Costa Mesa Arts Commission raises maximum grants to $5,000, approves FY24–25 awards amid budget shortfall discussion

Costa Mesa Arts Commission members voted unanimously April 3 to raise the maximum individual arts grant from $2,500 to $5,000 and approved the commission's recommended fiscal-year 2024–25 grant awards.

Commissioners voted 7'0'to''00 on the motion to increase the maximum award and later voted 7''to'''approve the grant awards as recommended by the review panel. The panel considered 13 applications; nine met the program's eligibility criteria and, with council support for additional funds this year, all qualifying applicants will receive awards.

Why it matters: The change increases the maximum grant available to local arts organizations and individual projects but comes as staff and the public flagged a structural funding gap. The commission and speakers urged the city to seek larger, sustained revenues and to consider public-arts investments and fee waivers that would stretch limited grant dollars.

The action Loretta Garner, the city's art specialist in Parks & Community Services, presented the staff report and reminded commissioners that registration and outreach for upcoming exhibitions and programs are underway and that the arts grant program guidance had been circulated for review. Garner said the city received 13 applications this cycle and that nine met eligibility rules; she explained the review panel's scoring and said funds were assigned based on score and available monies.