arts in education programs; community outreach or to support organizational capacity.

There are three grant categories for 2020’s Arts Express! Grant Program:

• Capacity-building grants (applicants may request up to $2,500) are designed to support general operations and organizational capacity for arts-based 501c3 non-profits based in San Benito County;
• Project-based grants (applicants may request up to $2,500) are designed to support new and ongoing arts and cultural projects and programs by arts- and community-based organizations (501c3 non-profits), cultural groups and individual artists; and
• Teacher grants (applicants may request up to $250), which are new this year, are designed to support local classroom teachers with arts funding for school-based art projects and programs (i.e. art supplies, arts curriculum, musical instruments, arts-based field trips).

An Arts Express! workshop will be held at 5:30pm on Jan. 24 at the ARTspace ANNEX, 217 Fifth St. in downtown Hollister.

The application deadline is Feb. 7 at 5pm. The application can be found at www.sanbenitoarts.org/arts-express-grant-program-application.

For information or to request a hard copy application, email in**@sa***********.org .

The Arts Council is also accepting applications for the Open Studios Art Tour.

This year’s tour is April 18-19. Open Studios is an annual self-guided tour of artists’ studios throughout San Benito County. The weekend art tour is preceded by a preview exhibition at the ARTspace ANNEX at 217 Fifth St. in downtown Hollister and celebrated with an opening reception 6:30-8:30pm on March 20.

The tour features local artists and artisans with works in painting, photography, pottery and ceramics, stained glass, jewelry and more.

The application deadline is Jan. 24 at 5pm. Applications can be found at www.sanbenitoarts.org/open-studios-art-tour-online-application.