Grant Guidelines

 

In partnership with California Arts Council, Nevada County Arts & Culture is honored to serve as the Administering Organization for the Upstate Individual Artists Fellowship.

Deadline: May 6, 2026 11:59pm Pacific Standard Time

Grant Awards: $5,000-$50,000

Grant Activity Period: August 1, 2026 - July 31, 2027

Apply here

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE:


Through regionally based Administering Organizations, 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. For this grant, excellence is defined by: 

  • A unique artistic vision 

  • A sustained commitment to creative practice 

  • Engagement with and impact on the cultural ecosystem 

PROGRAM GOALS:  

The California Arts Council (CAC) has selected Nevada County Arts & Culture to design and implement a fellowship program that supports individual artists and culture bearers across all disciplines. By providing unrestricted funding, the fellowship empowers artists at pivotal moments in their careers, enhancing their ability to contribute meaningfully to California’s diverse communities. Investing in individual artists and culture bearers through this program strengthens artistic expression, creative practice, and community collaboration statewide. 

ABOUT NEVADA COUNTY ARTS & CULTURE:

Nevada County Arts & Culture (DBA “Upstate Individual Artists Fellowship”) has been selected as the Administering Organization for the Upstate Region, responsible for distributing $240,000 in grant funding across nineteen counties. Recognizing a larger scale need to harness rural voices in establishing a regional approach to collective policies and programming as a transformational tool, we will work with peer agencies in every county to ensure equitable access to the Individual Artists Fellowship Program. 

As Administering Organization for the Upstate Region / Region 1, the Upstate Individual Artists Fellowship will serve the following counties: Butte, Colusa, Del Norte, Glenn, Humboldt, Lake, Lassen, Mendocino, Modoc, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Sutter, Tehama, Trinity, and Yuba counties. 

FELLOWSHIP AWARDS:

The Upstate Individual Artists Fellowship will provide unrestricted funding in support of the fellows’ artistic practice. There will be a minimum of three fellows awarded in each tier of funding. The number of awards in each tier will range per tier based on the number of applications received and scores from the panel in alignment with the review criteria and considerations (see below for Review Criteria). Awards will be funded at the full dollar amount for each tier; partial awards will not be made.

As additional advancement and recognition of Artist Fellows, Nevada County Arts & Culture will convene fellows (in-person or virtually) for professional development opportunities throughout the Grant Activity Period and culminate with a celebration of our Upstate Individual Artists Fellows. 

Fellowships are available in the following three categories: 

  • Emerging Artist Fellows $5,000

    Emerging artists are those at the beginning stages of making their work public, and engaging the larger community in their practice. Individuals at this career stage may have had a few public showings of their work, but do not yet have ongoing resources or support.

  • Established Artist Fellows $10,000

    Artists in the Established tier regularly make their work public, and engage the larger community in their practice. Individuals in this tier can give multiple examples of artistic and/or cultural works that have made significant social impact.

  • Legacy Artist Fellows $50,000

    Artists in the Legacy tier can point to a significant body of work—produced over a substantial period of time—that has engaged their communities and that has made significant social impact. Artists in this tier may be able to point to Emerging and Established Artists that they have mentored or otherwise positively influenced.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

Residency and Geography

  • State Residency: Applicants must have maintained a primary residence in the State of California for a minimum of two (2) consecutive years prior to the application deadline.

  • Regional Residency: Applicants must have their primary residency in one of the 19 counties within the Upstate Region at the time of application. As part of the application, you will be asked to provide proof of residency e.g. utility bills, lease agreements, bank statements, or government-issued IDs).

Artist Identity and Experience

  • Age: Must be 18 years of age or older at the time of application.

  • Student Status: Full-time college / higher education students are currently eligible for this fellowship. Students currently enrolled in a K-12 school are not eligible to apply. 

  • Professional Practice: This fellowship is for individual artists and culture bearers. You must be the primary creator of your work (not an interpreter of others' work).

  • Artistic Discipline: Artists may apply in any discipline, 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. 

Fellowship Tiers and Re-application Rules

This program supports artists at three distinct career stages. You may only apply for one tier.

  • Same Tier: If you have previously been awarded a CAC Individual Artists Fellowship, you are not eligible to apply for the same tier again.

  • Leveling Up: Previous awardees are encouraged to apply for a higher tier if their career stage has progressed (e.g., a past Emerging Fellow may apply as an Established Fellow).

  • Legacy Cap: Artists who have previously received a Legacy Artists Fellowship are ineligible for any future awards in this program.

Financial and Tax Requirements

  • Taxpayer Identification: To receive payment if awarded, fellows must provide a valid U.S. Taxpayer Identification Number (such as a Social Security Number or ITIN).  Awardees will receive a Form 1099 for the tax year in which funds are disbursed. We strongly recommend consulting a tax professional regarding how this award may affect your specific financial situation.

  • Fiscal Sponsors: The use of fiscal sponsors is not permitted. This grant is awarded directly to the individual artist and applications submitted through a non-profit or third-party organization will not be considered.

REVIEW CRITERIA AND PANEL PROCESS:

Applications will be peer reviewed as part of a panel process convened by Upstate Individual Artists Fellowship. All panelists will complete conflict-of-interest disclosures and receive orientation on equity-centered review practices. Panels will reflect:

  • Regional geographic representation 

  • Multidisciplinary artistic expertise

Panelists will review uploaded materials and application responses. Applications will be ranked using a ranking scale that can be viewed here. Applications will be evaluated on the following criteria:

  • Creative Vision: Artist effectively communicates their personal story, artistic medium or practice, and long-term aspirations for their work.  

  • Aesthetic Excellence: Artistic work and/or examples of cultural practice demonstrate strong alignment with the components of the Attributes of Excellence in Arts for Change, including commitment, communal meaning, disruption, cultural integrity, risk taking, sensory experience, emotional experience, openness, coherence, resourcefulness, and stickiness.  

  • Community Engagement and Social Impact: Artist effectively communicates their engagement with their community(ies) and the positive social impact their work has had locally, regionally, and/or statewide, addressing themes including but not limited to race, diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility.  

ACCESSIBILITY AND LANGUAGE SUPPORT:

Nevada County Arts & Culture is committed to making the arts accessible and inclusive for diverse populations in our Upstate Region. People who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing, Deaf-Blind, or have difficulty speaking may dial 711 to reach the California Relay Service (CRS). Large print is available upon request. If you would like to request an accommodation please email info@upstateIAF.org. 

The application process will include:

  • Clear, plain-language materials

  • ASL interpretation at our kick-off information webinar

  • Guidelines and Application Questions offered in Spanish

APPLICATION:

Before applying, please consider which award tier best represents your artistic practice at this stage: Emerging, Established, or Legacy. You will only be able to submit and be reviewed for one tier.

All applications must be submitted by: Wednesday, May 6, 2026, at 11:59 PM Pacific Standard Time

Applications must be submitted electronically through our online application portal, Jotform, which is linked on our website at upstateIAF.org. Hard copies, emailed applications, or dropped-off materials will not be accepted. Please create your profile well in advance to mitigate any technology challenges. 

Late submissions will not be accepted. All submissions are final. Only one application per person may be submitted.

PROGRAM TIMELINE:

Application Opens: April 6, 2026

Application Deadline: May 6, 2026 11:59pm PST

Estimated Panel Review: May 15, 2026 - June 30, 2026

Estimated Funding Decision: July 20, 2026

Estimated Funding Notification: July 27, 2026

Grant Activity Start: August 1, 2026

Estimated Arrival of Funds: September, 1 2026

Grant Activity End: July 31, 2027

FELLOWSHIP EXPECTATIONS:

Awarded fellows must comply with all requirements as stipulated in the grant agreement, including but not limited to the following:

  • Complete Contract Documents - Upon notification of grant award, complete all required contract documents in order to receive 100% grant payment.

  • Communication and Reporting - Maintain communication with Upstate Individual Artists Fellowship throughout the duration of the fellowship. Fellows will be asked to provide images of their work, a brief quote, and basic demographic data (optional) that Upstate Individual Artists Fellowship can utilize as part of our website, social media, and communications materials and its reporting back to California Arts Council. 

  • Fellowship Convening - All Fellows are strongly encouraged to participate in a virtual or in-person convening during the Grant Activity Period.