The City has opened a second round of funding to support Sacramento’s creative economy. Totaling $3.9 million in reimbursement grants, the assistance is available to individual artists, arts and cultural nonprofits and creative businesses that have experienced financial hardship caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Sacramento has led the way among cities nationally in using federal stimulus dollars to preserve its creative economy,” said Mayor Darrell Steinberg. “We’ve taken special care to make sure money flows not just to large organizations in the central city but that an equitable share goes to smaller organizations that reflect our rich diversity of cultures and neighborhoods.”
“I am encouraging our creative economy organizations, artists, and businesses to apply for this last big chunk of money to help them survive until the pandemic abates,” said Councilmember Steve Hansen. “The City of Sacramento has dedicated more money to our creative sector than almost any other jurisdiction, because we believe at our core that arts and cultural organizations are essential to our emotional and economic recovery.”
The grant application can be accessed now at arts.cityofsacramento.org/grants and the application period closes at midnight on October 7. Grant applications will be reviewed and scored by a panel that will forward recommended awards and amounts for final approval by the Arts Culture and Creative Economy (ACCE) commission.
“Sacramento’s artists and creative organizations are a treasured part of this city’s DNA, and they have been hit especially hard by this pandemic,” said Ray Gargano, grant programs officer. “We encourage these individuals, businesses and organizations to apply for available funding so Sacramentans can enjoy their work for years to come.”
As part of the Creative Economy Recovery program, the City Council allocated $1.87 million to local cultural institutions whose operations have been impacted by public-health orders, such as the Crocker Art Museum, B Street Theatre, Latino Center of Arts and Culture and others.
The Creative Economy Recovery program also includes the Sacramento Healthy HeART and Mind Collaborative, an upcoming arts education program that will create a support system that addresses the social, emotional and mental health needs of local students by integrating mentoring, arts and mental health support. This program is scheduled to be reviewed by the City Council.
Apply now here.
For a complete list of the City’s COVID-19 relief programs, visit SacramentoCOVIDrelief.org.
Editor’s note: this article has been updated to reflect the extension of the deadline from September 30 to October 7.