Arts

$5 Million in ARPA State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF)

Mural of a man wearing a mask encouraging residents to Stay Safe

NOTE: This program is in Phase II of the City's two-phased strategy.

On February 3, 2022, City Council allocated $5 million for Arts. This was to provide economic relief to the arts community. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the arts community experienced revenue losses. These losses resulted in financial hardships.

The City Council designated the Community Health, Environment & Culture Committee (CHECC) to oversee the implementation planning for this category.

The Department of Arts & Culture developed an implementation plan known as ARPA 4 Arts. This plan deployed grants to the non-profit arts organizations and individual artists affected. The implementation plan was approved by CHECC on May 10, 2022, and the City Council on June 2, 2022.

Spending Framework

To help the San Antonio arts community thrive beyond the pandemic, the spending plan provided a grant program to provide relief to:

  • Individual artists
  • Nonprofit arts organizations

Implementation Plan(PDF, 202KB)

Implementation Plan

COVID-19 Impact

  • Arts nonprofits & artists were disproportionately impacted by COVID-19
  • The Arts experienced financial hardships from revenue losses
  • 18% decrease in employment
  • 16% decrease in creative economy

Programs/Strategies

  • Develop grant program for arts nonprofits & artists
  • Support nonprofits' operational costs, strategic planning and COVID-19 mitigation
  • Support artists' housing/living expenses, professional development, & artistic career

Equitable Outcomes

  • Disproportionally impacted communities were prioritized in the funding policy
  • Arts agencies and artists thrive beyond the pandemic
  • Residents and visitors connected and engaged with local artists and arts programming
  • San Antonio's reputation as a top arts and tourist destination were reinforced

Amount

  • $5 Million

Request for Applications

The City released a Request for Applications to identify individual artists and nonprofits arts organizations eligible for grant awards.

Request for Applications Timeline

  • June 29, 2022: Request for Applications opened.
  • July 29, 2022: Request for Applications closed.
  • Aug. 2022: Evaluation and scoring of applications and applications proposed for grant and contract awards.
  • Sept. 29, 2022: City Council approval of recommended awards.
  • Oct. 1, 2022: Contracts began.
  • Dec. 2026: All contracts will be complete by this date.

Community Health, Environment & Culture Committee

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