Getting Started

Public-Space Activation Fund (PAF) supports a wide range of temporary creative engagements at publicly accessible outdoor spaces in the City of Los Angeles, in neighborhoods where the arts are currently absent or scarce. PAF projects provide a cultural enhancement to an outdoor public space in an area where there is currently limited access to the arts. Events supported by PAF are site-related temporary projects that reach a well-defined audience (including a target audience and natural passersby), and support jobs for professional local artists who live in the neighborhood where the project is taking place.

Acceptable project locations throughout the City of Los Angeles include streets, sidewalks, public parks, and other outdoor public spaces. In limited instances, other outdoor spaces such as public plazas, public school yards, and public-facing, privately operated outdoor spaces may be eligible, depending on the nature of the proposed project. As one of the primary objectives of PAF is to bring arts and culture programming to areas of the city where the arts are absent or scarce. Further, priority will be given to projects in arts underserved council districts with a low concentration of arts and culture facilities/ events/ organizations/ etc. (CD 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12) – areas where there are little-to-no existing arts and cultural activities within a 0.5 – 1 mi radius of the proposed project location. Here is a helpful map for reference

Please carefully review PAF Category Guide, Applicant Eligibility, and Funding Uses and Limitations found on this page before continuing with an application. DCA invites all interested applicants to reach out to Sarena Khasawneh (sarena.khasawneh@lacity.org) from DCA’s’ Grants Division to schedule a coaching consultation and for guidance to discern whether or not PAF is a good fit for your idea. It is strongly encouraged that prospective applicants schedule a call before submitting their application.

Proposals are accepted online by the first Thursday of each month starting in September 2025. Applications must be submitted three-to-five months in advance of a proposed event, and are generally reviewed within approximately 20 business days. Feedback is available for those who wish to modify and improve their proposal for a later submission in the event their proposal is not initially accepted. Ideas can be adjusted and submitted up to 3 times if needed, in the event your application is not approved. 

Important Information for ALL APPLICANTS:

Eligibility: 

Eligible applicants for PAF are Los Angeles-based “community entrepreneurs” who have a strong connection–such as place of work or residence–to the specific project location in their proposal.  In addition, applicants must meet the following PAF category requirements:

  • Neighborhood Expressions micro-grants: Applicant must be a freelance, independent artist residing within the municipal boundaries of the City of Los Angeles (click here for a map), proposing an event as part of a new collaboration with a neighborhood non-arts business/venue.
  • Pop-Up & Festival grants: Eligible applicants are Los Angeles County-based individual artists, cultural activists, neighborhood businesses, nonprofit organizations, and collaborative pairings with one lead-agent, proposing an event taking place at an outdoor public space within the City of Los Angeles.

Note that organizations or individuals who currently receive grant funding from the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs are not eligible for PAF funding.

Applicants are required to submit a resume or portfolio along with their application that supports their ability to execute the proposed project. All applicants must provide the exact address of their proposed event location, or a range of addresses for larger events (such as a street festival spanning multiple city blocks), and a letter of support from the venue owner/operator. Projects without a letter of support from the space operator cannot be approved. Applicants should be collaborating with neighborhood groups and businesses (e.g. neighborhood councils, business improvements district associations, local chambers of commerce, etc) and/or the City Council Office of the jurisdiction. Please be aware that “urban surprises” or other surprise events cannot be considered. 

Funding Uses and Limitations: 

PAF funds are best used for interactive presentations of professional artwork that centers around a captivating and uplifting theme. Funds should be used to attract a community audience and passersby to the site, through community-relevant programming and non-permanent enhancements to the project site. The greatest use of PAF funds is to pay artists and cultural-producers, each of whom should be paid $100 at minimum in creative fees and/or honoraria for their involvement. At least 50% of the artists involved should be confirmed and named in your application / budget. Education-heavy projects which emphasize training new artists or engaging community members in art making are encouraged to focus their budgets on the public presentation aspects of their event. Process-oriented workshops should be limited to no more than 40% of a PAF request. Funds can also be used for site-fees, permits, rental equipment (speakers, tents, stages, chairs, etc.) or other temporary productions expenses. 

Funding Limitations: Please note PAF funds cannot be used to pay for:

  • Food and catering, including meals that would be provided to the public for free
  • Construction of long-term street improvements
  • Transportation, lodging, and other hospitality expenses
  • Purchasing equipment and other depreciable assets, such as computers, storage devices, speakers, chairs (although rental expenses of such items can be covered with PAF funds)
  • Projects that primarily take place indoors or outside of public view (with the exception of Neighborhood Expressions projects)
  • Projects that support political rallies or election campaigns
  • Projects that are primarily religious in nature or intent, unless a special case is made that the artistic services are multi-denominational
  • Student artists or youth education projects
  • Enrollment programs that are limited to certain individuals or groups
  • Contests/competitions wherein artists may or may not win prizes (PAF projects should validate all types of emerging and mature artists with guaranteed fees)

Applicants should note that support from PAF does not mean their project is waived for required City fees, permitting, or approval from other City processes such as: Public Works approval of permanently sited objects, DCA mural permitting, street closure approval by Street Services, official City festival designations, etc. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ask for advice and pursue these separate approval processes independently while support is being determined by the DCA.

Returning Applicants: 

No group or individual should apply for, or benefit from, more than one PAF grant per annual cycle. Current DCA grantees cannot apply for PAF funding. However, current grantees are eligible to work on PAF-funded projects, so long as they are not listed as the lead applicant.

Applicants with successful projects may be eligible to receive PAF funding for a maximum of three years. After three years, PAF grantees are encouraged to apply to DCA’s Cultural Grants program for continued City sponsorship, contingent on status as an arts-friendly charitable organization by time of application (e.g. 501(c)3, 501(c)6, etc.).

Returning PAF applicants are welcomed and encouraged to grow their events in subsequent years (moving from Neighborhood Expressions → Pop-Up events → Festival-style programming), developing strong partnerships and an audience following throughout the years. Former PAF grantees who are applying within a new project category (e.g. a 2023 Pop-Up Grantee applying as a 2025 Festival applicant) are eligible to apply for maximum funding within the new grant category they submit to. Former PAF grantees who are applying within the same grant category are eligible for continued funding for up to 3 years understanding that project funding will be subject to reduction each awarded year, with the expectation that applicants will develop relationships with other community members and sponsors who can financially support their event in lieu of Public Space Activation grant funds. This is intended to set projects up for long term success beyond the three-year period of incubation support provided by PAF. 

While applicants are not required to raise additional funds to match their city investment, crowd-funding and supplementary sponsorships are certainly welcome as indication(s) of support.

Applicant Resources: 

All Public Space Activation grantees must abide by The County of Los Angeles Department of Public Health safety guidelines. For current guidelines and updates, please visit their website here.

For an interactive map outlining the City of Los Angeles boundaries and Council Districts, please visit this page. Confirm whether an address is within LA City boundaries by searching for the address in the City’ of LA’s Neighborhood Info tool.

Application Budget Template