Arts and Culture Department
Contact Info
201 W. Marcy St.
PO Box 909
Santa Fe, NM 87501
artsandculture@santafenm.gov
505-955-6707
Hours
Monday - Friday
8:30 am - 5:30 pm
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Arts & Culture Funding
The Arts & Culture Department supports and sustains arts and culture in Santa Fe through our funding programs. We support nonprofits arts organizations, creative placemaking initiatives in each city district, sponsor public events, and public arts projects through selective funding processes. The Department and these initiatives are funded entirely by Lodgers’ Tax revenues.
Arts & Culture funding must primarily support advertising and publicity for arts attractions and events.
Section 3-38-21 of the Lodger’s Tax ordinance states:
"Eligible uses of tax proceeds: (A)(4) advertising, publicizing and promoting tourist-related attractions, facilities and events of the municipality or county and tourist-related facilities, attractions and events within the area."
Funding Programs
We have four primary funding programs, which you can access in greater detail below.
1. Cultural Investment Funding Program (CIFP)
The Cultural Investment Funding Program (CIFP) is for Santa Fe-based nonprofit arts organizations. This is our largest initiative and awards annual, fixed-amount advertising grants. Applicants go through an annual application process that opens in November and closes in March, with awards announced by May. These applications are juried by panelists from the Arts Commission, other city agencies, and community stakeholders.
Traditional Marketing Impact grants are awarded to 501(c)3 arts organizations. These are fifteen thousand dollars ($16,000) each and are typically awarded to 40–45 organizations annually.
2. One-Time Event Funding
One-Time Event Funding (formerly known as Sponsorship) is also for Santa Fe-based nonprofit arts organizations. This supports promotion and entertainment for one-time or limited-run public events. Funding is awarded throughout the year; the amount varies by request and budget availability.
The application requires a budget, scope of work, demonstrable public benefit, and deliverable outcome. Recipients must acknowledge the Arts & Culture Department and City of Santa Fe as a primary sponsor in all materials.
3. City Council District Funding
City Council District Funding provides City Council members $10,000 per council district in discretionary Arts & Culture funding. Separately or as a district pair, City Councilors can select an artist, arts program, event, or arts organization to sponsor within their respective districts for community connection, neighborhood beautification, creative placemaking, and other public enrichment.
If you have a neighborhood-based arts project in mind, reach out to your city councilor to propose it.
4. “Art is the Solution” Funding Program
The “Art is the Solution” funding program is for individual artists or small teams of artists. (Businesses and arts organizations are not eligible.) Established in 2022, Art is the Solution is a project of the Arts Commission, who craft and promote the call, review and score submissions, and select finalists.
Five grants are awarded annually for $10,000 each to support artists’ projects that present creative solutions and responses to personal, societal, and/or environmental concerns in Santa Fe, in order to enrich the experience and understanding of our city for residents and visitors.
The selected projects result in public exhibits and performances, and serve substantial educational and entertainment purposes with clear deliverable public outcomes.