Mayor Lurie, San Francisco Arts Commission Award More Than $10 Million To Support 151 Local Artists, Nonprofits, Cultural Organizations

SAN FRANCISCO, July 1, 2025 – Mayor Daniel Lurie and the San Francisco Arts Commission (SFAC) today awarded $10.4 million in grant funding to support 145 local individual artists and arts nonprofits as well as six cultural centers to support the city's arts and culture and drive economic recovery.

As part of SFAC’s 2025-2026 grant cycle, more than $7.5 million in grant funding has been awarded to 98 individual artists and 47 arts nonprofit organizations, and nearly $3 million in funding support has been awarded to support the cultural centers, with nearly half of San Francisco Artist (SFA) grant awardees being first-time grant recipients.  

The support for San Francisco’s artists, arts organizations, and cultural centers builds on Mayor Lurie’s work to drive the city’s economic recovery, as a vibrant arts community will play a critical role in the city’s comeback. As part of Mayor Lurie’s recent budget proposal, the three city teams that serve arts and cultural institutions, SFAC, Grants for the Arts (GFTA), and the Film Commission will unite under one umbrella to improve coordination and effectiveness in that work. In addition to his work to support the arts community, the mayor is driving San Francisco’s economic recovery by drawing people out in the neighborhoods, activating public spaces and introducing new entertainment options for residents and visitors. Mayor Lurie has added new entertainment zones across the city to support small businesses and revitalize neighborhoods and signed legislation just last week to bring professional soccer to San Francisco. 

“Our arts community brings people from across the world to San Francisco—keeping our arts and cultural institutions strong and vibrant is critical to our economic recovery,” said Mayor Lurie. “Today’s announcement reaffirms our commitment to the organizations that help San Francisco thrive and represent the soul of our city. Congratulations to all the grantees awarded funding.”  

Grant categories in the 2025-2026 cycle include SFA grants, Artistic Legacy Grant (ALG), Arts Impact Endowment (AIE), Cultural Center Grants (CCG), and Cultural Equity Initiatives (CEI). Grant awards span approximately 12 to 24 months, depending on the funding category.  

A record number of 533 applications were received for this funding cycle. This number includes 236 applications submitted to AIE, representing an increase of 144% from 2024.  

Grantees were recommended for funding through a competitive and transparent application review process. Grant categories were evaluated during virtual public review panels held between January and April 2025, with 73 peer panelists reviewing a total of 483 eligible applications. 

“One of the cornerstones of our mission is to invest in the arts. With the award of these critical grant funds, the Arts Commission reaffirms our commitment to investing in and supporting our local artists and cultural institutions, which is more important now than ever,” said Ralph Remington, SFAC Director of Cultural Affairs. “This year, we received a record number of applications and are thrilled we have been able to support over 150 local artists and arts organizations with funding made possible by Proposition E Hotel Tax revenue.”  

SFAC grants are funded by Proposition E Hotel Tax funds. In November 2018, 75% of San Francisco voters passed Proposition E, restoring dedicated hotel tax revenue for arts and culture purposes. Proposition E ensured that 1.5% of San Francisco’s 14% hotel tax be directed to arts and culture initiatives that include allocations for Grants for the Arts, Cultural Equity Endowment, Cultural Centers, Cultural Districts, and AIE. 

All SFAC grants support San Francisco-based artists and arts organizations and prioritize funding to artists and arts organizations that engage communities. Approximately 48% of this grant cycle’s SFA recipients are first-time grantees. 

The Arts Commission continues to maintain investment in four physical neighborhood cultural centers: African American Art and Culture Complex, Ruth Williams Bayview Opera House, Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts, SOMArts—and three virtual cultural centers: Asian Pacific Islander Cultural Center, American Indian Cultural Center, and Queer Cultural Center. 

“Each grant awarded this cycle represents an investment in San Francisco’s vibrant cultural future. We are proud to support so many talented artists and organizations, especially for San Francisco Artists whom nearly half are first-time grantees, through a rigorous and equitable review process,” said Denise Pate, SFAC Director of Community Investments. “The record-breaking number of applications we received this year reflects both the growing need and the extraordinary creative energy across our communities. These funds help ensure that artists not only survive but thrive in San Francisco.”  
 
“I am deeply grateful to accept the San Francisco Arts Commission Artistic Legacy Grant award in recognition of my 40+ year legacy as an artist, activist, and pioneer in capoeira arts,” said Mestra Cigarra, 2025 ALG recipient. “Thank you for supporting my archival project, which aims to preserve and share my extensive legacy. My goal is to inspire cultural knowledge and encourage greater participation in Afro-Brazilian cultural arts.” 

“To receive the Arts Impact Endowment a second time is both a gift and a responsibility. This support from the San Francisco Arts Commission makes it possible for me to keep building something that belongs to this city,” said Emmanuel David Blackwell III, 2025 AIE recipient. “As a native San Franciscan and analog photographer, I've made it my mission to create access, preserve practice and hold space for stories often overlooked. I carry this work with gratitude, knowing what a privilege it is to serve this community and help shape what endures.” 

“In 2016, my wife Joyce, along with Lorna Velasco, launched the ‘TAGALOG Festival of Plays,’ a powerful celebration of our mother tongue at Bindlestiff Studio,” said Allan Samson Manalo, 2025 San Francisco Artist SFA recipient. “Funded by the San Francisco Arts Commission, it rekindled pride and connection across the Filipino diaspora. Its impact carried us through three more years, produced on our own. Joyce was excited about planning a fifth year, but in July 2023, cancer took her life. I’m deeply grateful that the SFAC is now helping us carry forward her vision and honoring her memory by giving us this opportunity to continue celebrating the lyrical beauty of our language. Maraming salamat.” 
 
 “The Cultural Equity Initiatives grant will sustain Acción Latina's Cultural Arts Manager position, which powers our Juan R. Fuentes Gallery and cultural programming that anchors Latino artistic expression in the Calle 24 Cultural Heritage District,” said Imelda Carrasco, Executive Director of Acción Latina, 2025 CEI recipient. “This funding enables us to produce community-engaged arts initiatives that preserve cultural traditions while stimulating our local creative economy through exhibitions, art walks, and concerts. By investing in these efforts, the grant directly advances CEI's vision of equitable access to cultural resources for San Francisco's Latino communities.” 

The next opportunity to apply for Arts Commission funding for the 2026 grant cycle will be announced and released in fall 2025. 

For a full list of grantees, award and project summaries, visit the Arts Commission grants page at sfartscommission.org/grants. 

Cultural Equity Initiatives grant recipient Acción Latina team gathered at their office in the heart of the Mission District, June 12, 2025. Photograph by Pablo Unzueta.

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