The goal is to drive community activation and economic recovery around SF.
San Francisco is working hard to stimulate its economic recovery while continuing to administer vaccine doses. Mayor London Breed and City Administrator Carmon Chu announced Monday that this year’s Grants for the Arts (GFTA) funding, amounting to over $12 million, will go towards local arts and culture organizations. The idea is to support parades and festivals around the city, which in turn will stimulate economic recovery.
GFTA is a city-led program that has funded operating costs for arts organizations in San Francisco since 1961. Since then, SF organizations have received over $400 million from the fund, helping over 250 groups per year. The $12M going out during the Fiscal Year 2021-2022 is meant to backfill many organizations’ loss of hotel tax revenue.
In 2018 I spearheaded Prop E, which distributed hotel tax revenue to the arts. When COVID threatened funding, we found a way in this budget to fund over $12 million for our arts and cultural programs.
The arts are essential to keeping San Francisco’s vibrant culture alive. https://t.co/YNpm1752ZI
— London Breed (@LondonBreed) September 27, 2021
This year, GFTA is putting extra emphasis on equity, so as to lift up organizations serving diverse populations such as BIPOC and LGBTQ+ communities. You can see a complete list of grants for 2022 here.
“We know that the pandemic has been hard on all of us, but it has been especially difficult for our city’s artists and cultural organizations,” said Mayor Breed. “The arts are part of what makes San Francisco so special and create an inclusive atmosphere for all who live in and visit our city. During this critical time in our economic recovery, we need to do everything we can to bring back our community festivals that are loved by so many, and support those who contribute to our city’s vibrant culture.”
“Cultural festivals and arts have always been an essential part of San Francisco’s vibrant community. They draw people to San Francisco, bring communities together, and in many ways, define our experiences here,” said City Administrator Carmen Chu, who manages the GFTA fund. “Supporting our arts organizations during these challenging times is key to our City’s recovery.”
Featured image: Mariusz S. Jurgielewicz via Shutterstock