Arts Resource Directory
Business tools, event spaces, facility rentals, workshops, funding sources, and a mix of other tips & tricks of the trade for Bay Area artists.Get Support
AB 5 Resources
Take a look at these informational pages and learn how the bill impacts you.
Californians for the Arts – AB 5
California Lawyers for the Arts – Toolkit
California Lawyers for the Arts – AB 2257
ACSO Webinar: AB 5 & The Arts, Special Focus: Music Industry
Arts Business Tools
Audience tracking tools, revenue platforms, web services, and more. Please contact us to see if we are able to support the use of certain revenue platforms (such as ticketing services, crowdfunding sites, payment processing services, etc.).
Airtable – It’s not a classic CRM, but it will help you manage your data for free and also offer helpful templates for small arts businesses.
Ampled – A crowdfunding platform specifically for music artists to receive ongoing support.
Artists U – A national artist-run organization offering professional development materials and tools for artists.
Arts Management Network – A platform for arts & cultural workers providing a monthly newsletter, a digital journal, an event calendar + a guide to academic arts management courses worldwide.
Bitrix24 – A free CRM for tracking donors and donations.
Brown Paper Tickets – A ticketing platform popular amongst artists with no fees for event organizers.
Cargo – Creative websites templates and hosting service.
Copper – A CRM that integrates with G Suite to manage your audience and sales.
Etsy Seller Handbook – How to successfully market and sell your work, from taking photos, to pricing, to shipping.
Gizmo – Public event and exhibition design services.
HubSpot – A free CRM that integrates with many apps and your calendar. Useful for marketing and planning.
Little Green Light – Another CRM that’s useful for donor management (but it’s not free).
Milkshake – Free websites made for Instagram.
Mural – A digital workspace for visual collaboration across remote teams.
Oh no Type co – Cool fonts out of Oakland.
Other Peoples Pixels – Web design for artists by artists.
Patreon – Crowdfunding platform for creators to host a membership subscription service for access to their content.
Shuffle Collective – An online platform and professional network for multi-disciplinary creative projects.
Ticketstripe – A ticketing platform with instant payouts and branded event pages.
Withfriends – Create subscription tiers with automated subscription boxes and discounts.
Yapsody – A flexible and customizable ticketing platform with various pricing tiers depending on the size of your audience.
Insurance
Blue Avocado’s Webinar: “Demystifying the Insurance Buying Process– This webinar for nonprofits covers: roles & responsibilities, coverage overview, marketplace trends, steps you can take in the insurance buying process.
Glossary of Coverage Terms – This glossary is provided to help you understand common insurance terms and types of insurance.
Artists, Crafters, and Tradesman Insurance – For individuals seeking vendor insurance for events or annual policies for year round coverage.
Crimson Insurance – A San Francisco-based insurance agency offering general liability, professional liability, worker’s compensation, small group health, and other business policies.
Heffernan Insurance Brokers – An employee-owned agency out of Walnut Creek offering various types of comprehensive insurance policies for all industries.
Lockton Affinity Artist Insurance – General liability, special event, art and equipment, and employment practices liability insurance for artists. Previously partnered with Fractured Atlas.
Newfront Insurance – San Francisco-based insurance agency offering customized insurance policies for businesses and specialized brokers for nonprofit issues.
Pie Insurance – Small business insurance and workers comp.
Special Markets Insurance Consultants – Obtain a quote for event coverage and a certificate of insurance within 24 hours.
The Hartford – National agency offering small business, general liability, and worker’s compensation insurance policies for various industries.
Legal Resources
California Lawyers for the Arts – Nonprofit organization providing lawyer referrals, dispute resolution services, educational programs and publications to artists and arts orgs. (psst! they offer our members discounted coaching and access to lawyers.)
Mills Legal Clinic at Stanford Law School – Sample Documents – Forms and precedent legal documents relating to nonprofit orgs, specifically arts programs, education programs, fiscal sponsorship, grants, independent contractors, etc.
MJ “Bo” Bogatin – A founding member of the San Francisco law firm Bogatin, Corman & Gold. Bo has 40 years of Arts and Entertainment law practice including literary, performing, visual and multimedia transactions. He regularly handles large-scale public art commissions as well as artist moral rights claims.
NOLO – Information on patent, trademark, and copyright law.
San Francisco Chamber of Commerce Small Business Resources – City, state, and federal resources for businesses and employees.
Santos Walding LLP – Legal services for small and mid-sized businesses, on general corporate law and commercial contracts, mergers and acquisitions, asset purchases and sales, financings and other significant transactions, and start-up and venture formation matters.
Art Law Access – Nonprofit law corporation dedicated to providing affordable legal services and resources to artists, entertainers, creative entrepreneurs, and arts organizations.
Financial + Tax Help
Crosby & Kaneda CPAs – A nonprofit-focused public accounting firm offering audit, review, and tax services.
Regalia & Associates CPAs – Provides tax services, accounting services (such as compilation, review, and audit) as well as consulting in Northern California.
Santos Walding LLP – Works with small and mid-sized businesses to achieve optimal tax efficiency in business structures and transactions, with a focus on mergers and acquisitions, partnerships, S Corporations, international tax, and equity compensation.
Treehouse Taxes – Tax preparation for self-employed individuals and small businesses, catering to artists, consultants, independent contractors, coders, performers, healers, and other makers.
Working Artists and the Greater Economy (W.A.G.E.) – An advocacy group started by artists in New York City working to advance the regulated payment of artist fees. They provide guidelines for payment and mechanisms for self-regulation in the art sector.
Promotion
Bay Area Video Coalition – Produce high-quality videos and multimedia content for your business. (psst! they also operate two public access broadcast stations in San Francisco.)
Buffer – A software application that allows you to plan and organize posts to your social pages for free.
Dancer’s Group eBulletin – Submit your event, opportunity, service, job opening, etc. to Dancer’s Group newsletter and community board.
Dancer’s Group Postcard Distribution Service – Postcard delivery by the 15th of each month to Bay Area studios, theaters, and local cafes that support dance.
fuseproject – SF based design services and brand strategy.
Moonwood – Brand strategy and design “for artists, healers, and hustlers” based in Oakland.
National Arts Marketing Project – A project of the Arts & Business Council providing a variety of resources regarding arts marketing, research and strategy.
Theatre Bay Area Event Promotion & Ticket Offers – Promote your event ticket offers to Theatre Bay Area members.
Get Space
Event Space + Facility Rental
2727 California Street – Host an event, workshop, rehearsal, screening, reading, etc. in Berkeley.
African American Art & Culture Complex – Affordable event space rentals in the Fillmore.
American Conservatory Theater – Rental spaces in San Francisco ranging from a grand theater to a cozy lounge. (psst! in addition to venue rentals, A.C.T. offers access to their enormous collection of costumes).
Bay Area Performing Arts Spaces – Searchable database of performing arts venues and facilities in the greater Bay Area.
Bay Area Video Coalition – Event space and facility rentals equipped with design and editing software (Adobe and ProTools), audio recording equipment, and computer stations in the Mission.
Brava Theater Center – Affordable theater space for artistic development and presentation in the Mission dedicated to cultivating the artistic expression of women, LGBTQIA, people of color, youth, and other underrepresented voices.
Chapter 510 – 1,800 sq. ft. event space on Telegraph in Oakland.
CounterPulse – Art and community facility with spaces in San Francisco for rent for rehearsals, classes, events, projects, and coworking.
Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture – 12 venue options ranging in size from 500 to 50,000 sq. ft. in their San Francisco art complex. (psst! there’s ample parking)
GLBT Historical Society – Private event space in a historic museum in the Castro.
Gray Area / Grand Theater – Gray Area has retrofitted the Mission’s historic Grand Theater with modern day sound, lighting and visual capabilities.
Kala Art Institute – 2,200 sq. ft. gallery space (and adjoining conference room, classroom, and mixed-use project space) in a contemporary art center in Berkeley.
Mexican Heritage Plaza – Various spaces for a range of events in San Jose.
Minnesota Street Project – Low-cost, open plan, 4,600 sq. ft. exhibition and event spaces, as well as a private lounge space.
Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts – Event space in the Mission with capacity for 25-150 people.
Museo Italo Americano – Event space rental in Fort Mason with capacity for up to 150 people.
Oakstop – Variety of space options for gatherings, classes, and photo/video production in Oakland.
Pacific Felt Factory – A flexible venue space in the Mission with a $90 daily fee.
SAFEhouse Arts – A modular, theater space in the Tenderloin.
SOMArts Cultural Center – Affordable space rentals for arts and social justice events in SoMA.
SOMArts Ramp Gallery – An artist-driven exhibition space at SOMArts that exhibits short-term solo and group shows. Apply to be exhibited.
SPUR Urban Center – Versatile venue space in Oakland and San Francisco.
Starline Social Club – Event spaces in historic Oakland bar, restaurant and performance space.
The Lab – 3,000 sq. ft. venue space in the Mission.
The Laundry – Multi-use spaces for a variety of events in a San Francisco art gallery.
The Workshop Emeryville – Cowork space by day and event space by night.
Warehouse 416 – Family owned gallery + event space for private gatherings in Oakland.
Studio Space
ArtSpan – Below-market-rate studio rentals for artists in San Francisco. Artists must be new or existing ArtSpan Artist Members ($50 annual) to be eligible to apply.
Art Explosion Studios – Affordable art studios in San Francisco that produce shows for its member artists.
Citadel Art Studios – Workspace for artists & craftspeople in San Jose.
Gray Area – Private spaces in the Mission where members and teams work at the intersection of art, design, and technology.
Harvey Milk Photo Center – Darkroom space in San Francisco.
Hospitality House Community Arts Program – Free studio and gallery space for artists and neighborhood residents whose socioeconomic status would otherwise prevent them from accessing the resources they need.
Humanmade – An open-access design, fabrication, and prototyping facility in San Francisco that includes a woodshop, metalshop, hot shop, laser lab, 2D & 3D printing stations, electronics lab, textiles soft shop, software hub, and a cowork and comake space.
Minnesota Street Project – Affordable private studios in the Dogpatch.
Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts – Daily and monthly rentals for printing and textile studios in the Mission.
O2 Artisans Aggregate – An eco-industrial park in West Oakland home to artisans working on environmentally progressive projects.
Pacific Felt Factory – Below-market-rate studios in the Mission with an open flex space for communing amongst members that transitions into a venue.
RBA Creative – Photography studio space in Oakland.
Richmond Art Center – Open studio program in Richmond for textiles, ceramics, metal work, and printmaking.
Root Division – The Studios Program provides emerging artists with low-cost studio space in San Francisco in exchange for 12hrs/month of volunteer arts service.
Standard Parts – Craft and design studio space in Oakland.
30West – A community, collective, and non-profit providing live/work space for artists in Oakland.
Coworking
Colton Commercial & Partners – Our go-to real estate broker. Helps nonprofits navigate the commercial real estate market.
East Bay Community Space – Workspace for artists, activists, writers, and entrepreneurs, rented on a sliding scale.
Known Space – Creative coworking office and event space in the Sunset.
Oakstop – Workspace options for artists, startups, non-profits, and freelancers in Oakland.
RBA Creative – Open space coworking in Oakland.
SHARED – Coworking space + maker space with an office, fabrication studio, and shared tools and equipment in SoMa.
The Wing – Cowork and community space for women in San Francisco.
The Workshop Emeryville – Cowork space by day and event space by night.
Art Storage + Handling
Bay Area Video Coalition – Tape storage and transfer services.
Minnesota Street Project – Art storage, transportation, installation, logistics, collections management, a viewing room, and monthly shuttle service between SF and LA.
Get Skills
Arts Coaching + Consulting
Art of Hustle – One-to-one coaching and team workshops for Bay Area self-employed professionals wanting guidance and strategy for their business practice.
Artsightful – Gain insights into the business of art with consultant, coach and instructor Amy Kweskin.
Community Vision – Rapid Response Technical Assistance – Free 45-min phone call with a consultant for Bay Area and Central Valley arts and culture, direct service, and other community-serving organizations working in disinvested and underinvested communities and communities of color to access strategic thought partnership, expertise, and resources.
Soleil Coaching & Consulting – Yesenia Sanchez is a professional coach and consultant with over 15 years of experience working with individual artists and arts organizations. (psst! our members get discounted coaching and consulting sessions)
Workshops + Programs
ArtSpan – Workshops to aid artists with the professional side of their art practice. Free for ArtSpan members with a $20 suggested donation from general public.
Bay Area Video Coalition – Various professional development workshops on a range of topics.
Center for Cultural Innovation – Entrepreneurial training for individual artists.
Creative Capital – Offering online workshops taught by artists and arts professionals who share tools and strategies for how to gain self-sufficiency as an artist.
genARTS Silicon Valley – Hosting different professional development programs to emerging arts leaders. Located in San Jose.
Kala Art Institute – Professional development programs and courses for arts educators.
Meal Ticket – Bay Area artist and cultural worker Lexa Walsh’s community cookbook and luncheon project. Available for team building and facilitated professional development gatherings.
Mt. Freelance – an online course and community designed to help you get more work, charge what you’re worth and connect with other creative freelancers.
Multicultural Arts Leadership Institute – A year-long leadership training program for arts professionals of color who live or work in the Silicon Valley.
Root Division – Workshop series providing support and direction in composing portfolios, building websites, and developing practical business skills.
Theatre Bay Area ATLAS Program – Training actors, directors, and playwrights in career skills such as time management, goal setting, and financial management.
Theatre Bay Area Cultural Leadership Program – Training theatre professionals in areas such as human resources, finance management, and fundraising.
Uptima Business Bootcamp – Berkeley Business Retention Program – Free one-on-one business advising and workshops to help you create an action plan, find funding and implement your plan to maintain and grow your business in Berkeley.
Uptima Business Bootcamp – Be Your Own Boss Class – A 4-week class for individuals who are considering starting their own business.
Uptima Business Bootcamp – Creating a Business Roadmap Course – A 3-month course for entrepreneurs looking to create plans to scale their small business or startup with positive community impact. Free for entrepreneurs of color in San Francisco and Oakland.
Uptima Business Bootcamp – Freelancer Course – A 6-week course for individuals seeking self-employment in a personal or professional services industry, or as an independent artist.
Uptima Business Bootcamp – Launching a Business Course – A 6-week course for entrepreneurs at the idea stage looking to start a small business or startup with positive community impact. Free for entrepreneurs of color in San Francisco and Oakland.
Uptima Business Bootcamp – Oakland Black Arts Movement & Business District Business Retention Program – Free one-on-one business advising and workshops to help you create an action plan, find funding and implement your plan to maintain and grow your business in Oakland’s Black Arts Movement & Business District.
Art Practice
Alley Cat Bookstore & Gallery – Forums and workshops for writers to share their works-in-progress and receive constructive criticism.
Bay Area Video Coalition – Skill-building classes in production, web design, programming, graphics and effects, and more.
BATS School of Improv – Improv training school.
Blue Bear School of Music – Music lessons and classes.
Brava Studio Sessions – A free monthly reading series in which new plays are performed by actors without the embellishment of stage and technical support, bringing the work of playwrights to audiences in an intimate setting.
City College of San Francisco at Fort Mason – No cost + low cost classes in drawing, ceramics, painting, printmaking, sculpture, and more at City College’s Art Campus in the Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture.
Dancer’s Group, Summer Workshop Guide – An annual list of dance workshops taking place in the Bay Area during the summer.
Gray Area – Immersive programs and public & private workshops in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics) curriculum, teaching creative coding.
Harvey Milk Photo Center – Various photography classes.
Kala Art Institute – Art practice courses for students and adults.
Mission Gráfica – Classes and workshops in the art of screen printing.
Root Division – Visual art classes in a variety of media.
Richmond Art Center – Visual art classes and workshops.
SAFEhouse Arts – Performance arts workshops.
San Francisco Art Institute, Open Drawing Studio – Free weekly drawing studio with live model.
SF Camerawork – Photography workshops.
SOMArts Cultural Center – Studio classes in figure drawing, ceramics, and printing.
San Francisco Children’s Art Center – Classes and programs for families and children.
School of Arts and Culture at Mexican Heritage Plaza – Semester-long and summer arts courses.
Publications
Artists Raising Kids by Alexander Simonet – A collection of tactics and thoughts from artist parents.
Business Model Generation by Alexander Osterwalder & Yves Pigneur
Business of Art: An Artists Guide to Profitable Self-Employment from Center for Cultural Innovation
How to Run a Theatre: Creating, Leading and Managing Professional Theatre by Jim Volz
Invitation to the Party: Building Bridges to the Arts, Culture and Community by Donna Walker-Kuhne
Making Your Life as an Artist by Andrew Simonet – A workbook from ArtistsU to help you envision your career.
Mapping Small Arts & Culture Organizations of Color in Oakland – Research findings on the small arts & culture organizations serving communities of color in Oakland. Commissioned by Akonadi Foundation and Kenneth Rainin Foundation.
Moving Arts Leadership Forward – Research on how different generations experience work and leadership in the arts sector. Conducted by the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation.
The Freelancer’s Bible by Sarah Horowitz
Toolkit for Cooperative, Collective, and Collaborative Cultural Work from Press Press and the Institute for Expanded Research
Yours for the Asking: An Indispensable Guide to Fundraising and Management by Reynold Levy
Networking
Artists U – An artist-run platform dedicated to changing the working conditions of artists. They facilitate working groups of 4-15 artists who meet regularly to do assignments, discuss, and work together. (psst! you can start your own working group).
Arts Administrators of Color Network – A national arts service network that produces professional development events, mentoring programs, and a podcast.
Arts Education Alliance of the Bay Area – A coalition of arts providers, educators, and advocates. They organize professional development workshops, networking events, and arts education advocacy events.
ArtSpan – A nonprofit dedicated to cultivating the art community in San Francisco. They facilitate artist mixers that give San Francisco artists a chance to meet, mingle, and make art with each other. They also host an annual, month-long art event called SF Open Studios that showcases studio artists.
Emerging Arts Professionals – A network focused on empowerment, leadership, and growth of Bay Area emergent arts & culture workers.
Gathering All Muslim Artists (The GAMA Collective San Francisco Chapter) – A platform that nurtures and promotes Muslim artists.
genARTS Silicon Valley – A professional social network of arts leaders in San Jose and Silicon valley offering professional development programs and events.
SF Sketchers – Meetup group for sketching, wandering San Francisco, and chatting in cafes.
Theatre Bay Area – Providing communication networks, opportunities, and resources for theatre companies, theatre workers, and theatre lovers. (psst! inquire about discounts for Intersection members).
Young Nonprofit Professionals Network – A national organization with a chapter in San Francisco, connecting emerging leaders with resources, people, and ideas to become effective changemakers.
Join these Facebook groups for updates and resources from the Bay Area artist community: ArtSpan SF Artists Resources, AHA! Artists Helping Artists, and Cal Shakes Artist Network.
Accessibility
Host an Accessible Event– Learn how to make your events accessible during planning, set-up, operation, and tear down of the event.
Overdose Prevention Resources – Find information on trainings, education, access to Naloxone and supplies, and other harm reduction resources.
Grow Your Practice
Bay Area Grants
Local grant opportunities with varying deadlines, eligibility requirements, and areas of focus. We recommend close-reading the guidelines to ensure the grant fits you, and you’re not contorting yourself to fit the grant.
Akonadi Foundation – #SoLoveCanWinFund – General support grants of $10,000 to Oakland’s organizers, storytellers, culture bearers, and healers who seek to ignite and implement a radical collective vision of freedom and racial justice.
Alameda County Arts Commission – ARTSFUND – General operating and/or programming support for Alameda county-based organizations promoting all art forms.
Alliance for California Traditional Arts – Apprenticeship Program – Support to mentor artists to offer intensive, one-on-one training to qualified apprentices for a period of concentrated learning, from 6 months to a year.
Alliance for California Traditional Arts – Living Cultures Grant – Project grants to cultural groups, non-profit organizations, and fiscally sponsored projects throughout the state to realize community-based projects.
Awesome Foundation – San Francisco Chapter – Monthly $1,000 micro-grants.
Awesome Foundation – Oakland Chapter – Monthly $1,000 micro-grants.
Bernard Osher Foundation – Local Arts and Educational Program – Assisting arts and educational organizations, such as performing arts groups, literary programs, etc.
Bill Graham Memorial Foundation – Support for programs/projects of grassroots organizations working in the areas of music, the arts and education.
Burning Man Arts – Global Arts Grants – Funds artists, groups and organizations creating community-based, free public art NOT going to Burning Man
Bothin Foundation – Capital grants for organizations serving underrepresented communities.
California Arts Council – Arts and Accessibility – Various grants supporting professional development, residencies, accessibility initiatives, media projects, placemaking, research, etc.
California Arts Council – Arts Education Exposure – To support attendance at exhibits and performances for students.
California Arts Council – Arts Public Media – Supports projects by media organizations that build public awareness and support for the arts.
California Arts Council – Arts Integration Training – Supports arts organizations and teaching artists to plan and deliver professional development training in arts integration strategies to classroom teachers, as well as site, district, and county-level administrators.
California Arts Council – Artists in Communities – Project-based funding to sustain artistic residencies in community settings within California.
California Arts Council – Artists in Schools – Supports projects that integrate community arts partners into culturally and linguistically responsive, sequential, standards-based arts learning for students.
California Arts Council – Creative California Communities – Supports meaningful, collaborative, creative placemaking projects that animate, activate, and celebrate communities by using local artists, cultural resources, and/or the creative sector as central components.
California Arts Council – Cultural Pathways – Provides two years of operating support and a host of technical assistance and professional development tools to small, new and emerging organizations rooted in communities of color, recent immigrant and refugee communities, and tribal or indigenous groups.
California Arts Council – Impact Projects – Support for collaborative projects that center artists and artistic practice in responding to issues facing California.
California Arts Council – Individual Artist Fellowship – Support for artists from a broad spectrum of artistic practices, backgrounds, geographies and communities.
California Arts Council – Innovations + Intersections – Support for innovative projects that use arts and culture-based approaches to respond to systemic issues that affect Californians.
California Arts Council – JUMP StArts – Supports arts and culture education, apprenticeship and or mentorship via artists-in-residence programs for at-promise youth and young people through the age of 24.
California Arts Council – Local Impact – Supports community-driven arts projects for small and mid-sized arts organizations to foster equity, access, and opportunity in historically marginalized communities.
California Arts Council – Organizational Development – Funding for one-time consulting activities to build arts organizations’ capacity for sustainability and success.
California Arts Council – Professional Development – Supports professional development and learning activities for individuals in order to build arts and cultural organizations’ capacity for sustainability and success.
California Arts Council – Reentry Through the Arts – Supports arts and culture programs for adults who have been incarcerated within correctional institutions.
California Arts Council – Research in the Arts – Fosters original California-based research to contribute to a growing body of international scholarship about the profound impact that the arts have in many aspects of human experience.
California Arts Council – Statewide and Regional Networks – To contribute to the health and vitality of the creative workforce in California by creating a resilient network of arts service organizations and artists.
California Arts Council – Veterans in the Arts – Project support for nonprofit arts organizations, local arts agencies, and veteran’s assistance agencies, and social service agencies to reach veterans and their families.
California Arts Council – Youth Arts Action – Supports projects for youth from infancy through age 24 that occur outside of traditional school hours.
California Humanities – Humanities for All – Quick grants and project grants for locally-initiated public humanities projects.
California Humanities – California Documentary Project – Supports the research and development and production stages of film, audio, and digital media projects that seek to document California in all its complexity.
California Humanities – Library Innovation Lab – Supports the design and delivery of responsive and relevant public humanities programming in California’s public libraries.
Center for Cultural Innovation – CALI Accelerator – Support for emerging arts professionals affiliated with a nonprofit arts organization.
Center for Cultural Innovation – Investing in Artists – Support to enhance the working lives of, and strengthen the creative support system for, California artists working in all disciplines.
Center for Cultural Innovation – Quick Grant – Reimbursement funds to participate in professional development activities.
City of Oakland – Cultural Funding Grant Program – Support for Oakland-based organizations and individual artists.
Creative Work Fund – Supports artists and nonprofit organizations to create new art works through collaborations.
Dancer’s Group – CA$H – General operating support for a project, your artistic process generally, or you as an artist/organization.
East Bay Community Foundation – East Bay Fund for Artists – Grants to support the commission of new works by artists residing and making work in the East Bay.
Emerging Arts Professionals – MADE – A granting and incubator program for projects in arts administration.
Fleishhacker Foundation – Small Arts Grants – General operating support grants for small arts organizations to support commissions, facility updates, artist fees, production costs, etc.
Fleishhacker Foundation – Special Arts Grants – General operating support grants for mid-sized arts organizations to support commissions, facility updates, artist fees, production costs, etc.
Gerbode Foundation – Special Awards in the Arts – Supports the creation of new works in dance, theater production, and music composition.
The Growlery – Growlery Grant – Funding for individual artist projects in a variety of media.
Headlands Center for the Arts – Tournesol Award – Recognizes one local painter each year, supporting them in taking the first major steps toward establishing a career in the Bay Area.
Horizons Foundation – Community Issues Funding Program – General-operating and project-specific grants in support of the LGBTQ community
InterMusic SF – Musical Grant Program – Support for San Francisco Bay Area performers, composers and presenters whose projects focus on music for the small ensemble.
Kenneth Rainin Foundation – New & Experimental Works (NEW) – Project support to small and mid-size dance, theater and multidisciplinary arts organizations.
Kenneth Rainin Foundation – Open Spaces Program – Supports nonprofits to partner with artists to create temporary, place-based public art projects.
Oakland Stock – A micro-granting project and dinner series by artist and cultural worker Lexa Walsh.
Phyllis C. Wattis Foundation – Legacy Grant – Provides working artists with necessary support and services.
Phyllis C. Wattis Foundation – New Works – Supports daring and diverse projects across various disciplines while celebrating the inimitable creative spirit of the Bay Area.
Sam Mazza Foundation – Support for initiatives that enrich the arts and arts education.
San Francisco Arts Commission – Artistic Legacy Grant – Acknowledges the impact of an artistic director who has served an organization consistently for 25 years or more.
San Francisco Arts Commission – Artivist in Residence (AIR) – Grant for a nonprofit arts organization to hire teaching artists as part-time hourly employees to design and implement socially responsive art and creative exploration learning experiences.
San Francisco Arts Commission – Creative Space Grant – Supports the enhancement of San Francisco cultural facilities through Planning and Facility Improvement Grants.
San Francisco Arts Commission – Cultural Equity Initiative – Multi-year, core support grants to San Francisco-based arts organizations to provide the funds they need to sustain day-to-day operations and provide maximum flexibility.
San Francisco Arts Commission – Dream Keeper Initiative – Citywide effort to reinvest $120 million from law enforcement into San Francisco’s Black and African-American communities through project grants to theater companies, artists, arts organizations, and collaboratives.
San Francisco Arts Commission – San Francisco Artist Grant – To fund works of art in all disciplines made by individual artists living in San Francisco.
San Francisco Arts Commission – Special Projects (SPX) Grant – One-time grants to address emerging needs within the arts ecosystem of San Francisco.
San Francisco Foundation – Equity Grants – Grants to support the advancement of racial equity and economic inclusion in the Bay Area.
San Francisco Foundation – Rapid Response Fund for Movement Building – Quick-turnaround funds to frontline social justice organizations.
San Francisco Grants for the Arts – General Operating Support Grant – Unrestricted, general operating support grants to arts and cultural nonprofits that are physically based in San Francisco.
Scholastic Labs – Seed Funds – Support for creative tech projects with grant money and work space.
SFFILM – Documentary Film Fund – Supports engaging documentaries in post-production which exhibit compelling stories, intriguing characters, and an original, innovative visual approach.
SFFILM – Rainin Grant – Supports films that address social justice issues and benefit the Bay Area filmmaking community in a professional and economic capacity.
Southern Exposure – Alternative Exposures – Support for artist-led projects and programs that are direct, accessible and open to the public.
Theatre Bay Area – CA$H – Provides financial support to individual theatre artists and small, professionally-oriented companies.
Theatre Bay Area – RHE Quick Grant – To allow a theatre artist to take advantage of a particular opportunity that is time sensitive and has a potential impact on his or her career.
Tournesol Award – A program from Headlands Center for the Arts recognizing one Bay Area painter each year.
Walter & Elise Haas Fund – Arts Grant Program – Support for Bay Area residents to appreciate and benefit from art’s full potential.
William & Flora Hewlett Foundation – Performing Arts Program – Support for artistic experiences taking place throughout the Bay Area.
Zellerbach Family Foundation – Community Arts Program – Project-based support to individual artists and small to mid-sized arts organizations in the Bay Area.
Emergency Funding
Adolph & Esther Gottlieb Foundation – Interim financial assistance to artists whose needs are the result of an unforeseen, catastrophic incident.
American Society of Journalists and Authors – First-time grants of up to $3,500 for established nonfiction writers in crisis situations.
Artist Charitable Fund – Supports US artists by paying a portion of their medical bills.
Artists Fellowship – Emergency aid to professional visual artists and their families in times of sickness, natural disaster, bereavement or unexpected extreme hardship.
Arts Loan Fund – Quick turnaround loans for arts organizations to alleviate short term cash-flow issues.
Authors League Fund – Help for professional writers who find themselves in financial need because of medical or health-related problems, temporary loss of income, or other misfortune.
The Book Industry Charitable Foundation – Emergency financial assistance for booksellers and their immediate family.
California Jazz Foundation – Support with living expenses and medical bills for jazz musicians in need.
CERF+ – For artists who have experienced a recent, career threatening emergency.
HART Fund – For blues musicians and their families in financial need due to a broad range of health concerns.
Haven Foundation – Financial assistance to artists who have experienced a health crisis.
Jazz Foundation of America – Housing assistance, pro bono medical care, disaster relief and direct financial support in times of crisis.
Joan Mitchell Foundation – Emergency assistance for artists in all disciplines who have experienced a disaster.
Kiva – 0% interest loans for entrepreneurs.
Mayer Foundation – Grants of up to $5,000 available to individuals who lack financial resources as a result of natural or civil disasters. Funds are not limited to artists.
MusiCares – Short-term financial assistance for individuals in the music industry.
Musicians Foundation – Emergency financial assistance for living, medical and allied expenses.
Poets in Need – Emergency assistance to poets who have an established presence in the literary community and a substantive body of published work.
Pollock-Krasner Foundation – One-year of support for artists who “have genuine financial needs that are not necessarily catastrophic.”
Sweet Relief Musicians Fund – Financial assistance to all types of career musicians who are facing illness, disability, or age-related problems.
Will Rogers Motion Picture Pioneers Foundation – Assistance for individuals in the motion picture entertainment industry who are encountering an illness, injury or life-changing event.
Theatre Bay Area Lemonade Fund – A resource for theatre practitioners with terminal or life-threatening illnesses who are in need of supplemental financial assistance.
Grant Help
Creative Capital – Budget Tips & Samples – How to write a budget proposal.
GrantSpace – Samples documents (successful grant proposals, letters of inquiry, business plans, etc.), trainings, a directory of foundations, and other resources for funding your project.
Grant Terminology – A glossary decoding grant language from Grants.gov.
Secrets of the Grant – Grant-writing tips from Andrew Simonet, the founder of ArtistsU.
The Creative Independent – How to apply for grants – A guide to effectively researching, writing, and applying for grants by Creative Capital’s Marianna Schaffer.
Women Arts – Grant information, fundraising tips, crowdfunding advice, and more resources from the Berkeley-based non-profit.
Bay Area Residencies + Fellowships
2727 California Street – Flexible residencies that consist of a room in the 2727 apartment, a stipend, and support for a creative project..
Alley Cat Bookstore & Gallery – Offering writers a welcoming space to work in the heart of a lively literary community.
Alliance for California Traditional Arts – Arts in Corrections – traditional arts residencies at 18 prisons throughout the state of California.
Bay Area Video Coalition Media Maker Fellowship – A 10-month-long program that supports the development of documentary films.
Brava! for Women in the Arts – An artist-in-residence program for all mediums that fosters the artistic expression of women, people of color, LGBTQIA, and other underrepresented artists.
California Arts Council Administrators of Color Fellowship – Grant and cohort-based learning opportunity for arts administrators of color.
Chalk Hill Artist Residency – A residency for artists in various disciplines to make work in Sonoma County.
CounterPulse – A rotation of supported artist residencies for choreographers.
Djerassi Resident Artists Program – A month long residency with a cohort of other artists in Santa Cruz.
Emerging Arts Professionals – A 9 month course designed to expand the professional skill-set of emerging and mid-level leaders in the Bay Area arts and culture sector.
Exploratorium – An interdisciplinary artist-in-residence program for a range of projects.
Headlands Center for the Arts – An artist-in-residence program in the Marin Headlands for artists in any medium.
In Cahoots Residency – An artist residency in Sonoma with a focus on bookmaking, printing, and writing.
Irving Street Projects – Residencies, project development, and exhibition opportunities for Bay Area artists, with a focus on woman artists.
Kala Art Institute – Studio residencies and fellowships for artists in all mediums, with special programs for parents and veterans.
Magic Theater – Internships and apprenticeships for folks interested in a career in theater production and management.
Mesa Refuge – Two week residencies for emerging and established writers in Point Reyes.
Mission Gráfica – This residency program is for graphic artists with a foundation and body of work in printmaking.
Paul Dresher Ensemble – Studio residencies for artists working in time-based arts.
ProArts – A residency for artists, collectives, curators, and cultural organizers working in community.
Real Time & Space – A studio residency in Oakland.
Recology – A residency providing artists with recycled materials, studio space, and a stipend.
Richard Diebenkorn Teaching Fellowship – A teaching fellowship at San Francisco Art Institute + a residency at Headlands Center for the Arts for artists in the mediums of painting and drawing.
SAFEhouse Arts – Residency opportunities providing performing artists with rehearsal space and support.
Scholastic Labs – Fully sponsored residencies in Berkeley for engineers, artists, scientists, and entrepreneurs working at the intersection of art, science, and tech.
SOMArts – A curatorial residency prioritizing emerging and mid-career underrepresented artists.
The Growlery – One to three month residencies for artists in all disciplines. Relocating to the East Bay.
Theatre Bay Area RHE Foundation Artistic Fellowship – Award and mentorship for an underrepresented emerging actor or actress.
This Will Take Time – Oakland BIPOC Residency – Funded residencies for Bay Area artists, cooperatives, and creative practitioners who identify as Black, Indigenous, or as People of Color.
This Will Take Time – Point Arena Residency – Welcoming artists, writers, scientists, activists, teachers, students, collectives, families, and anyone who can benefit from the opportunity to work and think in a new environment.
Varda Artists Residency Program – A free residency on the SS Vallejo house-boat.
YBCA Fellows – A year-long fellowship program organized around a central question.
Tools for transitioning to 501(c)(3)
Adler & Colvin – Major SF law firm specializing in nonprofit legal issues.
California Lawyers for the Arts – Nonprofit organization providing lawyer referrals, dispute resolution services, educational programs and publications to artists and arts orgs. (psst! they offer our members discounted coaching and access to lawyers.)
GrantSpace – Resources for starting a nonprofit, categorized by region.
LegalZoom – Nonprofit application package and legal advice.
NEO Law Group – Legal services for nonprofits.
NOLO – Information on starting, funding, and managing your non-profit.
Starting a Nonprofit FAQ – Answers from LegalZoom.
Schulman Consulting – Tailored to the needs of fiscally sponsored projects on the path to becoming a 501(c)(3).
Small Business Administration – An independent federal agency established to assist, counsel, support and protect the interest of small businesses.
Find Open Calls + Opportunities
Various databases for exhibition opportunities, job openings, residencies, calls for submission, and more.
Alliance of Artists Communities – An international residency database for artists in all disciplines.
Americans for the Arts Career Center – Searchable directory of job listings from across the nation.
Art Deadline – Open calls, grants, competitions, job listings, residencies, and more.
ART JOBS – All sorts of job listings.
Art List – Search and submit open calls.
Art Show – Exhibition opportunities filtered by region.
Artists Help Network – Lists of tools, resources, and opportunities for artists.
Artwork Archive – Calls for entry organized by deadline.
Bay Area Video Coalition – Freelance job listings for filmmakers.
California Arts Council – Opportunities database with open calls, job listings, grants, and internships.
Call For… – Art related awards, competitions, exhibitions, festivals, scholarships, submissions, etc.
Call for Curators – Calls for curatorial submissions, residencies, and jobs.
Call For Entry (CaFÉ) – Create a profile to apply to a number of open calls for entry.
College Art Association – Information, resources, and open calls for artists, scholars, museum professionals, educators, and other arts professionals.
Creative Capital – Artist opportunities with upcoming deadlines arranged by month.
Entry Thingy – A searchable platform for calls for entries.
Getting Your Sh*t Together – Open grant opportunities.
Oakland Art Murmur – Bay Area open calls.
ResArtIs – An international residency database.
Rivet – International platform for open calls and opportunities.
SF Artists Network – Local opportunities for exhibition.
Society for Photographic Education – National calls for photographic art submissions.
Theater Communications Group – Art jobs searchable database.
TransArtists – A guide and database for artist residencies.
This directory is published and maintained by Intersection for the Arts as a service to the Bay Area arts sector. It is a living directory, meaning we update it regularly and that information may change. None of the postings here are sponsored, nor does their inclusion in this directory constitute a direct endorsement from Intersection for the Arts.
