We nurture and invest in artists, culture, and the arts throughout Santa Cruz County.
Arts Council Santa Cruz County concentrates its grantmaking on the local arts ecosystem, backing artists, arts organizations, and community arts work across Santa Cruz County. In the recent grants list, the council repeatedly supported organizations that present performances, cultural programs, and arts access for the public, including Santa Cruz Shakespeare and Activities 4 All. Its funding pattern shows a steady emphasis on community-facing arts infrastructure rather than individual grants, with awards going to groups that help sustain concerts, festivals, museums, and cultural programming in the county. The council also funds organizations rooted in specific local communities, such as White Hawk Indian Council and Esperanza Del Valle, alongside established arts institutions in Santa Cruz and Watsonville. That mix suggests a funder focused on maintaining a broad countywide creative network, from public events to arts education and cultural participation. Grants are made locally and all recorded recipients are in California, reinforcing a concentrated place-based strategy centered on Santa Cruz County.
The council’s arts and culture support reaches several distinct parts of the local creative sector. In performance and festival work, it awarded $10,000 to Santa Cruz Symphony for public and arts community benefit, and $10,000 to Watsonville Film Festival for the same purpose. It also backed Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music with $10,000, showing support for music programming rooted in Santa Cruz. Community arts and cultural participation appear in grants to Tannery World Dance & Cultural for $9,200 and to Senderos - V for $7,000, both in Santa Cruz. The council also supported arts access through Royal Eagle Bear Productions with $7,000, extending its funding to creative work that serves the public and local arts community.
Typical awards cluster in a narrow band: the 25th percentile is $6,050, the median is $7,000, and the 75th percentile is $10,000. The recent record also shows repeat support to several recipients across multiple years, including Activities 4 All, White Hawk Indian Council, Esperanza Del Valle, Watsonville Film Festival, El Sistema, Pajaro Valley Arts Council, Senderos - V, and Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music. That pattern points to ongoing relationships rather than isolated one-time gifts. The foundation does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments, and the grants shown are project-based support for organizations.
$72K
$3.1M
$2.4M
$2.3M
Most grants fall between $6K and $10K, with a median of $7K.
25th Percentile
$6K
Median
$7K
75th Percentile
$10K
PETER WENG
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Grantmaking is fully local: 100% of recorded grants go to recipients in California. Santa Cruz appears often, with recipients such as Santa Cruz Shakespeare, Santa Cruz Symphony, and Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History. Watsonville is another frequent recipient city, including Activities 4 All, Watsonville Film Festival, and Pajaro Valley Arts Council. Other county locations in the list include Capitola, Freedom, and Ben Lomond, showing a countywide distribution rather than concentration in one city.
It supports arts and culture work that benefits the public and local arts community, including performances, festivals, museums, dance and cultural programming, and arts access organizations. Recent grants went to Santa Cruz Symphony, Watsonville Film Festival, Tannery World Dance & Cultural, and Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History.
Yes. The recent grants list includes repeat support across years for Activities 4 All, White Hawk Indian Council, Esperanza Del Valle, Watsonville Film Festival, El Sistema, Pajaro Valley Arts Council, Senderos - V, and Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music.
The 25th percentile grant is $6,050, the median is $7,000, and the 75th percentile is $10,000. Recent awards also show amounts above that range for some recipients, including $11,500 to Santa Cruz Shakespeare and $11,400 to Activities 4 All.
All recorded grants go to recipients in California, and the recipient locations in the list are local to Santa Cruz County and nearby communities such as Santa Cruz, Watsonville, Capitola, Freedom, and Ben Lomond.
The council does not fund individuals. Its recent grantmaking is directed to organizations such as arts groups, cultural organizations, and community-serving nonprofits.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Current and upcoming funding from Arts Council Santa Cruz County that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Open to nonprofit and fiscally sponsored arts organizations; not open to individual artists. Support grantees may be eligible for multi-year awards.
Deadline: September 9–30, 2026; application deadline September 30, 2026 at 5 p.m.
Who can apply: Open to individual artists and arts organizations, including Support grantees. Funding supports professional development activities, equipment, training, residencies, business planning, and related capacity-building needs.
Deadline: Applications accepted September 9, 2026 through May 25, 2027; monthly reviews and awards.
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Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| THE 418 PROJECT | Santa Cruz, CA | $14,750 | 2026 | BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY |
| FRACTURED ATLAS | NEW YORK, NY | $8,500 | 2026 | BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY |
| EL SISTEMA | SANTA CRUZ, CA | $7,800 | 2026 | BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY |
| TANNERY WORLD DANCE | SANTA CRUZ, CA | $7,000 | 2026 | BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY |
| WATSONVILLE FILM FESTIVAL | WATSONVILLE, CA | $7,000 | 2026 | BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY |
| WATSONVILLE TAIKO GROUP | WATSONVILLE, CA | $7,000 | 2026 | BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY |
| CABRILLO FESTIVAL OF CONTEMPORARY MUSIC | SANTA CRUZ, CA | $7,000 | 2026 | BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY |
| SENDEROS | SANTA CRUZ, CA | $7,000 | 2026 | BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY |
| ARTE DEL CORAZON | Freedom, CA | $6,000 | 2026 | BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY |
| WHITE HAWK INDIAN COUNCIL | FREEDOM, CA | $11,400 | 2025 | BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY |
| ACTIVITIES 4 ALL | WATSONVILLE, CA | $11,400 | 2025 | BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY |
| Royal Eagle Bear Productions | SANTA CRUZ, CA | $7,000 | 2025 | BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY |
| EL SISTEMA | SANTA CRUZ, CA | $7,000 | 2025 | BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY |
| WATSONVILLE FILM FESTIVAL | WATSONVILLE, CA | $7,000 | 2025 | BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY |
| PAJARO VALLEY ARTS COUNCIL | WATSONVILLE, CA | $7,000 | 2025 | BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY |
| CABRILLO FESTIVAL OF CONTEMPORARY MUSIC | SANTA CRUZ, CA | $7,000 | 2025 | BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY |
| Cabrillo Stage | Santa Cruz, CA | $7,000 | 2025 | BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY |
| ESPERANZA DEL VALLE | CAPITOLA, CA | $7,000 | 2025 | BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY |
| SENDEROS - V | SANTA CRUZ, CA | $7,000 | 2025 | BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY |
| ARTE DEL CORAZON | Freedom, CA | $6,000 | 2025 | BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY |
| MOTION PACIFIC | SANTA CRUZ, CA | $6,000 | 2025 | BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY |
| SANTA CRUZ ART LEAGUE | SANTA CRUZ, CA | $6,000 | 2025 | BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY |
| ESPERANZA DEL VALLE | CAPITOLA, CA | $10,000 | 2024 | BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY |
| EL SISTEMA | SANTA CRUZ, CA | $10,000 | 2024 | BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY |
| WATSONVILLE FILM FESTIVAL | WATSONVILLE, CA | $10,000 | 2024 | BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY |
| ACTIVITIES 4 ALL | WATSONVILLE, CA | $10,000 | 2024 | BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY |
| WHITE HAWK INDIAN COUNCIL | FREEDOM, CA | $10,000 | 2024 | BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY |
| SANTA CRUZ ART LEAGUE | SANTA CRUZ, CA | $9,700 | 2024 | BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY |
| TANNERY WORLD DANCE & CULTURAL | SANTA CRUZ, CA | $9,200 | 2024 | BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY |
| PAJARO VALLEY ARTS COUNCIL | WATSONVILLE, CA | $8,125 | 2024 | BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY |
| SANTA CRUZ SHAKESPEARE | SANTA CRUZ, CA | $8,125 | 2024 | BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY |
| CABRILLO FESTIVAL OF CONTEMPORARY MUSIC | SANTA CRUZ, CA | $7,000 | 2024 | BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY |
| SENDEROS - V | SANTA CRUZ, CA | $7,000 | 2024 | BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY |
| SANTA CRUZ COUNTY YOUTH SYMPHONY | SANTA CRUZ, CA | $6,100 | 2024 | BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY |
| ARTE DEL CORAZON | WATSONVILLE, CA | $6,000 | 2024 | BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY |
| MOTION PACIFIC | SANTA CRUZ, CA | $6,000 | 2024 | BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY |
| THE 418 PROJECT | SANTA CRUZ, CA | $6,000 | 2024 | BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY |
| MUSEO EDUARDO CARRILLO | SANTA CRUZ, CA | $5,100 | 2024 | BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY |
| SANTA CRUZ SHAKESPEARE | SANTA CRUZ, CA | $11,500 | 2023 | BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY |
| ACTIVITIES 4 ALL | WATSONVILLE, CA | $11,100 | 2023 | BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY |
| KUUMBWA JAZZ CENTER | SANTA CRUZ, CA | $11,000 | 2023 | BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY |
| SANTA CRUZ SYMPHONY | SANTA CRUZ, CA | $10,000 | 2023 | BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY |
| WHITE HAWK INDIAN COUNCIL | FREEDOM, CA | $10,000 | 2023 | BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY |
| EL SISTEMA | SANTA CRUZ, CA | $10,000 | 2023 | BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY |
| WATSONVILLE FILM FESTIVAL | WATSONVILLE, CA | $10,000 | 2023 | BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY |
| SANTA CRUZ MUSEUM OF ART & HISTORY | SANTA CRUZ, CA | $10,000 | 2023 | BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY |
| ESPERANZA DEL VALLE | CAPITOLA, CA | $10,000 | 2023 | BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY |
| CABRILLO FESTIVAL OF CONTEMPORARY MUSIC | SANTA CRUZ, CA | $10,000 | 2023 | BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY |
| PAJARO VALLEY ARTS COUNCIL | WATSONVILLE, CA | $8,500 | 2023 | BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY |
| FRIENDS OF OLYMPIA STATION | SANTA CRUZ, CA | $8,000 | 2023 | BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY |
FRACTURED ATLAS
$8,500BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY
EL SISTEMA
$7,800BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY
TANNERY WORLD DANCE
$7,000BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY
WATSONVILLE FILM FESTIVAL
$7,000BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY
WATSONVILLE TAIKO GROUP
$7,000BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY
SENDEROS
$7,000BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY
ARTE DEL CORAZON
$6,000BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY
WHITE HAWK INDIAN COUNCIL
$11,400BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY
ACTIVITIES 4 ALL
$11,400BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY
Royal Eagle Bear Productions
$7,000BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY
EL SISTEMA
$7,000BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY
WATSONVILLE FILM FESTIVAL
$7,000BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY
PAJARO VALLEY ARTS COUNCIL
$7,000BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY
ESPERANZA DEL VALLE
$7,000BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY
SENDEROS - V
$7,000BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY
ARTE DEL CORAZON
$6,000BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY
MOTION PACIFIC
$6,000BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY
SANTA CRUZ ART LEAGUE
$6,000BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY
ESPERANZA DEL VALLE
$10,000BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY
EL SISTEMA
$10,000BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY
WATSONVILLE FILM FESTIVAL
$10,000BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY
ACTIVITIES 4 ALL
$10,000BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY
WHITE HAWK INDIAN COUNCIL
$10,000BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY
SANTA CRUZ ART LEAGUE
$9,700BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY
TANNERY WORLD DANCE & CULTURAL
$9,200BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY
PAJARO VALLEY ARTS COUNCIL
$8,125BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY
SENDEROS - V
$7,000BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY YOUTH SYMPHONY
$6,100BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY
ARTE DEL CORAZON
$6,000BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY
MOTION PACIFIC
$6,000BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY
MUSEO EDUARDO CARRILLO
$5,100BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY
ACTIVITIES 4 ALL
$11,100BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY
SANTA CRUZ SYMPHONY
$10,000BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY
WHITE HAWK INDIAN COUNCIL
$10,000BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY
EL SISTEMA
$10,000BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY
WATSONVILLE FILM FESTIVAL
$10,000BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY
ESPERANZA DEL VALLE
$10,000BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY
PAJARO VALLEY ARTS COUNCIL
$8,500BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY
FRIENDS OF OLYMPIA STATION
$8,000BENEFIT PUBLIC & ARTS COMMUNITY
