Current Grantees
Create Grants June 2024 Awards
Funding for artists and organizations for an arts and/or cultural project taking place in Santa Cruz County
Vinyl Record of Houseless Orators, Local Activists & Experimental Music
Too Little Too Late, a Pajaro Flood Documentary
instagram.com/bazinga_charlie
Círculo de poetas & Writers 2024 Summer Conference at the Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History
Free after-school music classes in Live Oak
Dual Demons - November Variety Show 2024
Birthing new hxstories: Our interconnected farming stories in Pájaro Valley
Short doc film about local midwife and founder of Campesinx Womb Justice, Maria Ascención Ramos Bracamontes.
inspira-studios.com
Art & Resistance in Santa Cruz County: Community Art Build & Skillshare
Mi Gente CA’s Annual Hispanic/Latine Heritage Month Festival
"Jovita la mas Bonita Bibliotecaria" Mural on the outside wall of the Library at Alianza Charter School in Watsonville
Mending Party at the Hub for Sustainable Living, Summer/Fall 2024
9aberry.com
Guys and Dolls performance July 26-28, 2024
"Legends Among Us," Honoring our Elders in the Arts, at Kuumbwa Jazz, Santa Cruz 2024
13th Annual Kikulu Kia Nza Dance and Drum Conference 2024
dancecongo.com
Develop Grants June 2024 Awards
Professional development funding for artists and arts organizations
Laptop for Music Production
Development of unique glass color process
A filmed violin performance to expand concert booking opportunities
Investing in Film and Print Equipment to Expand Photography Business
Finish recording, mixing and mastering GABI BRAVO full album by Noiseeater studios.
Studying Bollywood Dance in Bangalore
Printmaking Equipment to Expand Business
Animation equipment to develop a new body of work that merges traditional painting with animation.
10 Week Wheel Throwing Course with Abigael (The Woodland Pottery) at the Tannery
4x5 camera to create portfolio for MFA programs and artist residences.
Purchasing a computer to expand my creative business.
Create Grant January 2024 Awards
Funding for artists and organizations for an arts and/or cultural project taking place in Santa Cruz County
A workshop on how to carve and paint an Alebrije with an exhibition in Watsonville in March/April 2024
Resilience in the Remnants of Watsonville's Farmworker Labor Camps: Storytelling Event
Ground Pressure A Site Specific Dance Theater Performance 2024
Empowering Through Lens: Fostering Diversity and Vision in Entrepreneurial Women. Instagram.com/rosedayalphoto
Dancing Nature: The Sacred Breath. Silvestretraining.com
This project will support the performance of a new dance concert, Calculated Movements, mathematical dance work that connects with movements for social change, in fall, 2024 in Santa Cruz. Mathdance.org
Santa Cruz annual Prideteenth Fashion Show
Unveiling Motion Pacific: A Documentary Journey Through a Community Hub, Culminating in the Final Cabaret Before the Studio's Relocation. Maramilam.com
San Lorenzo Valley Museum Artist in Residence Program. Slvmuseum.org
10 SECONDS LEFT, A Collaborative EP between Alwa Gordon & Alexandra The Author. Instagram.com/alwagordon
Develop Grant January 2024 Awards
Professional development funding for artists and arts organizations
Replacing and upgrading outdated Apple Macbook for more reliable and stable use of digital recording and mixing softwares in string-driven music production studio. Rogueviolin.com
Video equipment to expand current business and return to documentary filmmaking. Devipridephotography.com
Upgrade DSLR camera to support higher resolution images and expand printing capabilities. Lauralanideangelis.com
DEI Training to Support Expanding Our Membership and Audiences. Pacificvoices.org
To purchase a capable laptop that will help me start a photography buisness in South County. Instagram.com/xicano_wizard
Laptop computer for grant writing and artistic administration/communication. Facebook.com/Gatabantu
Adjustable height safety ladder with cage/platform to facilitate painting murals safely at heights up to 20 feet.
Welding equipment to create public art sculptures. Artedelcorazon.com
Printing Equipment to enrich and diversify creativity. Carrascoconcepts.wordpress.com
Research and development of new techniques and ideas. Mozeart.com
I am applying for Open Studios fees, First Friday fees, and painting supplies. Also, Website costs. Jooheekm.com
Heat transfer printer equipment to expand my creative business.
Music technology equipment for violin performance. Instagram.com/terreleeviolin
Camera equipment to develop skills for future projects.
Hire a Professional Photographer to Shoot a Backlog of my Artists Books from 2020-2023 and launch online store. Luciastudio.com
Support Grant January 2024 Awards
General operating support for nonprofit arts organizations and fiscally-sponsored arts groups
Fiscal Sponsee
scsenderos.org
cabrillomusic.org
cabrillostage.com
santacruzoperaproject.org
artedelcorazon.com
motionpacific.com
tandybeal.com
scal.org
tanneryworlddance.com
santacruzactorstheatre.org
indexical.org
kuumbwajazz.org
santacruzmah.org
westperformingarts.com
svctheaterguild.org
santacruzshakespeare.org
thepuppetryinstitute.org
watsonvilletaiko.org
Create Grant Spring 2023 Awards
Funding for artists and organizations for an arts and/or cultural project taking place in Santa Cruz County
Gallery Exhibits and Art Market Access for Ethnically Diverse Artist's with Disabilities ($800).
Kikulu Kia Nza 12th Annual African Dance and Drum Conference in Santa Cruz. ($3,000) dancecongo.com
Free after-school music classes in Live Oak. ($2,475) communitymusicschool.org
Mestizáje / Multiracial indigenous online exhibit. ($3,000) museoeduardocarrillo.org
Ha Mbongui African dance and drum conference in Santa Cruz at the Tannery World Dance and Cultural Center. ($2,400) gatabantudance.com
Cracks: Investigating infrastructure public art in the City of Santa Cruz. ($2,700) jingtianz.com
Formerly incarcerated artist works with youth-at-risk to paint Mayan Calendar murals on Soquel Avenue window panels surrounding Barrios Unidos, indicating a safe space and a path to peace. ($2,400) barriosunidos.net
Building community through Afro-Brazilian music and dance. ($2,475)
Filipino Cultural Mural in Watsonville. ($900) thelettermermaid.com
A writing, poetry, and painting workshop for Watsonville families to make multimedia cards of their favorite food/vegetable with creative stamping using paint, yarn, and the natural items on the farm. ($2,700) esperanzacommunityfarms.org
La Rama- A Mexican Winter Tradition from Veracruz. ($2,475) facebook.com/EstrellasDeEsperanza
Develop Grant Spring 2023 Awards
Professional development funding for artists and arts organizations
Music recording tools & equipment to record debut EP. ($800)
Weaving materials to teach workshops. ($590) seabrightcrafts.com
Photography equipment to pursue my wildlife photography. ($1,200) instagram.com/hannah_andrews_art
"Arm Chair" outdoor sculpture project. ($1,200) lynnetodaro.com
Macbook Pro 13-inch laptop for editing video projects and advancing performance work. ($1,200) orolives.wixsite.com/oliviaronan
Portable solar generator for outdoor mural & art production. ($1,500) instagram.com/paintingbybianco
Sewing classes and equipment to extend my knowledge and build my brand. ($1,500) instagram.com/soulbextion
Fine jewelry development inclusive of many disciplines into one pendant. ($800) carrinwear.com
Glassblowing furnace to support local art glass business. ($1,200) biagio-scarpello.com
To purchase a laptop computer to create art, edit imagery, manage opportunities, document work, correspond with galleries, and further professionalize my art career. ($1,200) vinwaring.com
To attend the San Francisco Writer's Conference 2024 and pitch my middle-grade novel. ($584) ariotothebook.com
A quality quilting sewing machine to replace an outdated old one. ($800) kellyforniaaaa.com
To create a large-scale wall painting on raw canvas, and subsequently stretch it on 5ft square stretcher bars so it can be moved to other venues (including Gallery 125 at the Tannery). ($725) bethshields.com
Tecnología para ampliar la calidad de mi trabajo y tener más oportunidades de venta. (Technology to expand the quality of my work and have more sales opportunities.) ($800)
Participar en Open Studios (Participate in Open Studios) ($600)
2021-2024 Elevate Grantees
Funding to “elevate” a cohort of arts organizations to the next level of success over a three-year period.
Activities 4 All ($10,000)
Esperanza del Valle ($10,000)
El Sistema ($10,000)
Watsonville Film Festival ($10,000)
White Hawk Indian Council for Children ($10,000)
Fall 2022 SPECTRA Grantees
Matching grants to bring arts education opportunities into schools and organizations across Santa Cruz County to enhance their arts education programs
Del Mar Elementary ($975) - Boxtales, theater performance
Green Acres Elementary ($1,000) - Michael Katz, storytelling performance
Live Oak Elementary ($1,500) - Claudia Stevens, ceramics workshop
Pacific Elementary ($1,500) - Terri Steinmann, theater residency
MacQuiddy Elementary ($2,000) - Elijah Pfonenhauer, after-school mural residency
Mar Vista Elementary ($1,000) - Martina Goulart, mural workshop
Lakeview Middle ($2,000) - Janet Johns, dance residency
Watsonville Charter School of the Arts ($2,000) - Martina Goulart, visual arts residency
Watsonville High School ($2,000) - Guillermo Aranda, mural residency
Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary ($1,000) - Ibou N'Gom, African drumming