The Far South/Border North grants will distribute $2.6 million to 60 artists in San Diego and Imperial counties to develop artistic content focused on climate, public health, and social justice. The California Creative Corps arts program, led by the city of San Diego and implemented through a bi-county regional collaborative, aims to promote healthy communities through creativity. Each grant will be used to develop artistic content that increases local awareness of public health, energy and water conservation, climate mitigation, civic engagement, and social justice within the two counties. The first round of grants will provide each recipient with $43,333.
In line with a recent announcement, a total of $2.6 million in Far South/Border North grants will be distributed among sixty artists in San Diego and Imperial counties. The grants will be used to develop artistic content focused on climate, public health, and social justice. Far South/Border North is a California Creative Corps arts program for the counties, led by the city of San Diego and implemented through a bi-county regional collaborative.
Christine E. Jones, chief of Civic Art Strategies for the city, expressed her excitement over the overwhelming response to the grant program. “With over 250 submissions in the first round from artists and cultural practitioners representing San Diego and Imperial counties, we are thrilled to see the overwhelming response,” she said. “The grants are aimed at promoting healthy communities through creativity, and we look forward to supporting the grant recipients with the development and implementation of campaigns over the next year to bring awareness to urgent issues shaping our region today.”
Each grant will be used to “develop artistic content that increases local awareness of public health, energy and water conservation, climate mitigation, civic engagement, and social justice within Imperial and San Diego counties.” The round one funds will provide each recipient with $43,333, which includes $35,000 for artist and cultural practitioner fees and $8,333 to advance their campaign.
The grantees selected represent a “broad spectrum of diverse artistic practices,” with 77% working or residing in an area designated as being in the lowest quartile of the California Healthy Places Index. Felicia Shaw, San Diego Regional Arts and Culture Coalition executive director, praised the Far South/Border North round one cohort for its unique artistic and cultural perspectives and practices thriving in the region. “As an implementation partner, we collectively see this regional, open-call grant process as an opportunity to catalyze visionary artists and cultural practitioners in intersectional work that fuels positivity and contributes to health equity within our most disproportionately impacted communities,” she said.
The round one grants were administered through a regional review process that involved an evaluation of eligible applications by a panel of San Diego and Imperial County-based arts, cultural, and social field volunteers. Round two of the Far South/Border North grants is expected to open in the fall of 2021.
The Far South/Border North grant program is an excellent opportunity for artists and cultural practitioners to use their talents to promote public health, energy and water conservation, climate mitigation, civic engagement, and social justice. The program is an excellent example of how creativity can be used to address urgent issues in our communities and promote positive change. With the support of the Far South/Border North grants, these artists and cultural practitioners can make a significant impact in their communities and contribute to a healthier and more just society.
