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San Francisco's Culture Forward program to provide $5 million in art grants

San Francisco art enthusiasts help guide distribution of $5 million in grants
San Francisco art enthusiasts help guide distribution of $5 million in grants 02:20

Culture Forward, a new initiative aimed at invigorating the San Francisco's arts scene, recently began accepting applications for the $5 million in available grant funds.  

In the heart of the Tenderloin, art gallery owner Jonathan Carver Moore welcomed creative consultant Kelsey Issel to his studio this week as they joined forces to evaluate applications.

"This opportunity to give money to individuals to create something that is quite innovative, and spaces to hopefully get young professionals there, families, back in downtown spaces, is something that is absolutely necessary, to bring back San Francisco," Moore said.

Culture Forward is spearheaded by Issel, with support from the Svane Family Foundation, which was founded by Zendesk's Mikkel Svane in 2019. The foundation has consistently invested in the Bay Area's cultural fabric, previously commissioning works from 100 local artists in 2020 as part of the Ark program. 

The proceeds from those pieces supported ArtSpan, a nonprofit advocating for the arts. In 2022, the foundation also contributed $1 million to the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, enabling the acquisition of 42 works by 30 Bay Area artists from underrepresented communities.

Now, with $5 million allocated for Culture Forward grants, the foundation continues its mission of amplifying creative voices in the region. Issel highlighted the initiative's goal to sustain and grow the arts in the city.

"Mikkel Svane, from the Svane Family Foundation, and I saw the amazing amount of energy being put into revitalizing downtown," Issel said. "We are very grateful to be able to do our part in supporting creatives to bring new audiences and sustained and creative life into these neighborhoods."

Issel's visit included a tour of Moore's adjacent artist-in-residence studio, a space designed to foster artistic exploration. Moore, who is on Culture Forward's selection committee, emphasized the importance of providing opportunities for creative expression.

"We all have something to give. And it's been really great because it's almost 3,000 square feet of raw space, so it gives an artist an opportunity to just let their mind wander and create," Moore said.

The program is currently accepting proposals, with the requirement that all awarded projects be based in San Francisco. Anoushka Mirchandani, Moore's current artist in residence, said she was enthusiastic about the initiative. 

Such prospects inspire Moore.

"I'm just thinking, if what I've done with two artists in residence in that space, what can we do with $5 million that's going to be divvied out over the next 3 years, and the opportunities that we can give artists and creatives in San Francisco," Moore said.

For many, Culture Forward represents more than just funding. It's a chance to bring bold, creative visions to life while reimagining the city's artistic and economic future.

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