WEST HOLLYWOOD—The city of West Hollywood opened applications for its 2024 Arts Grant program as announced on Tuesday, May 2. For those who are interested in applying, WeHo will host a virtual Arts Grant Program workshop via the Zoom platform on Wednesday, May 24 at 12 p.m. Participants will learn about grant eligibility requirements and the application process. They will also be allowed to ask questions. First-time grant applicants and returning organizations with new development personnel are encouraged to attend the Arts Grant Program information workshop to become familiar with the application process.
The city of West Hollywood reported on its website that grant opportunities are available to individuals and nonprofit arts organizations. Arts grants will be awarded in varying amounts and include funding for performing arts projects, individual artists, and organizational development.
West Hollywood invites and encourages artists and organizations representing diverse populations and diverse artistic disciplines to apply for these grants. As defined in the City’s Cultural Equity Statement, diversity includes all ways in which people differ, including but not limited to, race, ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status, education, age, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, ability, geography, citizenship status, religion, language, physical appearance, and the intersection of these various identities. The city is committed to ensuring cultural equity in all arts policies and practices.
The arts grants categories with open application processes for 2024 are as follows:
-Arts Project Grant — Supports the production, performance, or presentation of art projects that take place in the City of West Hollywood and that serve the West Hollywood community. The proposed projects should take place in the City of West Hollywood in 2024 and 2025. Proposed presentations may include, but are not limited to: comedy show, dance performance, drag performance, film screening, fine art exhibit, music presentation, poetry reading, and theatre presentation. The Arts Project Grant category is a match grant (a match grant requires that for every dollar requested from the funding source, the equal amount is matched – through in-kind donations, private donations, and/or other grants) and is awarded in a two-year cycle (with one application, grantee can be awarded for 2 years). The maximum grant award is $20,000 per grantee ($10,000 per year). The deadline for this category is Saturday, July 1, 2023.
-Community Arts Grant — Supports non-profit arts organizations with a history of supporting BIPOC and/or female artists and audiences. Proposed projects should take place in West Hollywood in 2024. Proposed presentations can include celebrating heritage months, presenting social justice centered art, and/or an educational and participatory program (workshop) which engages BIPOC and/or female artists and audiences. The maximum grant award for this category is $6,000. The deadline for this category is Saturday, July 1, 2023.
-Organizational Development Grant — Supports both the organization’s mission to provide arts programming and the organization’s capacity by directly supporting technical assistance to improve its ability to fundraise, develop audiences, and build its administrative infrastructure. This grant category is not a match grant and, with one application, an organization can be funded for three years. Applicant organizations should be prepared to utilize a Technical Assistant (or arts consultant) to provide sustainable resources to the organization. The maximum grant is $5,000 per grantee per year ($5,000 for each of the first two years dedicated to technical assistance; the final year for the grantee presentation). This award includes enrollment in the West Hollywood Artists Bootcamp, a highly sought after professional development series about the business of art. The deadline for this category is Saturday, July 1, 2023.
-Transgender Arts Initiative Grant — Supports and enhances the presentation of artworks in West Hollywood by transgender artists and non-profit organizations with a history of supporting transgender artists. Proposed projects should take place in West Hollywood in 2024. Proposed presentations should include art presentations which engage trans artists and audiences. The maximum grant award is $6,500 for both artists and non-profit arts organizations. The deadline for this category is Saturday, July 1, 2023.
-WeHo Artist Grant — Supports the long-term development of an artist’s ideas by providing funds that increase the capacity for artists to realize work, advance the conditions of creation, and navigate the complexities of both making art and making a career. Eligible artists must reside in the City of West Hollywood. The grant award is $6,000 per year for three artists. This category will open on July 1, 2023, and the deadline for applications will be Friday, September 1, 2023. WeHo Artist applications are reviewed by the Performing Arts and Cultural Affairs Subcommittee.
Artists and organizations who would like to apply can visit www.weho.org/arts for more details. For additional information about the West Hollywood’s Arts Grant Program, visit www.weho.org/arts or contact Eva Angeloff, West Hollywood Grants Coordinator, at (323) 848-6354 or at eangeloff@weho.org. For people who are Deaf or hard of hearing, call TTY (323) 848-6496.
By Casey