The Santa Barbara County Office of Arts & Culture is taking applications for the 2026 County Arts Making Impact (AMI) grant, a program that aims to expand arts access and eliminate barriers to participation. Nonprofit organizations and artists with fiscal sponsors can apply for up to $5,000 grants, with a total of $50,000 available, by March 20.
AMI projects can be used to increase community engagement and provide greater and more diverse participation in the arts and integrate arts into learning environments for youth, according to the Office of Arts & Culture’s website. The office encourages grant proposals that build partnerships or collaborations to help eliminate barriers to cultural activities. Those can include access to transportation, materials, artists, music, and art instruction for rural youth and underserved communities.
Organizations applying for the grant must have nonprofit status with an operating budget under $500,000 and attend a free online grant workshop on Feb. 11 or March 10. Individual and grassroots community groups can also apply under the auspices of a nonprofit fiscal sponsor, according to the county. Projects must take place between July 1, 2026, and June 30, 2027.
The grant is possible through a partnership between the Santa Barbara County Arts Commission and the Santa Barbara Bowl Foundation. Arts Commission Chair Robert Dickerson said that the board is proud of the grant program.
“For over a decade, it has helped to increase arts and culture access across Santa Barbara County. Our goal is that residents, regardless of income, geography, or background, can experience theater, music, writing, storytelling, and beyond. We’ve seen AMI catalyze change in our communities and look forward to building on this momentum,” he said in a press release.
This article appears in January 29 – February 5, 2026.