California Arts Council’s Individual Artist Fellowships – Los Angeles County
In partnership with the California Arts Council (CAC), Los Angeles Performance Practice is proud to serve as the Administering Organization for the Individual Artist Fellowships in Los Angeles County for the 2025–2027 cycle.
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
The Individual Artist Fellowships (IAF) program uplifts and celebrates California artists across all disciplines and traditions, highlights their excellence, and acknowledges their leadership in shaping traditional and contemporary cultures.
Excellence, for purposes of this program, is defined as an artist’s:
- Unique artistic vision
- Sustained commitment to creative practice
- Engagement with and impact on the cultural ecosystem
By providing unrestricted funding, the fellowship empowers artists at pivotal moments in their careers, enhancing their ability to contribute meaningfully to California’s diverse communities. Investing in individual artists and culture bearers through this program strengthens artistic expression, creative practice, and community collaboration statewide.
The Individual Artist Fellowships program is a statewide initiative. If you do not reside in Los Angeles County but are a resident of California, please apply through the appropriate regional Administering Organization:
- Region 1 – Upstate: Nevada Arts Council
- Region 2 – Capital: Teatro Nagual
- Region 3 – Bay Area: Kala Art Institute
- Region 4 – Central Valley & Eastern Sierra: Kern Dance Alliance
- Region 5 – Central Coast:Arts Council Santa Cruz County
- Region 7 – Inland Empire & South Coast: Arts Orange County
- Region 8 – Far South: City of San Diego
FELLOWSHIP AWARDS
The fellowship awards provide unrestricted funding in support of the fellows’ artistic practice. Los Angeles Performance Practice will distribute $800,000 in awards across three tiers of funding. A minimum of three fellows will be awarded at each tier. Awards are funded at the full dollar amount. Partial awards will not be made.
Emerging Artist Fellows – $5,000
Artists in the Emerging tier are those in the beginning stages of making their work public and engaging the larger community in their practice. Individuals at this career stage may have had a few public showings of their work, but do not yet have ongoing resources or support.
Established Artist Fellows – $10,000
Artists in the Established tier regularly make their work public and engage the larger community in their practice. Individuals at this career stage can give multiple examples of artistic and/or cultural works that have made significant community impact.
Legacy Artist Fellows – $50,000
Artists in the Legacy tier can point to a significant body of work, produced over a substantial period of time, that has engaged their communities and made significant community impact. Artists in this tier may be able to point to emerging and established artists that they have mentored or otherwise positively influenced.
ELIGIBILITY
To be considered for an Individual Artist Fellowship, applicants must:
- Be 18 years of age or older at the time of application
- Have been a California resident for a minimum of two years
- Primarily reside and work in Los Angeles County
- Not have previously received a Legacy Artist Fellowship (statewide)
- Previous Emerging or Established fellows may apply for the next tier up (Emerging → Established, Established → Legacy)
- Apply directly — fiscal sponsors are not permitted
- Use a personal tax identification number (SSN or ITIN) to receive funding
Proof of current Los Angeles County residence will be required prior to payment. We recognize that artists’ residence may shift over time and that some artists may be affected by forced migration, especially in the wake of the 2025 Los Angeles fires. Engagement with and impact on the cultural ecosystem will be evaluated holistically.
GUIDELINES
Review the complete 2026 Fellowship Guidelines Here:
Directrices en español
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APPLICATION + REVIEW CRITERIA
Applications are now available, and due by Saturday, June 6, 2026 at 11:59pm pacific time.
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Applications will be reviewed by a panel of artists, arts leaders, culture bearers, and community members with arts and culture knowledge — a combination of local Los Angeles County residents and cultural workers from across the country.
Review Panel Criteria:
- Creative Vision – Artist effectively communicates their personal story, artistic medium or practice, and long-term aspirations for their work.
- Aesthetic Excellence – Artistic work and/or examples of cultural practice demonstrate strong alignment with the Attributes of Excellence in Arts for Change, including commitment, communal meaning, disruption, cultural integrity, risk taking, sensory experience, emotional experience, openness, coherence, resourcefulness, and stickiness.
- Community Engagement and Social Impact – Artist effectively communicates their engagement with their community(ies) and the positive social impact their work has had locally, regionally, and/or statewide, addressing themes including but not limited to race, diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility.
If you are interested in serving as a panelist for the 2026 review, please complete the Panelist Interest Form.
PROGRAM TIMELINE + INFORMATION SESSIONS
We are excited to offer both in-person and online information sessions to assist applicants across all five L.A. County Supervisorial Districts. All times Pacific.
- Application Opens: April 20, 2026
- Application Deadline: June 6, 2026 at 11:59 PM PT
- Panel Review: June – July 2026
- Applicant Notifications: August 2026
- Fellowship Period: September 1, 2026 – August 31, 2027
Online Information Sessions (Zoom — registration required)
- Tuesday, April 28, 2026 | 4:00–5:30 PM — English, ASL Interpretation & Live Captioning Register Here
- Tuesday, May 12, 2026 | 4:00–5:30 PM — En Español / In Spanish Register Here
Virtual Office Hours (Zoom — technical assistance)
- Wednesday, April 29, 2026 | 4:00–5:30 PM — Artist Statements Register Here
- Wednesday, May 6, 2026 | 4:00–5:30 PM — Work Samples Register Here
- Wednesday, May 13, 2026 | 4:00–5:30 PM — Learning from a CAC IAF Awardee: Process, Practice, and Impact Register Here
In-Person Information Sessions (Free, open to the public)
- Tuesday, April 21, 2026 | 3:30–5:00 PM (In-Person) District 5 — Antaeus Theatre, Glendale
- Friday, April 24, 2026 | 1:00–2:30 PM (In-Person) District 4 — Compton Library, Compton
- Friday, May 1, 2026 | 3:30–5:00 PM (In-Person) District 3 — Pacoima Library, Pacoima
- Tuesday, May 12, 2026 | 3:30–5:00 PM (In-Person) District 1 — Malabar Branch Library, Los Angeles
- Thursday, May 14, 2026 | 3:30–5:00 PM (In-Person) District 2 — Hyde Park Library, Los Angeles
In-person information sessions are free and open to the public. RSVPs are required. RSVP Here.
Please note that dates and locations are subject to change. For the most up-to-date information and to review frequently asked questions, please visit performancepractice.la/cac-iaf. If you have any questions, reach out to us at [email protected].
FAQs (FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS)
Review the 2026 Fellowship FAQs
CONTACT
If you have any questions, please reach out to us at [email protected] or visit performancepractice.la/cac-iaf.
The Individual Artist Fellowship for Region 6 (Los Angeles County) is a program of the California Arts Council administered by Los Angeles Performance Practice.
This activity is funded by the California Arts Council, a state agency.
