Parks California to manage $8 million program as part of a 4-year collaboration with partners
SACRAMENTO, Calif.— California State Parks, the California Arts Council, and Parks California today announced the launch of a new Arts in California Parks grants program – the Local Parks Grant Program. A total of $8 million in grants is available to local non-profit and community organizations to support art and cultural programs in local communities across the state.
The Local Parks Grant Program is one of two distinct programs of the Arts in California Parks program, which was jointly announced last year by the three partners. Today’s launch makes the grant program available for the first time, with two additional cycles planned for 2025 and 2026, for a total of three funding cycles. Eligible applicants include 501(c)3 Organizations, California Native American tribes, Native 7871 Organizations, Land Trusts, Fiscally Sponsored Community Organizations, Foundations and Government Agencies (City, County, Regional).
The Local Parks Grant Program, managed by Parks California, intends to create local community connections to California’s rich and diverse cultural history and natural areas outside of California’s state park boundaries. Eligible projects will enhance connections to local cultural history, parks, open space and natural areas through community events, programming and installations that help build sustainable community connections, health and well-being.
Eligible projects must be open to the general public. Projects may be located on land that is owned or managed by a local city, county, park or community service district, land trusts, regional park or open space district, non-profit organization or foundation, or any other entity other than federal and state agencies. Projects must demonstrate how they meet the goal to create community connections to California’s diverse natural and cultural history.
Details about the competitive grant process, including criteria and deadlines, and an overall project timeline are available at ArtsInCaliforniaParks.org. To support interested prospective applicants, Parks California will host an informational webinar on April 17 to learn about grant eligibility and the application process.
Grant announcements are anticipated to be released in September 2024.
About Arts in California Parks
Arts in California Parks is a new program that supports artists, culture bearers, California Native American tribes, and communities in creating artwork, art installations and programming in state parks and local communities as catalysts for sustainable community connection, health, and well-being.
Initiated by a one-time general fund allocation that extends through 2027, the program will fund projects that offer perspective on California’s past and present and help promote community connections. The program represents an exciting collaboration between State Parks, the California Arts Council, and Parks California, and is one of the many efforts underway as part of State Parks’ Reexamining Our Past Initiative.
California State Parks initiated pilot projects in 2023 and will have two additional project rounds in the summer of 2024 and 2025.
Subscribe to California State Parks News online at parks.ca.gov/newsroom or click here.
The California Department of Parks and Recreation, popularly known as State Parks, and the programs supported by its Office of Historic Preservation and divisions of Boating and Waterways and Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation provides for the health, inspiration and education of the people of California by helping to preserve the state’s extraordinary biological diversity, protecting its most valued natural and cultural resources, and creating opportunities for high-quality outdoor recreation. Learn more at parks.ca.gov.
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About California Arts Council
Culture is the strongest signifier of California’s identity. As a state agency, the California Arts Council supports local arts infrastructure and programming statewide through grants, programs, and services. The agency’s mission is to strengthen arts, culture, and creative expression as the tools to cultivate a better California for all. Learn more at arts.ca.gov.
About Parks California
Launched in 2019 as the official statutory non-profit partner to California State Parks, Parks California was created to be a new model of public, private, and non-profit partnership. Working statewide to collaboratively solve complex problems and create long-term solutions, Parks California currently operates over 30 projects, which are funded by government, public-private partnership agreements as well as the generous support of private donations. For more information, visit parkscalifornia.org.
Contacts:
California State Parks
Newsroom@parks.ca.gov
California Arts Council
Carissa Gutierrez
Parks California
Debbie Felix
