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The City Manager’s Office administers the Arts & Cultural Affairs Fund. This money is designated to support creative programs and initiatives that nurture the development of a rich and diverse arts and culture sector, improve quality of life, promote economic development, and contribute to Davis as a visitor destination and incubator for imaginative public programming. The fund supports inclusive, emerging, innovative, creative capacity building in Davis.

Funding priorities will focus on proposals that support:

• Elevating the voices of Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC), Black Lives Matter (BLM), Native communities, and other initiatives that promote cultural and social justice and equity
• Community and public health and wellness
• Economic vitality of community, local businesses, and downtown

Funding is available annually on a first-come, first-served basis, and awarded at the recommendation of a committee made of members of the Civic Arts Advisory Board, City staff, and community. Support must be requested in writing, at least 2 months prior to planned expenditure of the funds. Exceptions to this may be made on a case-by-case basis. The committee will review and approve funding requests on a rolling basis, and funding will be available until funds have been depleted.

The funds may not be used for programming that takes place on the UC Davis Campus, and we expect that student groups have utilized available University support prior to requesting City funding.

In order to request funding, applicants must meet one or more of the following criteria:

• Elevating the voices and presence of Native, Black, Latinx, AAPI, and all artists and People of Color, and other initiatives that promote diversity, inclusion, and cultural equity and social justice
• Community and public health and wellness
• Economic development and vitality of community, local businesses, and downtown
• Creative/innovative activities that are available to, and involve, Davis residents, visitors, businesses, and organizations in the pursuit of promoting a vital arts scene.
• Programs that encourage tourism and promote overnight hotel stays.
• Arts providers requiring support to subsidize venue rental fees for creative programs.
• Public festivals whose core purpose celebrates Arts and/or Culture in our region.
• Emerging artists and arts organizations based in, or directly serving, the Davis community.
• Local non-profit arts providers or programs that support creative capacity building.
• City supported projects that elevate the core mission of the Arts and Cultural Affairs program.

This program strives to assist a wide variety of artists and organizations with available annual funds. As a result, priority may be given to first-time applicants who meet the eligibility criteria.

Applicants must meet all of the following requirements:

• Applicants must be in good financial and legal standing with the City.
• Preference will be given to emerging projects, and enhancements to existing programs.
• Projects must comply with all City permitting and legal requirements.
• It is up to the applicant to understand and comply with prevailing wage and other employment and hiring laws.
• Publicity must acknowledge support, sponsorship, or underwriting by the City of Davis.

Download and Apply:

ACAF Guidelines + Application (Word)

ACAF Guidelines + Application (PDF)

Deadline: Applications are accepted on a rolling basis until annual funding is depleted.

Please submit entire completed proposal as a single PDF file.

Contact rhartsough@cityofdavis.org for additional information and to discuss your project goals before applying.

Grant recipients may use the following images on fliers and other marketing materials to indicate funding has been provided by the City of Davis Arts & Cultural Affairs program. Simply cut/paste/save for web.

PDF VERSION: City of Davis Arts Grant Logos for Recipients

*If you need a Grant Logo with a transparent background or other format not provided here, please contact staff. 

The City's Arts & Cultural Affairs program is proud to support and/or partner with a wide range of locally produced creative community programs:

ACME Theatre Company

Art of Painting in the 21st Century Conference

Art Theatre of Davis

The Artery

Asian American Histories Project

Bike City Theatre Company

California Conference for the Advancement of Ceramics

Chamber Players in Davis

Culture Co-op

Davis Arts Center

Davis Chamber Players

Davis Cherry Blossom Festival

Davis Chinese Orchestra

Davis Chorale

Davis Craft and Vintage

Davis Independent Music Initiative 

Davis Live Music Collective

Davis Manor Neighborhood Council

Davis Media Access

Davis Musical Theatre Company

Davis Phoenix Coalition

Davis Repertory Theatre

Davis Shakespeare Ensemble & Festival

Delta of Venus

The Dirt Davis

Ethnic Studies YOLO Academy

Everywhere Science

Explorit

Free Range Singers

Friends of the Davis Public Library - Juneteenth

Ground and Field Theatre Festival

Hypha Collective

Imagining America

India Association Davis

International House Davis

John Natsoulas Gallery

Make Music Davis

Mellon Music Festival

Mga Kapatid

Music at Davis Community Meals

Old East Davis Neighborhood Association

Paddy on the Binge

Paint the Street: Community Street Mural How-to Manual

Pamela Trokanski Dance

Pence Gallery

Peregrine School

Purple Tree Cafe

Running Rivers

Second Bite

Silk Road Dabke Project

Statement of Love

Stories on Stage Davis

Studio 301 Productions

Studio Creatch

Team Davis

TESE Foundation

Third Space

Traditional Chinese Dough Figurines

Village Dance Davis

Village Homes

YoloSol Collective

Click here to join Arts Alliance Davis

(Joining is simple! Scroll to the bottom of the homepage, and subscribe to the mailing list.)

Arts Alliance Davis encourages local artists and arts organizations to share updates about the Arts, achievements, and words of gratitude at the biweekly City Council meetings.

 Public Comments for the Arts Guidelines

Arts Alliance Davis encourages collaboration, promotes the Arts to residents and visitors, and advocates for public and private support of the arts in all facets of our community. The group meets regularly to share resources, offer support and mentoring between organizations, develop partnerships to strengthen our arts community, and brainstorm about how to connect with audiences in new and meaningful ways.

Website: artsalliancedavis.org

Chair: Oona Hatton, davisrepertory@gmail.com

Media: Tim Gaffney of Davis Media Access interviews former Arts Alliance Chair, Shelly Gilbride. (January 12, 2023):