What this list is…
This is a list of websites that provide artist resources such as funding, training, information, and calls for art or performances. It is provided as information-only and will be updated as I discover more resources.
Please note that the pandemic has been declared as over so some of these resources may no longer be available.
Only agencies that offer at least a good portion of resources for free are included here. There will be some duplication in the information found in these websites, as these agencies are trying to provide comprehensive information to artists of all genres.
This paragraph is intended for companies who are asking to be included in this list: This list is not meant to be a comprehensive or exhaustive list of every single resource available in the country or in the world. This is a volunteer effort on my part and I do not expect to receive any benefit from providing this information.
I do not endorse any of these agencies or their resources. The links will open in other agencies’ websites, therefore I have no control over the information they provide.
By continuing to use this website you are agreeing to our Terms of Service. You can also view our Privacy Policy. These are adapted from Shopify. Their free business tools can be found here https://www.shopify.com/tools.
Who this list is for…
Visual artists, performing artists, literary artists, photographers, videographers, and documentarians. People who want to learn more about the arts in general, such as how to edit pictures or videos.
This is not a good list for people who are looking for general funding. I do not believe there are many opportunities out there. The few opportunities I’ve heard of are local, temporary, and well publicized COVID-19 relief efforts. They are too temporary for me to research effectively.
How to use this list…
You can learn about grant funders, what they fund, and what they ask for in grant proposals. If you find a potential funder, you can start creating the materials you need so you’ll be ready to go when the window opens again. It’s better to submit grants well in advance of the deadline, especially with online applications, as their websites can get jammed up close to the deadlines.It’s also a great time to create or update your website, bio, and social media accounts.
There are a lot of links in this list. This is how I’d suggest looking at it:
- Determine what you are looking for, then take it one link at a time.
- Create a bookmark folder specifically for grants, artist calls, and any other categories that are pertinent to your art, and start adding websites to them.
- Act on any immediate deadlines that are coming up. Make a list of the materials you’ll need, such as a bio, artist statement, etc.
- Create a calendar. I’d suggest putting everything in an online calendar or spreadsheet. I prefer spreadsheets because I can add followup notes and other dates such as when you’ll be notified of an award or acceptance. Design it so it’s easy for you to use.
What’s next…
I will post tutorials about how to create bios and other marketing materials, along with how to create and maintain simple and easy websites. There are free options for websites.
In the meantime you could listen to Jenna Martin’s Creative Chaos podcast for great instructions on how to build your Instagram account, what goes into a website, and more about the business of art. She’s coming from a photographer’s standpoint but her material is relevant for all visual artists.
How to Find Funders and Write Grants
How to Write Grants and Letters of Inquiry
Candid has a free webinar on grant seeking: https://learning.candid.org/training/courses/grantseeking-basics-for-individuals-in-the-arts/
Gale Courses through public libraries: Los Angeles Public Library offers classes on grant writing for free. Look at your library’s online learning section to see what they offer.
National & International Funders and Other Opportunities
Actors Fund: Fosters stability and resiliency for a broad section of people in the entertainment industry. https://actorsfund.org/
Adobe MAX: Adobe’s conference was virtual this year and they’re giving free access to the seminars, which feature Adobe software products. https://www.adobe.com/max.html
Americans for the Arts: has a great COVID-19 resource page: https://www.americansforthearts.org/by-topic/disaster-preparedness/coronavirus-covid-19-resource-and-response-center
Artist Relief: a potential resource for artists facing dire financial emergencies. https://www.artistrelief.org/
Artists at Risk: Their resource page is at https://artistsatriskconnection.org/story/covid-19-resources-for-artists
Artnet: https://news.artnet.com/ list of grant opportunities: https://news.artnet.com/art-world/artist-aid-resources-during-coronavirus-1828860
CAFE (Call For Entry: Searchable database of public art calls and festivals. https://artist.callforentry.org/festivals.php
California Lawyers for the Arts: Has virtual legal seminars for artists and performers. Has a national resource page that includes resources for visual and performing arts, and literary arts. https://www.calawyersforthearts.org/NewsResources
Candid: (GuideStar and the Foundation Center merged). A learning for writers and visual and performing artists, and some information for individuals in general. This is their main page. On this page you will find information and links to their other resources for artists. https://learning.candid.org/resources/knowledge-base/funding-for-individual-artists/
Center for Cultural Innovation: Has good workshops and information for artists, but their funding goes to Bay area artists. https://www.cciarts.org/ Also has a book and an eight-week workshop: “The Business of Art: An Artist’s Guide to Profitable Self-Employment.” https://www.cciarts.org/cgi/page.cgi/business_art.html/Books-c1/Business_of_Art_An_Artist_s_Guide_to_Profitable_Self_Employment_Second_Edition-p1
Creative Capital has a resource page: https://creative-capital.org/2020/03/13/list-of-arts-resources-during-the-covid-19-outbreak/
CreativeLive: CreativeLive is currently streamlining well-being classes for free: CLTV https://www.creativelive.com/tv. Be sure to check out their daily offerings of free classes as well: https://www.creativelive.com/onair?via=site-header_0. CreativeLive also offers special deals on their Creative Pass from time to time: https://www.creativelive.com/creator-pass?via=site-header_0.
Getting Your Sh*t Together: An artist-run company that provides technology, information, and resources for artists. Sells a book, offers workshops to help artists get the business side of their art together. https://www.gyst-ink.com/ List of artist opportunities: https://www.gyst-ink.com/opportunities
International Documentary Association (IDA): An association for videographers and cinematographers. https://www.documentary.org/Has a listing of available grants for documentaries. https://www.documentary.org/grants-directory
Intersection for the Arts: Focused on Bay Area artists but includes national resources. https://theintersection.org/get-support/resources/
Kenneth Rainin Foundation’s resource page is focused on the Bay Area but has a national reach as well. https://krfoundation.org/arts/resources/
New York Foundation for the Arts: https://www.nyfa.org/. They have a large database of opportunities for artists of all genres: http://source.nyfa.org/content/search/search.aspx?SA. There is some great information on it but it’s a bit outdated and has some expired links. Keep in mind that all grant research is cumbersome. They offer a book ($25) and an online course called “The Profitable Artist”: https://www.nyfa.org/professional-development/the-profitable-artist/.
Phlearn: Aaron Nace, Photoshop trainer, created a great resource page. https://phlearn.com/resources/
Public Art Archive: Art archive, list of resources and public artist calls. https://www.publicartarchive.org/
Sofar Sounds: Their resource page has been recently updated: https://www.sofarsounds.com/v/resourcedirectory
State of California
California Arts Council (State agency): Artist calls, information, grants, and other opportunities for artists. http://arts.ca.gov/
California County Superintentents Art Initiative: Supporting the arts and art education. Lists some funders and grant opportunities. https://ccsesaarts.org/leadership/funding/
California Humanities: An independent organization that promotes the humanities in California. https://calhum.org/
Californians for the Arts: https://www.californiansforthearts.org/ COVID resources: https://www.californiansforthearts.org/covid19-resources
Local – Los Angeles Area
Arts for L.A.: Supporting the arts in L.A. by listing jobs and other opportunities for literary, performance, and visual artists. https://www.artsforla.org/
Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA): Los Angeles. https://culturela.org/
Information for artists includes artist calls, mural ordinances, resources for COVID-19, etc.
KCET: List of resources for artists during COVID-19. https://www.kcet.org/shows/southland-sessions/where-to-find-financial-help-for-artists-during-covid-19
L.A. County Department of Arts and Culture: https://www.lacountyarts.org/.Be sure to check out their “Opportunities” page from time to time for the Musician’s Roster, civic arts opportunities, and more. https://www.lacountyarts.org/opportunities. LACN, L.A. Culture Net, is a message board, hosted on Groups.io, that is moderated by them. Jobs, visual and performing arts calls, artist resources, and learning opportunities are listed there. You can sign up at https://groups.io/g/laculturenet. They provide seminars on topics helpful to artists through their Arts Tuneups. Here is a link to their most recent one, just for information purposes: https://www.lacountyarts.org/calendar/arts-tuneup-artist-preservation-tips. If you’re local, consider signing up for their email alerts so you can catch the next one. Their COVID-19 resource page is at: https://www.lacountyarts.org/experiences/arts-and-culture-digital-resource-center/covid-19-resources-artists-and-organizations
L.A. County Library: Offers virtual learning opportunities, lists of resources, media, and sidewalk service holds pickup. https://lacountylibrary.org/#
Los Angeles Public Library: Offers an extensive variety of virtual learning opportunities, lists of resources, media, and sidewalk service holds pickup. https://lapl.org/
Santa Monica Public Library: Offers many of the same services as L.A. City and County libraries. https://smpl.org/
StayHousedLA: Resources to help tenants in Los Angeles County. https://www.stayhousedla.org/
Textile Arts L.A.: Resources and artist calls for textile artists: https://textileartsla.org/exhibition-calls
Free or Mostly Free Learning Opportunities
CreativeLive: Has “pay per class” or annual subscription options, but they offer a substantial amount of material for free. Both the classes and the annual pass go on sale frequently. https://www.creativelive.com/
DPReview: (detailed camera and lens reviews, trouble-shooting) https://www.dpreview.com/
PetaPixel: (photography) https://petapixel.com/https://petapixel.com/
Pixar in a Box (Khan Academy): https://www.khanacademy.org/computing/pixar/storytelling
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Other YouTube Channels That I Watch Most Often:
Graphic Design:
The Futur: https://www.youtube.com/user/TheSkoolRocks
Gareth David Studio: (Adobe Illustrator) https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC64eec0UYHxflyEWgyZOvLA
Terry White (Adobe programs and other tech stuff): https://www.youtube.com/user/terrywhitetechblog
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Lightroom:
Mark Galer (desktop and iPhone versions): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCd333V2AbeUItnE_fO1zRtA
Anthony Morganti: https://www.youtube.com/user/AnthonyMorganti
SLR Lounge: https://www.youtube.com/c/SlrloungeOfficial
Terry White (Adobe Evangelist): https://www.youtube.com/user/terrywhitetechblog
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Photoshop:
Mark Galer: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCd333V2AbeUItnE_fO1zRtA
Anthony Morganti: https://www.youtube.com/user/AnthonyMorganti
Phlearn: https://www.youtube.com/user/PhlearnLLC
PhotoshopCAFE: https://www.youtube.com/user/photoshopCAFE
Photoshop Training Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdQ_ZkYaMe6qPoueUyPQgpQ
PixImperfect: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMrvLMUITAImCHMOhX88PYQ
Terry White (Adobe Evangelist): https://www.youtube.com/user/terrywhitetechblog
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Photography:
Lindsay Adler: https://www.youtube.com/user/AdlerPhotoWorkshops
Adorama: https://www.youtube.com/c/Adorama
Mark Galer (Sony): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCd333V2AbeUItnE_fO1zRtA
Irene Rudnyk: https://www.youtube.com/c/IreneRudnyk
SLR Lounge: https://www.youtube.com/c/SlrloungeOfficial
Sean Tucker: https://www.youtube.com/user/seantuckermerge
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Videography:
Levi Allen: https://www.youtube.com/user/LeftCoastVisuals
Film Riot: https://www.youtube.com/user/filmriot
Brandon Li: https://www.youtube.com/c/BrandonLiUnscripted
Peter McKinnon: https://www.youtube.com/user/petermckinnon24
Who is Matt Johnson (wedding videography, editing): https://www.youtube.com/c/MattJohnsonWhoIsMatt
Wolfcrow (cinematography, editing): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7gBcKzHKc0oOR5-XiWdlFQ
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Video Editing: Premiere Pro, Audition, After Effects, Motion Graphics
Gareth David Studio: (After Effects, Illustrator) https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC64eec0UYHxflyEWgyZOvLA
Jason Levine: (Editing on Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe Audition, Photoshop) https://www.youtube.com/user/jasonlevinevideo/featured
Premiere Gal: (Premiere Pro, Photoshop) https://www.youtube.com/c/PremiereGal
Waqas Qazi (The Qazman) (DaVinci Resolve, color grading): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZ_4tLOd-iu4zBDApQ
Video Revealed: (video, audio editing) https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfzAdXeniYhIGlFndHYPiYg
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WordPress:
On this website I use the pro version of the Elementor page design plugin, but you can do a lot with the free version as well.
Elementor YouTube Tutorials: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCt9kG_EDX8zwGSC1-ycJJVA
Ferdy Korpershoek: https://www.youtube.com/c/ferdykorpershoek
WP Crafter: https://www.youtube.com/c/WPCrafter