Grants

Arts OC notifies arts organizations each fall through the Arts OC newsletter when grant funds are available. Sign up for the newsletter to receive notification.

Supporting the development and strengthening
of the county's arts organizations, individual artists and arts education by offering strategic financial assistance.

Arts Orange County, working with both public and private partners, has facilitated over $1 million in grants to support arts organizations throughout the county since 1997. The shape of the grants program varies from year to year, depending on the funds available.

The grants program began with seed funds from The James Irvine Foundation and the Margaret E. Oser Foundation, and continued with funding from The Boeing Company.

With the support of the County of Orange in 2001 through 2003, Arts OC presented a re-granting program specifically for capacity-building in marketing and audience development.

Arts OC announced the Orange County Arts Initiative for the 2005-06 grants cycle. Part of a new statewide Communities Advancing The Arts initiative, funded by The James Irvine Foundation, the Orange County Arts Initiative is a six-year joint project between the Orange County Community Foundation and Arts Orange County. Its goals are to assist OC arts organizations in gaining long-term sustainability in the face of recent funding shortfalls and to encourage and build private philanthropy of the arts in Orange County. The regranting and technical assistance elements of the initiative are being facilitated by Arts Orange County.

View a list of past grants recipients.

                   

2010-11 Orange County Arts Initiative Grants

The latest round of grants was designed to provide professional development opportunities to staff and volunteers at a time when most organizations are unable to afford such activities--yet need the injection of new ideas and training most. More than $50,000 was distributed in grants from $750 to $2,500 to the following groups: 

Alzheimer's Association (for creative aging lifelong learning)
Backhausdance
Breath of Fire Latina Theatre Ensemble
CaDance/Laguna Dance Festival
Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens
Chance Theater
Chuck Jones Center for Creativity
De Angelis Vocal Ensemble
Ektaa Center
Festival Ballet Theater
FCLO Music Theater
Huntington Beach Art Center
Irvine Barclay Theatre
Laguna Outreach for Community Arts
Men Alive
Muckenthaler Cultural Center
National Choreographers Initiative
Orange County Center for Contemporary Art
Orange County Women's Chorus
Pacific Chorale
Pacific Symphony
South Coast Repertory
South Coast Symphony
Very Special Arts-Orange County

Convenings

2011 ArtsOC Convenings are supported by a grant from:

Arts Orange County offers basic training and networking opportunities for arts organizations, artists and arts educators through workshops, conferences, discipline and municipal forums, and technical assistance.

Arts OC notifies individuals and arts organizations through the Arts OC newsletter when Convenings are taking place. Sign up for the newsletter to receive notification.

Research

“Professional-Amateur Engagement: 
A Balancing Act in Arts Organizations”
In 2011, Claremont Graduate University arts management students Maria Paredes and Heather Pittman prepared a study for Arts Orange County on innovative ways that professional arts organizations in Orange County and elsewhere are building audiences by engaging with amateur artists and community arts organizations in their communities.

Download the "Professional-Amateur Engagement: A Balancing Act in Arts Organizations" study

In 2006, Arts OC partnered with the Orange County Community Foundation to produce the first OC Cultural Indicators Report. The results of this work have been a guide to the needs of the community and the work of Arts Orange County.

Download the 2006 OC Cultural Indicators Report

Other Resources

Other organizations in Orange County and beyond offering assistance and resources are listed below:

The Alliance for California Traditional Arts (ACTA) provides programs and services to support the state’s diverse living cultural heritage. ACTA cultivates the growth of traditional arts and culture through Stewardship in tending and nurturing California’s unique cultural landscape; Services to Artists; and Connecting people, resources and information. Programming includes the Apprenticeship Program, the Traditional Arts Development Program and the Living Cultures Grants Program. For more information, visit www.actaonline.org.

Art & Creativity for Healing offers fine art classes and workshops which address the emotional and social aspects of abuse, illness, grief or stress via the language of color and painting in order to provide encouragement and motivation for individuals living with these conditions. Licensed mental health counselors from partner agencies are present at workshops to respond to psychosocial issues among participants requiring attention. For a schedule of workshops, visit www.art4healing.org.

"California State University, Fullerton Gianneschi Center for Nonprofit Research Offers an annual Summer School for Nonprofits co-sponsored by Arts Orange County. http://www.fullerton.edu/gcnr/


The Center for Cultural Innovation promotes knowledge sharing, networking and financial independence for individual artists and creative entrepreneurs by providing access to business training, financial resources, group services and a communications network. Workshops are held year-round. For more information, visit www.cciarts.org/workshops.htm.

CONNECT provides assistance to nonprofit organizations in developing objectives and strategies for improving daily administration and service delivery, assistance with organizational planning, organization capacity building consultation, leadership development training for staff and boards, and other training opportunities for direct administration and service providers. Seminars, workshops and training sessions are held year-round. For more information, visit www.connectoc.net.

OneOC provides continuing education workshops in nonprofit operations, volunteer management, social enterprise, development (including grant writing, fundraising, marketing and public relations) and boards and executive leadership. Seminars, workshops and training sessions are held year-round at the OneOC's Nonprofit Resources Center, 1901 East Fourth Street, Suite 100, Santa Ana. For information: (714) 953-5757 or www.oneoc.org/.

Collaborative Programs

Imagination Celebration: The annual spring festival of arts for children, teenagers, and families.

Free Nights of Theater, Dance, Music and Art:The opportunity for new audiences to receive two free tickets to try something new during October, National Arts & Humanities Month.

Cultural Data Project

Many funders in California now require arts organizations to be a member of the Cultural Data Project in order to apply for grants. Operated by The Pew Charitable Trusts, the Cultural Data Project is a powerful online management tool designed to strengthen arts and cultural organizations. To view the benefits and learn more about how your organization can start participating, visit the California CDP site.