City of San Diego logo Funding for Cultural Affairs

Application Guide:
Community Arts & Creative Spaces

The Community Arts & Creative Spaces pathway supports sustained creative engagement rooted in a community, culture, neighborhood, population, or place.

Apply Here: https://sandiegoarts.fluxx.io/

Community Rootedness + Relationship

30 points

Application Question

Tell us about the community, cultural group, neighborhood, population, or place that anchors this project. How did the relationship develop, and how do the people connected to the project shape what happens?

You may discuss how the relationship developed; who participates, leads, advises, hosts, creates, or organizes; community or cultural knowledge that shapes the work; and how trust, reciprocity, or accountability shows up.

400 words maximum

Why We Ask

This pathway exists to support creative work rooted in relationship. We want to understand the connection between the project and the people, culture, neighborhood, or place it is designed with and for.

Panelists Consider

  • specificity about the community, culture, neighborhood, population, or place;
  • evidence of a real relationship rather than a project merely located somewhere;
  • meaningful community or cultural influence on project design;
  • reciprocity, listening, trust, or shared responsibility appropriate to the context.

Arts, Culture + Creative Experience

20 points

Application Question

What arts, cultural, creative, heritage, or cultural-practice experiences will the project make possible? What will people make, learn, practice, share, present, preserve, or experience?

You may discuss the artistic or cultural activities at the center; artists or cultural practitioners involved; creative methods, traditions, or choices; and what is distinctive about the experience.

350 words maximum

Why We Ask

CCSD funds arts, culture, and creativity. We want to understand the substance of the creative experience, not only the setting around it.

Panelists Consider

  • arts, culture, creativity, heritage, or cultural practice is clearly central;
  • a coherent and intentional creative experience;
  • meaningful involvement of artists or cultural practitioners where relevant;
  • alignment between the creative experience and the community/place relationship.

Participation, Access + Public Benefit

20 points

Application Question

How will people participate in or benefit from the project? Tell us how you are designing for meaningful access, participation, belonging, or connection.

You may discuss how people join, participate, return, contribute, or experience the work; cost, location, schedule, language, disability access, transportation, or other barriers; and why the participation model makes sense.

300 words maximum

Why We Ask

Public investment should create meaningful public benefit. In this pathway, benefit often comes through participation, belonging, cultural connection, and sustained access to creative activity.

Panelists Consider

  • a clear participation model;
  • thoughtful attention to barriers relevant to the project;
  • credible public benefit connected to the project’s purpose;
  • access strategies that are realistic for the project’s resources and context.

Project Design + Feasibility

15 points

Application Question

How will the project happen? Describe the timeline, locations, people, partnerships, and project-budget choices that make the plan realistic.

You may discuss key phases or milestones; roles of artists, staff, facilitators, community partners, or host sites; project locations; budget choices; and risks or dependencies.

300 words maximum

Why We Ask

We want to know whether the project is thoughtfully designed and achievable within the funding period and available resources.

Panelists Consider

  • a realistic timeline and delivery plan;
  • relevant project-specific capacity;
  • a project budget that makes sense for the work;
  • awareness of important dependencies or risks;
  • alignment among activities, people, time, and resources.

Sustained Connection to Place / Community

15 points

Application Question

How will this project deepen, continue, or strengthen creative connection with the community, culture, neighborhood, population, or place it is rooted in?

You may discuss recurring activities or multiple points of engagement; ways participants can continue relationships or practice; how a space supports continuity; local artist or community-partner capacity; or what remains after FY28.

250 words maximum

Why We Ask

This pathway is designed for sustained connection rather than one-time placement of an arts activity in a community.

Panelists Consider

  • a credible approach to continuity or deepening relationship;
  • sustained connection built into project design;
  • benefits that extend beyond a single event or transaction;
  • realistic expectations for what can continue within available resources.
  • Public Benefit Commitment: Propose one to three realistic public-benefit commitments City support could help sustain or advance during FY28. (150 words maximum)

Total Points: 100