Professional Artist Fellowship

The Professional Artist Fellowship offered by the Arts Council for Long Beach is a distinguished grant program designed to recognize and honor the work of living artists who have made a significant impact on the Long Beach community. Established in 1976 and operating as a 501(c)(3) since 1982, the Arts Council receives and distributes both public and private funds in support of the arts. The Council's mission is to cultivate the artistic, social, and economic fabric of Long Beach through education, advocacy, grant-making, and public art. The Fellowship is part of this mission, promoting a vision of equitable access to the arts and cultural inclusion across communities. The purpose of the Fellowship is to award artists who demonstrate exceptional artistic merit and professional achievement. Eligible applicants must be active artists who live, work, or create in Long Beach and can prove a consistent history of artistic production and community engagement over a minimum of three years. The program is open to various artistic disciplines including visual arts, performing arts, audio arts, literary arts, media arts, culinary arts, interdisciplinary arts, and folk and traditional arts. Applicants must submit their applications online by June 13, 2025, at 5 PM. Submissions must include artistic documentation consolidated into one PDF file with embedded media links. Required documents must be named following a specific format (e.g., ArtsLB_Artistic-Documentation). Missing components or late submissions will lead to disqualification. Applicants must also ensure they have a physical presence in Long Beach, such as a residence or business license, and must have received payment or critical recognition for their artistic work. The evaluation process involves an initial eligibility check by Arts Council staff, followed by merit-based scoring conducted by a panel of regional arts professionals and community members. Applications are reviewed based on artistic achievement, artist background, and contributions to the Long Beach community. Each of these criteria carries a specific weight totaling 100 points. Final funding recommendations are approved by the Arts Council's Board of Directors after consideration of panel rankings, available funds, and applicant eligibility. Selected fellows are required to acknowledge the Arts Council and participate in an exhibition. Grants are distributed in two installments beginning in early 2026, following the adoption of the city’s budget and finalization of contracts. Additional support includes a technical assistance workshop held on May 13, 2025, and applicants can also request panel comments post-award announcement. For further assistance, applicants can contact the Council via email at grants@artslb.org or call (562) 204-6104.