The California Arts Council invites California’s arts and cultural workers to share your input on how we can best meet the needs of the community in the coming year through state arts grants.

Join us for one of four live listening sessions on Wednesday, July 8 and Thursday, July 9 to help inform upcoming Council discussions and decisions regarding grant policies and programs for 2020-21. Your input is vital and can help ensure that this year’s programs are designed as a direct and equitable response to current and pressing needs. We welcome and encourage participants from regions of all sizes and locations — urban, rural, suburban, and Tribal communities.

Please register for the session time that works best for you. Space may be limited. You will be sent call-in instructions prior to the session and participation can take place by phone or computer. When you arrive in a session, you will have the opportunity to join a queue to comment. You will be notified when it is your turn to speak. Each speaker will be given two minutes to comment — a facilitator will alert you when your time is up.

We encourage you to consider the following questions as you prepare your comments.

In response to the current economic and public health crisis…

What are your hopes for the next round of Arts Council grant funding?
What is the most needed grant type for you at this time: general operations, project support, or a combination of both?
Are there any unique challenges facing your local community that the Council should consider?
Do you anticipate any unforeseen barriers to applying for an Arts Council grant in the coming year?
Have you experienced any barriers to applying for an Arts Council grant in the past?

Comments can be made anonymously, but we encourage you to share your location and zip code within California and your level of familiarity with the Arts Council (e.g., if you are a grantee, a past applicant, if you are new to engaging with the Arts Council, etc.).

Comments can be made in any language listed at http://arts.ca.gov/aboutus/language.php and will be translated prior to upcoming Council discussions. If you need accommodations to submit your input via an alternate method, please direct your request to Administrative Analyst, Lariza Barcena, at (916) 322-6335 or lariza.barcena@arts.ca.gov.

Please note: This input opportunity is in addition to the Council’s public comment process that will take place for the next Council meeting on July 24, 2020. Information on the meeting agenda and public comment procedures will be posted at http://arts.ca.gov/aboutus/councilmeetings.php 10 days prior to the meeting.