Regional Artist Fellowship - Unrestricted Grants to $50K

Arts Orange County – Individual Artist Fellowship (Region 7)

Location: Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino Counties

Application Period: Open April 2, 2026 – closed May 15, 2026

Fellowship Period: August 1, 2026 – July 31, 2027

Background
With few opportunities for individual artists to apply for funding, the California Arts Council has created this program to celebrate the state’s artists and culture bearers.

Purpose
The Individual Artist Fellowship (IAF) program will recognize, uplift, and celebrate the excellence of California artists and culture bearers practicing any art form with unrestricted grants ranging from $5,000 to $50,000.

Region VII
Arts Orange County (ArtsOC) is the lead administering organization in Region VII, along with the Riverside Arts Council and Arts Connection (Arts Council of San Bernardino County).

The Program
This program supports artists and culture bearers at key moments in their careers, elevating their capacity for continued contribution to the field and our state. Fellowship grants provide unrestricted funding to support individual artistic practice.

Eligibility – Excellence Criteria

Unique artistic vision

Ongoing commitment to creative practice

Engagement with and impact on the larger cultural ecosystem

Career Tiers and Grant Amounts
Emerging Artist Fellows – $5,000

Emerging artists are in the beginning stages of making their work public and engaging the larger community. They may have had a few public showings but lack ongoing resources or support.

Established Artist Fellows – $10,000

Established artists regularly make their work public and engage the community. They can provide multiple examples of artistic or cultural works with significant social impact.

Legacy Artist Fellows – $50,000

Legacy artists have a substantial body of work that has engaged communities and produced significant social impact. They may have mentored Emerging and Established artists.

Applications are open to artists and cultural practitioners residing in Region VII. For more information, visit the program website.

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