The California Arts Council is accepting applications for its Arts and Youth Program.
Donor Name: California Arts Council
State: California
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 05/12/2026
Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000
Grant Duration: 1 Year
Details:
The Arts and Youth program is rooted in the CAC’s belief that arts learning and engagement should be available to all young people in California. Providing access to meaningful, culturally responsive arts experiences helps youth develop a greater sense of self, deepen their connection to their communities, and make meaningful connections across histories and cultures. By participating in the arts, youth gain the knowledge, skills, and understanding to actively take part in creative processes, projects, and pursuits throughout their lifetimes as culturally literate, engaged citizens.
The CAC acknowledges that barriers to access are compounded by factors such as socio-economic status, geographic isolation, gender identity, racial identity, cultural identity, digital divide and disability and is committed to addressing these barriers in order to achieve greater equity. The Arts and Youth program expands meaningful arts participation and learning in diverse settings and contexts for infants, children, and youth ages 0-25 by prioritizing programs that directly bridge barriers to access and participation.
Goals
- Increase priority population youth participation in and access to quality arts experiences and learning opportunities.
- Provide creative experiences that promote positive social and emotional development in safe, healthy, and appropriate venues.
- Engage a new generation of arts participants, advocates, and creators by supporting art programs and experiences that invite, involve, or center youth voices, narratives, and perspectives.
- Create access to culturally and linguistically responsive quality arts experiences and learning opportunities using cultural knowledge to support the cultural assets of the local community and students’ positive self-identification and respect for diverse cultures.
- Build capacity of educators and educational institutions to integrate arts learning into their teaching practices across the curriculum.
- Cultivate valuable life skills such as critical thinking, problem solving, leadership, collaboration, communication, and positive self-expression through the arts.
Funding Information
Applicant organizations can request up to $25,000.
Grant Period
October 1, 2026 — September 30, 2027.
Eligibility Criteria
- Nonprofit, tax-exempt 501(c)(3), California organizations
- Units of municipal, county, or Tribal governments
- Fiscally sponsored organizations.
Requirements
Applicant organizations and fiscal sponsors must meet the requirements below:
- Have a principal place of business in California and a California address.
- Have a minimum two-year history of consistent arts programming and/or services prior to the application deadline.
- Demonstrate proof of nonprofit status under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code or section 23701d of the California Revenue and Taxation Code.
- Eligible applicant organizations without 501(c)(3) status, please see Fiscal Sponsor Requirements in the 2026 Grants Manual.
- Have “active status” with the California Secretary of State (SOS) showing evidence of “good standing” at the time of application.
For more information, visit California Arts Council.
