PRAC delays Measure P arts grants after community raises transparency and bias concerns

The Parks, Recreation and Arts Commission on Sept. 15 postponed action on the 2025–26 Expanded Access to Arts and Culture (EAAC) grant recommendations after a night of intense public comment in which artists, nonprofit leaders and panelists urged the commission either to release awarded funds immediately or to investigate alleged bias and process problems in the grant review.

The decision came after more than 50 members of Fresno’s arts community spoke during a public hearing, including leaders from the Fresno Philharmonic, Fresno Arts Council and several emerging arts groups. Vice Chair Ward and the PRAC cultural arts subcommittee outlined steps to increase transparency, and City Attorney Andrew Jans said his office was monitoring the process and would help move it forward while preserving openness.

Why it matters: Measure P is a voter-approved funding stream intended to support parks and cultural programs across Fresno. The EAAC grant round is in its second year; applicants and panelists say delays or reversal of funding would cause immediate harm to organizations that have already planned seasons and contracted artists.

The PRAC did not vote to release the recommended awards at the meeting. Instead commissioners and staff agreed to bring the subcommittee’s recommendations back to the full commission at a future meeting after additional public review. Vice Chair Ward said the subcommittee will hold publicly noticed, open meetings so the public can view and comment on the materials the subcommittee considered.

"Sunshine drives out the darkness," Vice Chair Ward said in the subcommittee report, describing plans to open the panel-review process and to involve the public in upcoming subcommittee meetings.

Fresno Art…