2026 City of Santa Barbara Cultural Arts Grant Recipients
The City has awarded more than $240,000 in Cultural Arts Grants to 32 local organizations that keep our community inspired and connected through the arts. Funded by the City and administered by the Santa Barbara County Office of Arts & Culture, these grants support nonprofits that produce or present arts and cultural programming within Santa Barbara city limits. Chosen from a competitive pool of applicants, this year’s recipients exemplify the City’s commitment to a vibrant, sustainable local cultural sector and to ensuring arts access for all.
Through the Community Arts, Organizational Development, and Community Events and Festivals programs, the City aims to expand arts access for underserved communities, strengthen diverse nonprofit organizations, and foster events and festivals that enhance Santa Barbara’s cultural vitality and local economy.
Community Arts Grant Recipients:
Gateway Educational Services, Hillside House Inc., Mental Wellness Center, MOXI – The Wolf Museum of Exploration + Innovation, Music Academy of the West, Santa Barbara Asian American Pacific Islander Solidarity Network, Santa Barbara Chamber Players, Santa Barbara Dance Institute, Santa Barbara Symphony, Santa Barbara Transgender Advocacy Network (SBTAN), Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation, Santa Barbara Vocal Jazz Foundation, and Tomato Theatre Company
Community Events and Festivals Grant Recipients:
Brandwell Arts, Ceylon International Film Festival Foundation, eji event co. (Coffee Culture Fest), Elings Park Foundation, Grace Fisher Foundation, La Piazza Inc., Parks and Recreation Community Foundation (Arts in the Open at Plaza del Mar), Santa Barbara Chinese School, and Santa Barbara Police Activities League
Organizational Development Grant Recipients:
ARTSPACE Inc. (Center Stage Theater), Children’s Creative Project, Creative Netwerk, Explore Ecology, Flamenco Arts Festival, Gunpowder Press, Notes for Notes, Santa Barbara Arts Collaborative, Santa Barbara Choral Society, and Santa Barbara Gay Men’s Chorus
For more information, visit sbac.ca.gov/city-grants
The Cultural Arts Grants are funded by the City of Santa Barbara. Applications are reviewed by the City-appointed Arts Advisory Committee and Community Events & Festivals Committee. Grant administration is facilitated by the Santa Barbara County Office of Arts and Culture. For more than 30 years, both governments have shared resources and staff to maximize support for Santa Barbara arts and culture institutions, programs, initiatives, and projects.