Arts grants revamped for more inclusiveness | Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce

Suzanne Smithson
Director, Library & Cultural Arts
City of Carlsbad
The

City of Carlsbad’s annual Community Arts Grants cycle’s guidelines were recently revised to reflect a greater focus on diversity, equity and inclusiveness. The updates were approved by the City of Carlsbad Arts Commission at their February meeting. Cultural Arts Manager Richard Schultz commented, “Aligning the grants with the goal of greater inclusiveness was a priority and reflect national trends in grantmaking.” Library & Cultural Arts staff drafted the revisions with consulting support from the city’s senior program manager in Human Resources, Nancy Magpusao Burke, who is tasked with diversity, equity and inclusiveness.

It has always been the mission of the Community Arts Grants program to support arts and cultural programs that promote the representation and participation of diverse groups of individuals, including and not limited to people of differing abilities, class, generations, ethnicities and races, gender identities, religious or spiritual beliefs, sexual orientations and veteran status. The City of Carlsbad Cultural Arts Office serves to encourage, develop and facilitate an enriched environment of artistic, creative and cultural activity in the City of Carlsbad and the North San Diego County region.

The most significant change from past guidelines to current is the creation of two new categories designed to encourage and support 1) emerging arts organizations and 2) emerging artists. Those early in their artistic endeavors are encouraged to apply for city funding to further develop their mission and talent. In both categories, there is the potential for a grant of up to $5,000. A stipulation is that the organization or artists must be based in Carlsbad. In the

first year of the revisions’ implementation, the funding is supporting activities in the following areas of artistic expression:

Dance
Original music composition and/or lyrics
Spoken word and/or poetry
Visual Arts that utilize sustainable or recycled materials

To qualify as “emerging,” arts organizations need to be relatively new with less than three years in existence, while artists need to be 18 years or older. If an organization is not yet incorporated as a 501c3 nonprofit organization, a fiscal sponsor is required, which applies to an emerging artist as well. More information is available on the Community Arts Grants page of the city’s website.

The Arts Commission also approved two adjustments to the annual grants program suggested by prior applicants and grantees. With the launch of the next grants cycle on March 7, applicants will see a new two-year award that responds to grantees’ feedback related to the time required for program planning. Prior grants were only available for one year. In addition, there will be a new procedure to offer grantees the option to file final reports through an in-person site visit and interview conducted by city staff and Arts Commissioners.

The addition of these new artists categories represents the city’s significant efforts to reach more arts entities and artists who are contributing to Carlsbad’s artistic reputation and its creative sector. The vision is to continue to create a dynamic and vital arts community in Carlsbad representing many genres, diverse mediums and unique perspectives.