Organizer Information
The Alliance for California Traditional Arts (ACTA) administers the Living Cultures Grant Program as part of its long-term mission to support, sustain, and strengthen folk and traditional arts across California. ACTA is a leading statewide nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving living cultural heritage through direct investment in artists, cultural bearers, and community-based practices.
The program is supported by philanthropic partners and foundations, including the California Arts Council and the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. Its core philosophy recognizes traditional arts as living systems of knowledge transmitted through generations—rooted in community identity, language, history, and shared practice.
The Living Cultures initiative specifically addresses the need for equitable funding in underrepresented cultural communities, ensuring that traditions remain active, visible, and intergenerational.
Title & Description
Living Cultures Grant 2026–2027 – Folk and Traditional Arts Support Program
The Living Cultures Grant is a Grant program designed to support individuals, organizations, Tribal Nations, and community groups in California who are actively practicing and sustaining traditional arts.
The program provides funding to strengthen cultural continuity through creative, educational, and community-based projects. Grants support both individual artists and organizations working in folk traditions, enabling them to preserve, teach, document, and share cultural practices.
Two funding tiers are available:
- $7,500 grants for individual artists and culture bearers
- $10,000 grants for nonprofits, Tribal Nations, and community-based organizations
Projects may include any form of traditional artistic practice, such as music, dance, storytelling, theater, crafts, traditional cooking, or other handmade cultural expressions. The focus is on practices that are actively lived and transmitted within communities rather than commercial or contemporary fine arts production.
Funded projects may involve workshops, intergenerational learning, public performances, documentation of cultural heritage, or support for materials and tools necessary to sustain traditional practices over time.
The program emphasizes cultural continuity, community engagement, and the strengthening of identity through shared artistic practice.
Categories
- Cultural Arts
- Music
- Dance
- Performance
- Craft
- Folk Arts
- Storytelling
- Theatre
- Creative Writing
- Traditional Cooking
- Interdisciplinary Arts
- Visual Arts
Eligibility
Individual Artists:
- Must live in California
- Must be 18 years or older
- Must have at least 5 years of experience practicing a traditional art form
- Must be able to receive taxable income in the U.S.
- Must be recognized as a culture bearer or traditional artist
Organizations / Community Groups / Tribal Nations:
- Must be based in California
- Nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status (annual budget under $500,000) OR
- Community groups with a fiscal sponsor OR
- Tribal Nations (federally recognized or working with a nonprofit fiscal sponsor)
Additional Rules:
- Only one application per applicant (individual or organization, not both)
- Applicants must not have unresolved reporting requirements from past ACTA funding
- Projects must be based in California
Program Benefits & Awards
- $7,500 Grant for individual artists and culture bearers
- $10,000 Grant for organizations, community groups, and Tribal Nations
- Funding for:
- Workshops and community learning programs
- Cultural documentation (video, audio, photography, storytelling)
- Traditional materials and supplies
- Artist and teacher fees
- Travel within California
- Public performances, festivals, and exhibitions
- Community engagement programs
- Support for intergenerational knowledge transfer
- Strengthening and preservation of endangered traditions
- Increased visibility for cultural practices within California communities
Application Fee
None
Application Requirements
- Project description and cultural context
- Artist or organization statement
- Budget breakdown
- Proof of eligibility (residency or organizational status)
- Description of community impact
- Optional supporting media (images, audio, video)
- Fiscal sponsor documentation (if applicable)
How to Apply?
Online Application
Key Dates
- Application Deadline: 27 April 2026
- Grant Notifications: August 2026
- Grant Period: September 1, 2026 – August 31, 2027
Location
United States (California)
Additional Details
- Focuses on traditional and folk arts as living cultural systems
- Prioritizes community-based knowledge transfer and intergenerational learning
- Supports both small-scale and large-scale cultural projects
- Encourages documentation and preservation of endangered traditions and languages
- Strong emphasis on cultural equity and community empowerment
- Fiscal sponsorship is allowed for non-registered groups
- Funding cannot be used for food or unrelated capital purchases
- Projects must directly support cultural practice, teaching, or sharing