Content Emerging Artist Award

SVCREATES offers the Content Emerging Artist Award to recognize early-career artists in Santa Clara County and neighboring regions who have demonstrated artistic achievement and commitment to professional development. The award is designed to provide monetary support to artists as they continue their creative work, reinforcing the impact individual artists have in fostering a vibrant cultural community. Up to three unrestricted cash awards of $5,000 each will be granted in 2025. A new award category, the South County Emerging Artist Award, will specifically recognize an artist whose work is significantly presented in Gilroy, Morgan Hill, or San Martin. The award is open to artists across multiple genres, including visual arts, performing arts, and literary arts. Eligible visual artists work in media such as painting, sculpture, photography, video, and new or alternative media. Performing artists include choreographers, musicians, dancers, actors, and designers involved in stage production. Literary artists may submit work in poetry, prose, and playwriting. However, fields such as architecture, graphic design, journalism, and other commercial activities are not eligible. Artists must be in the early stages of their careers, with a track record of creative practice and public presentation over at least the past 3-5 years. To be eligible, applicants must be at least 18 years old, dedicate a minimum of five to ten hours per week to their art, and demonstrate a history of work being exhibited, performed, or published publicly within the last three years. They must also be residents of Santa Clara County or an adjacent county (Alameda, San Mateo, San Benito, or Santa Cruz) for at least one year prior to applying. South County award applicants must actively present work in Gilroy, Morgan Hill, or San Martin. Ineligibility applies to undergraduate students, previous recipients of this award or the Artist Laureate Award, and individuals currently or recently affiliated with SVCREATES as employees or board members. Applications will be reviewed by independent panels consisting of professional artists and arts leaders. Selection criteria include artistic merit (30 points), artistic development (15 points), and audience/community engagement (10 points). Judges will assess originality, professional commitment, and the applicant's role in contributing to the arts community of Santa Clara County. Successful applicants will receive their awards in August 2025 at a public celebration and will be featured in Content Magazine’s August issue. The application process opens on February 7, 2025, and the deadline for submissions is March 21, 2025, at 5 PM. Applications must be submitted online via SVCREATES’ portal. Required materials include narrative responses, work samples, a resume, and one letter of recommendation from an arts professional familiar with the applicant’s work. An informational session will be held online on February 20, 2025, and an in-person workshop on grant writing is scheduled for March 6, 2025. For further inquiries, applicants can contact Alyssa Erickson, Program Director, via email at alyssae@svcreates.org or by phone at 408-998-2787 ext. 204. The main office of SVCREATES is located at 255 N. Market Street, #210, San José, CA 95110.