Public-Space Activation Fund (PAF) is a monthly opportunity (available September 2023 to July 2024). Funding levels and eligible requests range from $600 to $45,000 based on the category and complexity of your project. Funding is available for temporary, locale-relevant, creative projects on streets, sidewalks, and adjacent public spaces within public view where arts and culture are absent or scarce (with one category of this program also requiring a documentary video to be posted online for at least one year).
Eligible applicants will be Los Angeles-based “community entrepreneurs” (neighborhood business managers, independent artists, cultural activists, nonprofit organizations, and/or collaborative pairings of such partners under the stewardship of one lead-agent). If your nonprofit agency is currently a grantee of DCA in PAF or any other Grant Program, then you should define your PAF proposal as a new collaboration that bridges your agency with like-minded partners (note the only PAF category a current DCA grantee can serve as a lead applicant is under the International Participation And Promotion Projects category; current DCA grantees may also participate as named collaborators in Arts and Social Wellness and International Festivals & Intercultural Foods proposals).
In all categories described within these program guidelines, the primary aim of PAF is to for the applicant to describe the creative-connectivity they can activate to elevate a designated public space (that is not already “arts-animated”), for the well-defined audience (of destination-seekers plus natural passersby), through the creation of a site-related temporary project. PAF is a category for new ideas, pop-up concepts, and start-up projects that require venture capital to be launched or lifted. Funding in PAF is linked to business-coaching and capacity-building, hence projects which have already been tested and established are not likely to be selected.
A lead-agent (business or individual) may apply only twice per year, knowing that selected proposals should be successfully fulfilled before they apply again. If you are launching a new product or a full business that is recurring, a growth-plan of 3 phases over 3 years is welcomed in PAF, so your goals can be incubated toward sustainability.
PAF funds are best used for the interactive presentations of professional artwork and the best proposals will focus on two themes: improving the site and an uplifting theme which can be related to passersby and draw a community audience. The highest use of PAF fees is to pay artists, who are named in the proposal/budget and whose prior work is attached as sample material. While all proposals will involve some kind of learning, education-projects that emphasize the training of new artists or the engagement of community members in art making are encouraged to focus their budgets on public presentation. Process-oriented workshops should be limited to no more than 40% of a PAF request.
STEPS FOR SUCCESS
- Read and select ONE of the FOUR project categories for your concept (click here to view eligible PAF Project categories)
- Sketch your ideas and email to request a telephone appointment (click here for PAF contact information)
- Anticipate that you will receive questions and coaching (which will demonstrate that your ideas can be shaped by helpful advice).
- Draft and submit your proposal (click here to view application instructions)
- Wait for review (accepted or decline)
- Except for Neighborhood Expressions applicants, if you are accepted, you will then need to make a powerpoint-presentation to receive final approval (minor changes are allowed between acceptance and approval if the peer review processes results in mandatory-adjustments being recommended)
- If your proposal is declined in peer-review judging, then consider the feedback provided and decide if you wish to change and resubmit your proposal (a singular project idea can be submitted twice before it accepted or double-declined)