The annual Sonoma County Artist Awards program directly recognizes and supports artists and their contribution to our community.  One of the largest cash artist awards program in the state, the awards program was developed by the Arts Council of Sonoma County.   By acknowledging artists we affirm the value art brings to our quality of life, economic vitality and common good.  The awards raise our awareness of Sonoma County artists and the arts of Sonoma County.

The Awards also facilitate dialogue and collaboration within and between the local arts and philanthropic communities towards increasing support for Sonoma County art. The pilot program is in its fifth year and it awards $2,500 to three selected artists every year: Emerging Visual Artists in even years and artists in the Performing, Music, and Literary Arts in odd.

Modeled after the national award program administered by United States Artists, a nonprofit organization, the Sonoma County Artist Awards program is designed to encourage the continuing development of Sonoma County’s finest creative artists and to reward, recognize and reinforce creative excellence.

Like United States Artists, the Arts Council of Sonoma County was inspired to action by the Urban Institute’s breakthrough study, Investing in Creativity: A Study of the Support Structures for U.S. Artists. That research found that while 96% of Americans appreciate the arts, only 27% believe that artists contribute to the good of society. That same study also found that the median income reported by artists as derived from their artistic work was only $5,000.

Despite those economic challenges, artists contribute directly to advancements in the education of young people, the development of a competitive creative economy, and the revitalization of the nation’s neighborhoods and urban centers. As a leader in supporting the growth and accessibility of the arts in Sonoma County, the Arts Council views the Sonoma County Artist awards as a natural extension of its own organizational mission.

Click HERE for the Awards Home Page