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Creative Work Fund projects feature one or more artists collaborating with a nonprofit 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization. It encourages the artists and organizations to “come together” for the sake of this collaboration: An artist should not submit a request to collaborate with an organization if he or she serves on its staff or board of directors. The Fund encourages artists to collaborate with nonprofit organizations of all kinds.
 Ruth
Asawa and young artists featured in “Each One Teach One” by
Valerie Soe
The principal collaborating artists must live in Alameda, Contra Costa, Monterey, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Cruz, Solano, or Sonoma County and have lived there for at least two years. Collaborating organizations also must be based in one of the nine counties.
In 2008, interested literary and performing artists and collaborating organizations are invited to submit three-page letters of inquiry. A literary arts or performing arts project may culminate in any form, but it must feature a lead artist with a strong track record as a literary or performing artist. The Creative Work Fund defines these eligible artists as:
- Literary artists include those with experience writing poetry, spoken word poetry, fiction, or creative nonfiction. (Playwrights apply with performing artists.)
- Performing artists may be creators—such as playwrights, choreographers, and composers—or may be performers. The performing arts encompass dance, opera, performance art, theater, and vocal and instrumental music
In either category, artists and organizations should plan projects and prepare and sign letters of inquiry together. If you plan to use a fiscal sponsor, that sponsor also should review and sign the letter.
Artists and organizations may submit one proposal per category per deadline and may receive no more than one Creative Work Fund grant every three years. Past Creative Work Fund grant recipients also must have finished their projects and completed approved final reports before submitting new letters of inquiry.
The Fund Seeks:
- Projects in which the creation of an artwork is central
- Projects in which the artist functions primarily as an artist, not as a teacher, an art therapist, or in another capacity
- Projects in which an active, authentic working partnership between the artist or artists and the organization is central to the work’s development
- Projects that engage the organization’s constituents in the artist’s work
- Projects that draw upon artists’ creativity and problem-solving abilities
- Projects through which the making of art can strengthen a community, draw attention to an important issue, or engage audiences in new ways
- Projects that challenge artistic imagination and organizational thinking
- Projects that will be presented in Alameda, Contra Costa, Monterey, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Cruz, Solano, or Sonoma County
- Projects that designate at least two-thirds of the grant funds to the principal artists and their direct expenses for creating the work
The Fund will not consider:
- Commissions of new works by artists in which the applicant organization and artists are not collaboratively engaged in the making of those works
- Projects in which the lead artists and collaborating organization are not based in the eligible counties or those with multiple artists, most of whom are based outside of the nine counties
- Projects that do not feature the artist(s) centrally as demonstrated by the project descriptions and budget allocations
- Projects from lead artists or organizations that were awarded Creative Work Fund grants in June 2006 or June 2007
- Projects from artists or organizations that have not completed projects and final reports for previously awarded Creative Work Fund projects
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