The Arts Orange County is seeking applications for its Individual Artist Fellowship.
Donor Name: Arts Orange County
State: California
County: Orange County (CA), Riverside County (CA), San Bernardino County (CA)
Type of Grant: Fellowship
Deadline: 05/15/2026
Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000
Grant Duration: 1 Year
Details:
Through regionally based Administering Organizations (AOs), the Individual Artists Fellowship (IAF) program uplifts and celebrates California artists across all disciplines and traditions, highlights their excellence and acknowledges their leadership in shaping traditional and contemporary cultures.
This program will support artists and culture bearers at key moments in their careers, elevating their capacity for continued contribution to the field and the state. Fellowship grants support individual artistic practice through unrestricted funding. This program is intended to support a broad spectrum of artists working in all disciplines, from diverse geographies and communities of all sizes across Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties.
Excellence, for purposes of this grant, is defined as an artist’s:
- Unique artistic vision.
- Ongoing commitment to creative practice.
- Engagement with and impact on the larger cultural ecosystem.
funding Information
The grant program identifies three career tiers at which artists may benefit from this support:
- Emerging Artist Fellows – $5,000
- Established Artist Fellows – $10,000
- Legacy Artist Fellows – $50,000.
Grant Period
August 1, 2026 – July 31, 2027.
Eligibility Criteria
California-based artists, 18 years of age and older, working in any artistic discipline, whose residential address is in the counties designated as Region VII, are eligible to apply. Applicants need to provide proof of residency (when providing proof of residence, please redact any sensitive identifiable information such as social security number, financial account numbers, email, phone numbers, user login IDs and passwords). Such proof can include:
- Government issued ID such as Driver’s license or state ID
- Lease agreement or mortgage bill
- Deed or title to residential property
- Government issued mail (i.e. letters from federal, state or local agencies) that can be tax documents, tax returns, DMV notice, car registration, or jury duty summons
- Employment records (i.e. paystubs)
- School records or documents
- Phone or utility bill
- Insurance documents
- Bank and financial documents
- Change of address confirmation by Postal Service.
For more information, visit ArtsOC.
