Oakland CARES Act: Fund for Artists and Arts Nonprofits

Through a $1.5 million grant agreement with the Center for Cultural Innovation, the Oakland CARES Fund for Artists and Arts Nonprofits provided grants to support individual artists and arts nonprofit organizations that have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Grants of up to $20,000 for arts nonprofits, and up to $3,000 for individual artists, helped prevent displacement among artists and closures of arts nonprofits. Artists and public-benefiting arts organizations are the backbone of the City’s diversity and vibrancy of cultural identity and expression.

51 nonprofit organizations and 349 individual artists received grants through the program.

“THANK YOU from all of us at BANDALOOP for securing funding for the arts and helping keep the stage lights on in Oakland while we wait for our audiences to return,” shared Thomas Cavanaugh, Executive Director of Bandaloop.

"I finally started to receive unemployment benefits after months and months of difficulty," shared an individual artist. "Between that and this grant, I am feeling very grateful and more sure of my ability to care for myself and my child. Thank you!"

Main CARES Act Web Page

Media Release on Launch of Oakland CARES Fund for Artists and Arts