The Office of Arts and Culture launched their Arts & Culture Grants Program in October 2025, receiving 45 grant applications from small arts and culture nonprofits and organizations, under $1M in revenue, that provide arts programming in San Mateo County. We are greatly inspired by the incredible work these organizations provide to uplift our communities. We look forward to working closely with these 2026 grantees!
Art Bias
Mission: To provide an inclusive community where diverse artists are offered access to the resources and opportunities they need to thrive, in turn making our communities more creative, healthier, and resilient.
San Carlos, District 3
Beach Break Entertainment
Mission: Through storytelling and post-film discussions with filmmakers and community experts, we aim to empower audiences to take meaningful action in their communities.
Montara, District 3
BraveMaker
Mission: To educate, entertain and create community for justice, diversity and inclusion with film. We create and curate original film.
Redwood City, District 4
Casa Circulo Cultural
Mission: To foster creativity, cultural identity and lifelong learning by delivering accessible, inclusive arts and educational programs that uplift historically underserved Latinx families. Our work strengthens community bonds, bridges generational divides and ensures culturally relevant expression becomes a vehicle for empowerment.
Redwood City, District 4
Center for Creativity
Mission: To foster creativity, connection, and cultural participation through inclusive classes, workshops, exhibitions, and events for people of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds.
Redwood City, District 4
De Colores Arts
Mission: To create inclusive space for connection and self-expression through the arts, and to celebrate the unique abilities of all individuals.
San Mateo, District 2
Harmony Project Bay Area
Mission: To reduce economic, social, and cultural barriers by providing rigorous, sequential music education that nurtures cognitive, social-emotional, and creative growth.
San Francisco, works throughout San Mateo County of San Mateo
Helpers Community Inc
Mission: To support individuals with developmental disabilities and organizations that serve them.
San Francisco, works throughout San Mateo County of San Mateo
Kapwa Kultural Center, Inc
Mission: To create a welcoming space that supports cultural identity and strengthens community connections.
Daly City, District 5
Kids & Art Foundation
Mission: To use the power of the arts and creativity to mitigate stress, anxiety, and trauma induced from the diagnosis and treatment of pediatric cancer and other critical medical conditions.
Burlingame, District 1
Leap Arts in Education
Mission: To bridge the gap in arts access, focusing on historically underserved and marginalized communities.
San Francisco, works throughout San Mateo County of San Mateo
Lyrical Opposition
Mission: To cultivate lyrical artists and activists to oppose systemic oppression through creative expression, education, and communal joy.
Brisbane, District 5
Mission Fusion
Mission: To use powerful dance performances, elaborate costumes, and emotional dialogues and imagery, to encourage high school performers and writers to build a personal connection with the audience and provide them with a unique experience.
Daly City, District 5
Music at Kohl Mansion
Mission: To present world-class chamber concerts at the historic Kohl Mansion and music education in public schools on the San Francisco Peninsula.
Burlingame, District 1
Music Is First!
Mission: To create equity and access to music education for all young children in the Bay Area by integrating standards aligned music programs with a focus on culturally diverse and special education (SPED) classrooms.
San Francisco, works throughout San Mateo County of San Mateo
OCA San Mateo
Mission: To advance the social, political, economic, cultural, health, and well-being of AANHPIs in San Mateo County.
San Mateo, District 2
OYE Latinx Youth Conference
Mission: To address Latinx youth concerns regarding education, health, safety, and immigration.
Redwood City, District 4
Peninsula Book Collaborative
Mission: To build the next generation of readers.
Daly City, District 5
Quinteto Latino
Mission: To disrupt the exclusionary space of classical music through three core pillars: Activism, Performance, and Education.
Menlo Park, District 4
San Mateo Police Activities League
Mission: To "Build the Bond Between Cops and Kids," helping kids stay safe, engaged in school, and free from risky behaviors by offering accessible, low-cost or free activities, experiences, and resources that nurture, challenge, and inspire young people to grow into their best selves.
San Mateo, District 2
Sanchez Art Center
Mission: To Create Community through Art. SAC views the arts as an avenue to connect and develop understanding, and to act as a catalyst to social change.
Pacifica, District 3
South Coast Artists Alliance
Mission: To be an inclusive and welcoming non-profit dedicated to promoting art and artists in the San Mateo coastal region.
Pescadero, District 3
Stir Fry Stories
Mission: To weave in Asian American stories and artworks to enrich the tapestry of San Mateo County and forges bonds between Asian and non-Asian arts enthusiasts at-large while also offering refuge to Bay Area API artists, drawing them to resources and venues on the Peninsula.
South San Francisco, District 5
The Art of Yoga Project
Mission: To bring mindfulness-based practices to system-involved and marginalized youth for their healing and empowerment using the Yoga and Creative Arts Curricula designed to meet the needs of system-involved, trauma-impacted youth.
Redwood Shores, D4
The Beat Within
Mission: To amplify voices and foster the positive development of young people impacted by the justice system.
San Francisco, works throughout San Mateo County of San Mateo
San Mateo County's Arts and Culture Grants are supported in part by the California Arts Council.