Pasadena Arts Commission Plans to Award $188,455 in Cultural Grants – Pasadena Now

The Pasadena Arts and Culture Commission is set to approve $188,455 in grants to local arts organizations and artists for the 2024-25 fiscal year. The proposed funding structure aims to reward excellence while supporting a diverse range of cultural programs and projects.

Jennifer Paige, director of planning and community development, recommended $134,000 from the cultural trust fund and $54,000 from the general fund, with an additional request for $455 to supplement the grant amounts. A memorandum prepared by Paige for the Arts and Culture Commission shows the proposal would fund 29 of the 30 proposals that scored 70 or higher in a variety of categories, including arts education, festivals and individual artists.

The Commission will consider these recommendations at a meeting scheduled for Wednesday, July 10.

“The overall funding structure recognizes differences in scores – rewarding the highest-scoring proposals for excellence,” Paige said in his recommendation to the committee.

Proposals scoring between 90 and 100 percent will receive 84 percent of the requested amounts, those scoring between 80 and 89 percent will receive 73 percent, and those scoring between 70 and 79 percent will receive 50 percent.

Paige’s memo says the grant program has undergone several changes since it was restructured in 2008. Recent changes have focused on cultural equity and inclusion (CEI), with policies developed over several years. Applicants are now required to adopt CEI policies to be eligible for funding.

This year, the application process included virtual grant writing workshops and technical assistance sessions. A dedicated CEI workshop was held last April for all Pasadena-based arts and culture organizations. A panel of local arts professionals reviewed 34 applications, all of which were deemed eligible.

If approved, the funding would support a range of cultural initiatives in Pasadena, from school programs to major institutional projects. The Arts Commission’s grants subcommittee has already approved the staff’s recommendations.

The upcoming vote by the Arts and Culture Commission will determine the final allocation of funds, which could impact dozens of arts organizations and individual artists in the coming year. The outcome could significantly influence Pasadena’s cultural landscape for the 2024-25 fiscal year.

The financial impact includes the distribution of $188,455 in Annual Grants Program funds, allocated to the Cultural Affairs Division’s grants budget and general funds for the 2024-25 fiscal year.

Wednesday’s meeting of the Arts and Culture Commission begins at 5:30 p.m. in the hearing room at 175 N. Garfield Avenue.