According to the City of Los Angeles Cultural Affairs Department, “more artists call Los Angeles home than any other city in the United States”…and we know a large number of them live in our general Buzz readership area. To both support and take advantage of this population, the city is now offering a grant program for independent artists to partner with non-profit organizations (of their own choice) as an official Artist in Residence.
The program is designed to support “multi-week interactive projects that aim to stimulate: community dialogue, life-long learning opportunities for the public, and the availability of interesting free or low-cost creative activities that occur outside of traditional arts agencies and venues.” The goal is to “to gather, connect, and inspire audiences with underserved or little exposure to artistic and cultural opportunities.”
Independent artists can apply by themselves – or as the leader of a small team or ensemble – for residency grants and self-designed projects to take place between July 1, 2018 and June 30, 2019. Proposals are welcome in any type of creative practice.
Up to 30 grants will be awarded — 15 grants of approximately $8,000 for residencies of seven or more workshops/sessions and at least one culminating event, plus 15 more grants of approximately $4,000 for residencies of four or more workshops/sessions and at least one culminating event. (The final number of grants and the grant amounts will be contingent on DCA’s budget for the 2018-19 fiscal year.)
Applicants must be teaching artists with at least one year of community experience, and must “expertly describe one multi-week set of participatory workshops that culminates in one group presentation at a preferred host venue…”
According to the application instructions:
“Highest ranking is given to residency proposals that will bring thematically appropriate projects into non-arts venues, such as social service centers, senior centers, social benefit agencies, community centers, recreation facilities, libraries, youth centers, rehabilitation centers, family resource centers, health care facilities, hotels, malls/business centers, science/research facilities, transit centers and faith-based organizations. [In regard to faith-based organizations..DCA does not fund proposals that are primarily religious in nature or intent, unless a special case is made that the proposed artistic services are multi-denominational in nature or intent.] Secondary priority is given to residencies taking place in DCA facilities and schools.”
Also, applicants should:
- Reside in Los Angeles County;
- Be independent artists (or duos/teams/ensembles under the leadership of a single applicant) whose community-based practices have been largely self-developed and remain primarily self-directed;
demonstrate through their resume(s) at least 2 years of experience instructing participants in the proposed artistic discipline within projects at non-arts venues, public schools, parks, libraries, DCA facilities, and/or similar community centers; and - Propose host organization relationships and feasible projects as ideal examples of what can be accomplished with $8,000.
Artists who are interested in applying are encouraged to attend a free informational webinar workshop before writing their applications. The webinars are 60 to 90 minutes long, and space is limited to 30 participants per session. If you’d like to participate, yoy can RSVP for one of the two sessions below (information is the same at both sessions):
Also, a recording of an Artist in Residence webinar from last year can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9eKXhTBLp8
