City of Ontario Launches First-Ever Artist Microgrant Program

City of Ontario Launches First-Ever Artist Microgrant Program

Applications open December 15, 2025 – Deadline to apply: January 31, 2026

Ontario, CA — Arts Connection, The Arts Council of San Bernardino County, in partnership with the City of Ontario’s Museum, Arts & Culture Department, is proud to announce the launch of the City’s first-ever Artist Microgrant Pilot Program, opening December 15, 2025. This historic initiative represents a landmark investment in uplifting artists and building community through public art for the residents of the City of Ontario.

The Artist Microgrant Program will provide seven to twelve artists with grants ranging from $500 to $1,500, supporting projects that have a social art component and/or public activation within the City of Ontario. These activities may include workshops, pop-up installations, performances, storytelling events, live painting, or other creative engagements designed to connect residents, elevate local culture, and strengthen community pride. 

The pilot program is open to artists of any discipline from across San Bernardino County whose proposed projects enrich the City of Ontario by uplifting its stories, honoring its history, and contributing to a vibrant creative future. Selected projects should deepen the cultural life of Ontario’s neighborhoods, invite meaningful public engagement, and help promote the City as a place where creativity, community, and belonging thrive.

A New Chapter for Public Art in Ontario

This pilot program marks a significant step forward in the City’s commitment to expanding access to arts and cultural experiences. The City’s Public Art Program advances Ontario’s vision to become a premier destination for arts and culture in the Inland Empire by enhancing the built environment, enriching quality of life, and fostering community pride.

“Through this pilot program, we’re celebrating the role artists play in building connection, cultivating pride, and imagining Ontario’s creative future,” said Marissa Kucheck, Director of Museum, Arts & Culture. “It brings art beyond the walls of the Ontario Museum of History & Art and into the places where our community lives and gathers. The Artist Microgrant Pilot Program allows us to directly support Ontario-based artists and the local creatives who are already shaping the cultural fabric of our city. This project marks an investment in uplifting neighborhood stories and activating public spaces.” 

Arts Connection will oversee program design, community outreach, application review, artist support, project implementation, and documentation, as outlined in the contract with the City. 

Statement from Arts Connection

“This Artist Microgrant Program is an investment in the imagination and cultural life of Ontario,” said Alejandro Gutierrez Chavez, Executive Director of Arts Connection. “When we support artists, we strengthen the fabric of a community and create opportunities for residents to experience art in meaningful and unexpected ways.”

Full application details, eligibility guidelines, and information session dates are available on the Arts Connection website.

Applicants are encouraged to apply early and propose projects that uplift Ontario’s cultural identity, engage the community, or contribute to a vibrant public arts ecosystem. The deadline to apply is January 31, 2026.

About Arts Connection

Arts Connection’s mission is to advance the arts, culture, and creative economy across San Bernardino County. As the county’s designated arts council and local partner of the California Arts Council, Arts Connection strengthens the creative workforce, increases access to the arts, and supports artists and organizations through funding, professional development, and community-centered programs. 

# # #

About the Department of Museum, Arts & Culture: 
The City of Ontario’s Department of Museum, Arts & Culture advances an understanding of regional history and art through museum exhibits, collections stewardship, educational programs, annual arts festivals, and public art. The Ontario Museum of History & Art was founded in 1979 and is located on tree-lined Euclid Avenue in a historic building that originally served as Ontario’s second City Hall. In 2022 Ontario’s City Council established the Public Art Program and the Museum department was expanded to encompass Museum, Arts & Culture. The department’s programs enhance knowledge and understanding of our community through dynamic and vibrant experiences that reflect pride in who we are, where we live, and our legacy. For more information call (909) 395-2510, email MuseumInfo@ontarioCA.gov, visit OntarioMuseum.org or follow @ontariomuseum_artsculture on Instagram.

About the City of Ontario

The City of Ontario is enhancing the quality-of-life by creating urban lifestyle districts that create sustainable places to live, work and play.  Located just east of Los Angeles and Orange counties, the City of Ontario is ideally situated as a gateway to Southern California. With major freeways, rail transportation and an International Airport, Ontario invites the rest of the world to be a part of a culturally diverse community with rich history that is well positioned for quality development and economic sustainability for its residents. Complementing its business and residential core, Ontario offers premium entertainment venues such as the Ontario Convention Center, Toyota Arena, and Ontario Mills. To learn more about the City of Ontario, visit OntarioCA.gov  or call (909) 395-2000.