Applications Open for the Upstate Individual Artists Fellowship: Supporting Creators and Culture Bearers Across 19 Counties
NEVADA CITY, CA — April 6th, 2026 — The Individual Artists Fellowship returns this year to Upstate California to continue its mission of providing direct support to artists and culture bearers. Now officially open for applications, the program offers unrestricted grants to artists, culture bearers, and creative workers living and working across a 19-county region.
“Building upon our work for Upstate Creative Corps in 2023-2024, we are thrilled to announce a new cycle of California Arts Council’s Individual Artists Fellowship in the Upstate Region. This is an opportunity to apply for unrestricted funding designed specifically for our rural communities,” says Sofia Vivanco Airaghi, Grants Manager at Nevada County Arts & Culture. “Artists and culture bearers—please attend our Kick-Off Informational Session on Thursday April 9th at 1:30pm! This virtual gathering is designed to pull back the curtain on the application process and help you submit your strongest possible proposal.” Artists can register here and the recording will be available on the program website afterwards.
The program remains open to artists of any medium including but not limited to visual arts, performing arts, literary arts, and media, as well as Culture Bearers—those dedicated to the stewardship and intergenerational transmission of traditional rituals, ancestral knowledge, and community lifeways.
“This competitive Fellowship is more than a financial award; it is a recognition of the excellence of artists in our communities,” says Eliza Tudor, Executive Director at Nevada County Arts & Culture. “We are looking for individuals whose work creates meaningful social impact and continues to shape the cultural fabric of the Upstate region, from emerging voices to those with a lifelong legacy of practice.”
Fellowship Highlights:
Three Tiers of Support: The program offers distinct categories for Emerging, Established, and Legacy artists, ensuring equitable funding opportunities at every career stage.
Unrestricted Funding: Selected fellows will receive [Dollar Amount] to support their practice, whether for materials, studio space, living expenses, or community projects.
Professional Development & Statewide Connection: Beyond the financial award, fellows join a vibrant peer-to-peer cohort. This initiative provides unique opportunities for professional growth and fosters meaningful connections with fellow artists and culture bearers across the 19-county Upstate region and throughout the state of California.
How to Apply: Applications are now open and will be accepted until May 6th, 2026 11:59pm PST.
Interested artists are encouraged to visit upstateIAF.org to review the full guidelines, eligibility requirements, and more. To lower barriers to entry, the program provides a Google Doc template for applicants to draft their responses offline before submitting via the official portal.
The program is also seeking people to serve as review panelists who will review and score applications. Panelists will receive a $400 stipend and review 30-40 applications over a 4-6 week period. The panel experience provides great insight into the grant-making process, offering professional development for arts practitioners working across creative sectors. Individuals who are interested in serving on the grant review panel can learn more information and apply here. Please note that if you are an applicant for the 2026 Upstate Individual Artists Fellowship you are not eligible to apply to serve as a panelist.
Within the Upstate Region, as the administering organization for the Upstate Individual Artists Fellowship, Nevada County Arts & Culture is one of a network of agencies who serve as State-Local Partners with California Arts Council. While each serves distinct communities, State-Local Partner agencies are connected through a coalition who benchmark, consult, and gain from peer learning and support, with equity at their core. Agency partners are Arts Council of Mendocino County, Arts Council of Placer County, Colusa County Arts Council, Del Norte Association for Cultural Awareness, Friends of the Arts in Butte, Humboldt Arts Council, Lake County Arts Council, Lassen County Arts Council, Modoc County Arts Council, Nevada County Arts & Culture, Shasta County Arts Council, Sierra County Arts Council, Siskiyou County Arts Council, Tehama County Arts Council, Trinity County Arts Council, and Yuba Sutter Arts & Culture.
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By resolution of Nevada County Board of supervisors, Nevada County Arts & Culture is State-Local Partner with California Arts Council, and part of a coalition of County Arts Agencies serving diverse populations in every county across California. A 501c3 not-for-profit organization, Nevada County Arts & Culture facilitates collaborative efforts that promote and sustain the visual, literary and performing arts of Nevada County to advance the cultural, social and economic life of all community members. Learn more at https://www.nevadacountyarts.org.