Come Get This Free Money Before it’s Too Late
- OMi Wolf
- Jan 10, 2025
- 14 min read
Updated: Feb 16, 2025
If you're an artist in the LA area or somewhere else in Cali, you're gonna want to jot these opportunities down. Better yet just screen shot them. We understand how challenging it is to build an independent career in the arts, especially during a global recession. Remember, behind the scenes, we too are artists and makers on a mission to cultivate sustainability through our creations.
That starts with resources and connections.
When it comes to finding grants and financial resources we know first-hand how exhausting it can be searching through dozens of webpages, reading eligibility criteria, and let's not forget about the very redundant application process. The truth is, finding opportunities takes work. Sometimes, you just don't feel like doing 'that'. We get it. Which is why you're going to love this list we've compiled from some of our trusted sources. S/o to Artwork Archive & The Source LA for curating a consistent and reliable list of resources; including grant opportunities and residencies.
Keep in mind time is of the essence, some of these submission deadlines are right around the corner. If you're unfamiliar with applying for grants, this checklist will help you create an easy artist statement which will simplify your application process. We hope you don't sleep on these opportunities (we're applying to some too). If you have questions about grants or something else related to your artist career, reach out to us. We're always happy to talk business and the realities of the artist journey.
2024 Camera Obscura Art Lab Studio Residency Residency
Submission Deadline: December 6, 2023
Award Info: honorarium of $2500
Eligibility: Regional
Categories: Photography, Film/Video/New Media
Location: Santa Monica, California
Description:
Santa Monica Cultural Affairs, a division of the City of Santa Monica, seeks proposals from visual, digital and performing artists living in Los Angeles County for a fourteen-week studio residency at the Camera Obscura Art Lab in Palisades Park, Santa Monica.This Studio Residency spans 14 weeks and three terms are available; Feb 1- May 9, 2024; May 16- August 22, 2024; and August 29 - December 12, 2024.Eligibility Infovisual, digital and performing artists living in Los Angeles County
Palm Springs Pride Art Installation Public Art & Proposals
Submission Deadline: December 30, 2023
Award Info: Budget: $500,000
Eligibility: National
Location: Palm Springs, California
Description:
Seeking an artist to create an installation designed to meet the vision/mission to commemorate, honor, and celebrate local LGBTQ+ community members and allies who have had a profound, significant, and positive impact on the lives of LGBTQ+ residents of Palm Springs and the Greater Coachella Valley.The art installation will be a visible and lasting reminder to residents and visitors of Pam Springs and the Coachella Valley of the LGBTQ+ community’s rich history of courage, spirit, and achievement. It will be designed, installed, and funded to0 serve as a beacon of community pride and as a historical reference source for future generations.
Eligibility Info: This is an open call for artists, with preferential treatment to those connected to the Palm Springs area and the Greater Coachella Valley.
2024 Call for Artist- Center for Performing Artists Exhibition
Submission Deadline: December 8, 2023
Eligibility: Local
Categories: Craft/Traditional Arts, Photography, Drawing, Film/Video/New Media, Mixed-Media/Multi-Discipline, Painting, Sculpture
Location: Mountain View, California
Description:
The City of Mountain View’s Visual Arts Committee is inviting artists and artist teams working in a variety of media to exhibit public art in the lobby of the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts (500 Castro Street, Mountain View, CA 94041) for the 2024 season.The rotating exhibits are approximately six to eight weeks in length and are viewed by thousands of people visiting downtown Mountain View and attending shows at Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts (MVCPA).
Eligibility Info: Open to all professional artists/artist teams over the age of 18 residing in the local 11 San Francisco Bay Area Counties (Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Benito, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Solano and Sonoma).
Yosemite Renaissance 39 Exhibition
Submission Deadline: January 1, 2024
Event Dates: May 1, 2024 - December 31, 2024
Entry Fee: $25.00
Award Info: $4,000 in cash awards
Eligibility: International
Categories: Craft/Traditional Arts, Photography, Drawing, Mixed-Media/Multi-Discipline, Painting, Sculpture
Location: Yosemite Valley, California
Description:
Yosemite Renaissance announces a call to artists for a juried art exhibition, May 1 - December 31, 2024 (approx) in multiple cities. $4,000 in cash awards. Open to visual artists and artisans working in all media including but not limited to: oil & acrylic painting, watercolor, pastel, mixed media, printmaking, photography, digital art, drawing, fiber art, glass, woodworking, jewelry, ceramics, and sculpture. No film, video, interactive media or performance.
$25 entry fee.
Eligibility Info: Open internationally to all mediums except film, video, interactive media or performance.
Still & Lifeless Competition Competition
Submission Deadline: January 14, 2024
Entry Fee: $9
Award Info: $500
Eligibility: International
Categories: Craft/Traditional Arts, Photography, Drawing, Mixed-Media/Multi-Discipline, Painting, Sculpture
Location: San Francisco, California
DescriptionGallery 4 Percent is pleased to announce the launch of our online Still and Lifeless i.e. Still Life Art Contest, where every lifeless object comes to life. Winners get a chance to win cash prizes worth $500. All two and three-dimensional artworks in every medium, excluding audio, video, and AI-generated art, are welcome.
Fee: $9 per artwork.
Eligibility Info: Open internationally to all artists except audio, video and AI
2024 - Women in Art Exhibition
Submission Deadline: January 31, 2024
Event Dates: March 7, 2024 - March 30, 2024
Entry Fee: $35
Eligibility: International
Categories: Craft/Traditional Arts, Photography, Drawing, Film/Video/New Media, Mixed-Media/Multi-Discipline, Painting, Sculpture
Location: Laguna Beach, California
Description:
Las Laguna Art Gallery is pleased to present our Women in Art exhibition. Women artists are encouraged to apply.Acceptable mediums include: Acrylic, Airbrush, Alcohol Ink, Ceramics, Charcoal, Collage, Color Pencil, Computer Art, Digital Art, Digital Photography, Drawings, Encaustic, Fiber Arts, Glass Art, Graphite, Gouache, Illustration, Mixed Media, New Media, Oil, Pastel, Pen and Ink, Photo Assemblage, Printmaking, Sculpture, Traditional Photography, Video, or Watercolor.Note: All artists who submit to this show will be accepted and have at least one of their submitted works posted and promoted on our website and to our client list. A select number of artists will be chosen to send their work to the gallery for the in-person exhibition at our brick and mortar gallery in Laguna Beach, California.
Eligibility Info: Open internationally to all artists
Los Angeles Artadia Awards Grants & Fellowships
Submission Deadline: February 1, 2024
Award Info: three Awardees to receive unrestricted funds of $15,000
Eligibility: Local
Categories: Craft/Traditional Arts, Photography, Drawing, Film/Video/New Media, Mixed-Media/Multi-Discipline, Painting, Sculpture
Location: Los Angeles, California
Description:
The Artadia Awards provide financial support, exposure and recognition to artists. The awards are unrestricted, allowing artists to use the funds in any way they choose. Each year, an open-call application is made available in each of the seven active partner cities. Supporting artists equitably is a critical part of the Artadia Award process: we consider the unique populations of each community and are proud to reflect our country’s diversity with an Awardee pool that is over 50 percent female and over 40 percent persons of color. In addition to financial support, Awardees can participate in the Artadia Network to receive structured opportunities for valuable new connections and resource sharing as well as receive a dedicated webpage on Artadia’s online Artist Registry. Connections fostered by Artadia have facilitated major steps in Awardees’ careers, such as inclusion in prominent exhibitions (e.g. five Awardees were featured in the 2017 Whitney Biennial, and six in 2019).
Eligibility Info: Artists must reside in LA county
Sonoma Ceramic's Residence Program Residency
Submission Deadline: February 15, 2024
Entry Fee: Sliding Scale Application Fee: $15-$30
Eligibility: National
Categories: Sculpture
Location: Sonoma, California
Description:
Self-directed program for emerging or established ceramic artists. Two all-inclusive residencies offered each year for potters and ceramic sculptors.The program is open to all ceramic artists living within the United States and culminates with a solo gallery exhibition at the end of the residency period. In exchange for a monthly stipend of $750, lodging, firings, glazes, and 24 hour studio access, the Artist in Residence is expected to work 20 hours per week.
Eligibility Info: Open to all U.S.-based potters and ceramic sculptors.
Off Center - An International Ceramic Competition: 2024 Competition
Submission Deadline: February 26, 2024
Event Dates: April 6, 2024 - May 18, 2024
Entry Fee: $35.00
Award Info: 1st: $500
Eligibility: International
Location: Roseville, California
Description:
Blue Line Arts invites you to join our annual show: Off Center. This competition celebrates the timeless tradition of ceramic art but also welcomes your unique artistic vision. Whether you prefer classic pottery or bold abstract creations, we are eager to check the pulse of the Ceramics community and see your applications! This year's competition is seeking a special focus on installation artworks and large-scale ceramics. The competition accommodates monumental and multi-part creations, so feel free to dream big! Of course, all forms of ceramic artwork are welcome, including functional and non-functional pottery, abstract sculptures, hanging/ wall-mounted pieces, jewelry, and mixed media. We call this show Off Center for a reason. We want to see you break the mold and try something new on an international platform. We are looking for highly unique artworks that redefine our expectations of what ceramic art can be.
Award info:
1st: $5002nd: $3003rd: $100
Eligibility Info: Open internationally to ceramic artists
Adams Square Mini Park Gas Station Public Art & Proposals
Organization: City of Glendale | Library, Arts & Culture Department
Submission Deadline: February 29, 2024
Eligibility: Local
Categories: Mixed-Media/Multi-Discipline
Location: Glendale, CA 91205, United States
Description:
The Arts and Culture Commission of the City of Glendale is requesting proposals from creative artists to temporarily display a unique installation in the Adams Square Mini Park Gas Station (ASMPGS). The City's Community Services & Parks Department (CSP) owns the ASMPGS, a historic 1936 Streamline Modern Gas Station building listed on the Glendale Register of Historic Resources. Art is displayed on a rotational basis in the ASMPGS. This Call For Submissions is for art installations at the Adams Square Mini Park Gas Station. Artists whose work is chosen for installation at the ASMPGS will receive a stipend of $1,000 in addition to a production budget of up to $1,500 for a total maximum stipend of $2,500. The Gas Station is located at the Adams Square Mini Park, 1020 East Palmer Avenue, Glendale CA 91205. The Gas Station is 12’x12’x12' cube, with acrylic windows. There are two doors, two electrical outlets and a timer. Items can be hung from the ceiling. Art installations at the Adams Square Mini Park Gas Station are sponsored by the Glendale Arts and Culture Commission and the Community Services & Parks Department.
Eligibility Info: Open to Mixed-Media artists in the Glendale California area.
All Things Considered- 2024 Exhibition
Submission Deadline: February 29, 2024
Event Dates: April 4, 2024 - April 26, 2024
Entry Fee: $31
Eligibility: International
Categories: Craft/Traditional Arts, Photography, Drawing, Film/Video/New Media, Mixed-Media/Multi-Discipline, Painting, Sculpture
Location: Laguna Beach , California
Description:
For this Open Theme / All Media exhibition Las Laguna gallery will be considering all things. This is an Open Theme/All Media Exhibition. All local, national and international artists will be considered in this call for art. Acceptable mediums include: Acrylic, Airbrush, Alcohol Ink, Ceramics, Charcoal, Collage, Color Pencil, Computer Art, Digital Art, Digital Photography, Drawings, Encaustic, Fiber Arts, Glass Art, Graphite, Gouache, Illustration, Mixed Media, New Media, Oil, Pastel, Pen and Ink, Photo Assemblage, Printmaking, Sculpture, Traditional Photography, Video, or Watercolor. Note: All artists who submit to this show will be accepted and have at least one of their submitted works posted and promoted on our website and to our client list. A select number of artists will be chosen to send their work to the gallery for the in-person exhibition at our brick and mortar gallery in Laguna Beach, California.
Eligibility Info: Open internationally to all artists
SCG Artist Residency Residency
Submission Deadline: March 1, 2024
Event Dates: August 3, 2024 - August 24, 2024
Award Info: Budget: $10,000
Eligibility: National
Categories: Craft/Traditional Arts, Photography, Drawing, Film/Video/New Media, Mixed-Media/Multi-Discipline, Painting, Sculpture
Location: Roseville, California
Description:
The SCG ART program brings established artists to Placer County for the purpose of teaching and sharing their artistic talents and experience to the greater community. The program was lovingly established at PCF in memory of a local artist, Susan Cooley Gilliom, by her family.This is the first national call for this annual residency opportunity. This residency offers a large studio space, funding for projects, and the opportunity to teach wokshops in a formal setting.To learn more about this program and see a list of past artists, visit: http://placercf.org/visiting-artist/
Eligibility Info: Open to all U.S.-based artists
Kala Fellowship Award Residency
Submission Deadline: March 15, 2024
Award Info: Kala will award six artists a $3,000 stipend, unlimited access to Kala’s facilities for up to nine months, one Kala class, and a culminating show in the Kala Gallery. The award is geared towards supporting artists in completing specific projects or bodies of work that would benefit from Kala’s specialized equipment in printmaking and digital media.
Eligibility: International
Categories: Craft/Traditional Arts, Photography, Drawing, Film/Video/New Media, Mixed-Media/Multi-Discipline, Painting, Sculpture
Location: Berkeley , California
Description:
For over 30 years, Kala Art Institute has awarded artists time, space, and financial support for their work through the Kala Fellowship award. The Kala Art Institute Fellowship is an artist residency award for local, national, and international artists. Artists producing innovative work in mediums including printmaking, digital media, installation art, social practice, photography, and book arts are encouraged to apply. Fellowship Awards will be given based on conceptual creativity, originality and artistic excellence.
Eligibility Info: Students who will be enrolled in a degree granting program in the 2023-2024 academic year are not eligible for the award.
2024 - Botanical Art & Illustration Exhibition
Submission Deadline: March 30, 2024
Entry Fee: $35.00
Categories: Craft/Traditional Arts, Photography, Drawing, Film/Video/New Media, Mixed-Media/Multi-Discipline, Painting, Sculpture
Location: Laguna Beach , California
Description:
Las Laguna Gallery is seeking works that explore plants. Any works that highlights flowers, plants, trees, leaves, cactus, succulents, etc. will be considered. Commission: 65% Artist, 35% Gallery. Acceptable mediums include Acrylic, Airbrush, Alcohol Ink, Bronze, Charcoal, Collage, Color Pencil, Computer Art, Digital Art, Digital Photography, Drawings, Encaustic, Fiber Arts, Glass Art, Graphite, Gouache, Illustration, Mixed Media, New Media, Oil, Pastel, Pen and Ink, Photo Assemblage, Printmaking, Quilts, Scratchboard, Sculpture, Traditional Photography, Video, or Watercolor.
Award: All artists who submit to this show will be accepted and have at least one of their submitted works posted and promoted on our website and to our client list. A select number of artists will be chosen to send their work to the gallery for the in-person exhibition at our brick and mortar gallery in Laguna Beach, California.
Eligibility Info: Open internationally to all mediums
Pence Gallery Emerging Artist Award 2024 Competition
Submission Deadline: April 4, 2024
Entry Fee: $30.00
Award Info: $4,000
Eligibility: State
Categories: Craft/Traditional Arts, Photography, Drawing, Mixed-Media/Multi-Discipline, Painting, Sculpture
Location: California
Description:
The Pence Gallery announces that its Emerging Artist Award 2024 is now open. This award supports the creation of new work by emerging artists in California and the opportunity to share that work through an exhibit and an artist talk in January 2025. Artists must use the award of $4000 to further their work in a significant direction and may work in any medium, except for video or sound art. Artists must live in California at the time of application, and be 18 or older. ‘Emerging’ is defined as an artist who is early in their art career, who has limited experience exhibiting, but not an extensive solo exhibit history. The artist’s submitted work must be of high caliber, original, and completed within the past five years.
Eligibility Info: Artists must live in California at the time of application, and be 18 or older
Projecting L.A. 2024 Other
Submission Deadline: April 27, 2024
Entry Fee: $20
Eligibility: Local
Categories: Photography
Location: Los Angeles, California
Description:
A juried call for street, documentary, and news photography of and about the people within the county of Los Angeles (inclusive of L.A. City). A larger-than-life display of photography that will take place in DTLA on April 27, 2024. The location is a football-field-sized parking lot in Chinatown. Following a juried process, the selected photographers will have bodies of work edited into a video presentation with music, and projected 80 feet wide and three stories high in front of a live audience. Following the big event, the L.A. Public Libraries will screen this presentation once a month for a year in all parts of Los Angeles, with five photographers in attendance to talk with the public afterwards.
WHAT SELECTED PHOTOGRAPHERS RECEIVEParticipation in Projecting L.A. 2024 Opportunity to take part in additional monthly indoor screenings at a variety of Los Angeles Public Library Branches Opportunity to be featured in press coverage for Projecting L.A. Each photographer receives a free online profile page on www.thelaproject.org. Photographer’s name, website, social media addresses and one photograph will be featured in the event catalog. Street Photography magazine will feature a story on all the photographers involved in Projecting L.A. 2024, plus the publisher will also feature one photographer from the group.
Eligibility Info: Open to photographers in LA county
Joshua Tree National Park Artist in Residence Program Residency
Submission Deadline: May 31, 2024
Eligibility: International
Categories: Craft/Traditional Arts, Photography, Drawing, Film/Video/New Media, Mixed-Media/Multi-Discipline, Painting, Sculpture
Location: Joshua Tree, California
Description:
The purpose of the Joshua Tree National Park Artist in Residence Program is to provide opportunities for artists to creatively explore the resources of Joshua Tree National Park, promoting a deeper appreciation of the natural, cultural, and historical resources therein.Artists are an important part of the national park system. Writings, paintings, photographs, and public outreach provide opportunities for new audiences to experience national parks. In the era of virtual visits, the role of artists is more important than ever in sharing unique perspectives of national parks with online audiences.The Joshua Tree National Park Artist in Residence Program (AiR) is open to visual artists, performing artists, musicians and writers. Artist are invited for a one-month stay in fall or spring. There are two objectives for this residency. One is to give artists time to explore the park and pursue their own creative practice. The second is for the artist to share their unique perspective of the park’s resources with others.
Eligibility Info: Open internationally to all artists
San Francisco Bay Area Artadia Awards Grants & Fellowships
Submission Deadline: June 1, 2024
Award Info: three Awardees to receive unrestricted funds of $15,000
Eligibility: Local
Categories: Craft/Traditional Arts, Photography, Drawing, Mixed-Media/Multi-Discipline, Painting, Sculpture
Location: San Francisco, California
Description:
The Artadia Awards provide financial support, exposure and recognition to artists. The awards are unrestricted, allowing artists to use the funds in any way they choose.Each year, an open-call application is made available in each of the seven active partner cities. Supporting artists equitably is a critical part of the Artadia Award process: we consider the unique populations of each community and are proud to reflect our country’s diversity with an Awardee pool that is over 50 percent female and over 40 percent persons of color.In addition to financial support, Awardees can participate in the Artadia Network to receive structured opportunities for valuable new connections and resource sharing as well as receive a dedicated webpage on Artadia’s online Artist Registry. Connections fostered by Artadia have facilitated major steps in Awardees’ careers, such as inclusion in prominent exhibitions (e.g. five Awardees were featured in the 2017 Whitney Biennial, and six in 2019).
Eligibility Info: Artists must reside in one of the following counties: Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano, and Sonoma
Politically Charged 2024 Exhibition
Submission Deadline: July 12, 2024
Event Dates: August 31, 2024 - October 12, 2024
Entry Fee: $25.00
Eligibility: National
Categories: Craft/Traditional Arts, Photography, Drawing, Film/Video/New Media, Mixed-Media/Multi-Discipline, Painting, Sculpture
Location: Roseville, California
Description:
Amidst the fervor surrounding the upcoming 2024 presidential election, we stand at a pivotal moment in our nation's history. We believe that it is crucial to create a space for productive and thought-provoking discussions about the future of our country.Through your artistic reflections, we hope to harness the power of creativity to ignite conversations, challenge perspectives, and identify common threads. In embracing this taboo theme of politics, we are asserting and strongly believe that art has the potential to transcend ideological boundaries and stimulate dialogue that can drive our community forwards.This national exhibition is open to artists working in all mediums and of all skill levels.
Eligibility Info: Open to all U.S.-based artists
Stochastic Labs Residency Residency
Submission Deadline: Ongoing
Eligibility: International
Categories: Film/Video/New Media, Mixed-Media/Multi-Discipline
Location: San Francisco, California, United States
Description:
Stochastic Labs awards fully-sponsored residencies to exceptional engineers, artists, scientists, and entrepreneurs from around the world. Residencies are of variable length and include a private apartment at the mansion, co-working and/or dedicated workspace, shop access (laser cutter, 3D printer etc), a $1k monthly stipend and a budget for materials. Residents become part of Stochastic’s creative community, participating in weekly dinners and invitation events. Residents may apply as individuals or as teams. While applicants may be at any stage in their career, the selection is highly competitive.
DEADLINE IS ONGOING
Eligibility Info: Open internationally to artists interested in intersections of art, science, and technology.
18th Street Local Artist Residency Residency
Submission Deadline: Ongoing
Eligibility: National
Categories: Craft/Traditional Arts, Photography, Drawing, Film/Video/New Media, Mixed-Media/Multi-Discipline, Painting, Sculpture
Location: Santa Monica, California, United States
Description:
Local studio artist residencies are open to local artists who wish to rent either live/work or day studios at the center for terms of 1-2 years with a possibility for renewal. We have artist studios on two campuses – on our 18th Street campus at 1639 18th Street, and the Airport campus at 3026 Airport Ave at the Santa Monica airport. On our 18th Street campus, these studios are subsidized in part by 18th Street Arts Center at far below market rate in an effort to provide local artists with affordable rental properties within Santa Monica. Our Airport campus is a city-owned building and artists lease directly with the City of Santa Monica, who set the terms for the leases on that site, with 18th Street Arts Center acting as facility and program managers. The local studio program is open to artists of all disciplines, as well as small, artist-run initiatives. When a space becomes available, applications are reviewed by an impartial jury and artists are selected at that time. Applicants should indicate their space and affordability requirements, as well as which campus they prefer.
Duration: 1-2 years
DEADLINE IS ONGOING
Eligibility Info: U.S. based artists, curators, writers, and musicians
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