Are you or someone you know an artist over the age of 18 seeking funding for your artistic practice? Is that practice based in Upstate California and engaged in community based work within the larger cultural ecosystem?
We’re thrilled to announce that Nevada County Arts & Culture will be administering the California Arts Council’s Individual Artists Fellowship Program, which will regrant $240,000 among Upstate California-based individual artists and culture bearers.
The Upstate Individual Artists Fellowship provides unrestricted funding and state-wide recognition to California artists at key moments in their careers, elevating their capacity for their continued contributions to the field and our state. Fellowships will be awarded based on artists’ creative vision, aesthetic excellence, and community engagement and social impact. The program uplifts and celebrates artists across all disciplines and traditions, including but not limited to: performing arts, visual arts, literary arts, media arts, traditional and Indigenous practices, interdisciplinary work, and social practice / community-based art.
Grant Guidelines
Deadline: May 6, 2026, at 11:59pm PST
Fellowship Period: August 1, 2026 – July 30, 2027
Grant Awards: $5,000 – $50,000*
*for artists who reside in Region 1 of California
Tiers: Emerging, Established, and Legacy artists
As the Administering Organization, Nevada County Arts & Culture will administer an application, review process, and professional development program for this region including:
- Kick-Off Information Session: Thursday, April 9th at 1:30pm
- Professional Development Workshops: Monday, April 13th at 12pm and Wednesday, April 22nd at 12pm
- Office Hours: Thursday, April 16th at 12pm, Friday, April 24th at 12pm, and Monday, April 27th at 9am
Region 1 / Upstate includes the following 19 Counties:
Butte, Colusa, Del Norte, Glenn, Humboldt, Lake, Lassen, Mendocino, Modoc, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Sutter, Tehama, Trinity, and Yuba counties.
Applications will be available online through the application portal. Only complete applications submitted by May 6, 2026, at 11:59pm Pacific Standard Time will be accepted.
For more information, visit upstateIAF.org.