Organizational Support Program

Global Creative City Partners

Established arts and cultural organizations whose work helps position San Diego as a cultural and creative destination through tourism, destination experiences, regional or international visibility, creative exchange, or transborder and global connections. A large budget alone does not qualify an organization for this pathway. Global refers to San Diego’s role and identity and does not require an organization to operate internationally.

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

At a Glance for Fiscal Year 2028

This Pathway May Be a Fit If...

• Contributes to San Diego’s regional, national, or international cultural identity.
• Visitor attraction or destination experience is a meaningful and sustained part of the organization’s role.
• Creates or operates cultural experiences with destination appeal.
• Produces programming regularly reaching audiences, artists, partners, or markets beyond the immediate region.
• Participates in sustained national, international, or transborder artistic exchange.
• Maintains partnerships connected to tourism, economic development, destination marketing, or cultural exchange.
• Produces or contributes to signature cultural experiences associated with San Diego.
• Helps promote San Diego’s artists or creative sector outside the region.
• Creates opportunities for local artists or cultural work to reach broader audiences or markets.
• Has capacity to participate in collaborative initiatives that strengthen San Diego’s creative identity.

What Distinguishes this Pathway

The defining role is connecting San Diego’s cultural life to visitors, destination identity, broader markets, and national, global, or transborder creative exchange. Because this pathway may receive a higher level of City support, it includes enhanced expectations for public access, local artist and creative sector investment, partnership, transparency, and reporting.

Enhanced Community Benefit

Global Creative City Partners will propose a package of public benefit commitments that includes resident access, creative ecosystem or resource sharing, and at least one commitment tied to the organization’s Global Creative City role. Examples may include SNAP or EBT access, library card access, free or reduced resident access, community ticket programs, disability access, free or discounted space for other Cultural Affairs funded organizations, paid opportunities for San Diego artists, cultural tourism partnerships, and transborder or global exchange.