Good news for the creative types in Sacramento—a new fellowship program is calling your name. As reported by Sacramento City Express, the City's Office of Arts and Culture has rolled out the Creative Growth Fellowship, dangling a carrot of $850 per month for a year to help sustain artists' work. They're planning on spreading the wealth to up to 200 individual artists across a spectrum of disciplines, so sharpen those pencils, mix that paint, and start tuning those instruments.
Melissa Cirone, grants and programs manager for the Office of Arts and Culture, puts it plainly: "This is more than just funding—it’s about creating space for artists to grow and thrive in Sacramento." As seen in a statement obtained by the Sacramento City Express, she's aiming squarely at the heart of the city's cultural landscape, hoping to propel a new wave of growth with these funds. This isn't just a piecemeal gesture; the whole shebang is backed by federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds. So, if you're looking to cash in, mark this date: June 20—applications shut down at the stroke of midnight.
Candidates must be 18 or above, have a home address within the city limits of Sacramento, and can prove they are actively working within accepted artistic fields, which range from visual arts and music to theater and dance, among others. It's also made clear that a slew of other creative but non-qualified disciplines, such as culinary arts or cosmetology, along with city government affiliates, need not apply. Decidedly chosen fellows by the end of the process, each will be $10,200 richer by year's end, as reported by the Sacramento City Express.
Complete guidelines are ready for your perusal over at the Sacramento City Express website. And if you're feeling lost in the potential maze of application dos and don'ts, the fellowship has set up a helpline at [email protected] for all your questions. Lastly, for those who live and breathe for these updates, the Office of Arts and Culture suggests signing up for email notifications to stay in the cultural loop.
