Arts Connection

What Arts Connection does

Arts Connection (legally \"Arts Connection – The Arts Council of San Bernardino County\") is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2013 and headquartered in San Bernardino, California. It is the designated state-local partner of the California Arts Council for San Bernardino County, a status conferred by the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors, and serves as the umbrella organization for arts and culture across the county, supporting over 200 arts and cultural organizations, individual artists, schools, and municipalities.

The organization operates a platform-plus-programs architecture. Core programmatic products include Estudio Aire (an Artist-in-Residence program with 24/7 studio access, stipends, and customized professional development); workSPACE (affordable studio rentals at $150/day and $75/evening); ARTS Avenue (free K-12 after-school arts workshops delivered across 17 school sites); Poetry Out Loud (a high school poetry recitation competition hosted locally for seven years); and Arte Común (a shared third-space studio environment). Distribution mechanisms include Artist Micro Grants ($500–$1,000 to 22 artists annually, totaling $15,000) and a fiscal sponsorship program covering 16+ independent artist collectives and programs. Supporting infrastructure includes the Creatives At Work storytelling campaign, the SB County Arts Happenings newsletter, and a Consulting Services vertical providing Arts & Culture Master Planning, public art planning, fund development, and creative economy development for municipalities (e.g., City of Redlands).

Revenue is generated through a diversified nonprofit model: government grants (California Arts Council, National Endowment for the Arts), municipal partnerships (City of Ontario microgrant pilot), individual and corporate philanthropy, studio rental fees, and fee-based microgrant administration. Go-to-market is community-led and regional, leveraging partnerships with Riverside Arts Council, California Desert Arts Council, the Inland Empire Community Foundation, and the San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools. No revenue figures are disclosed in source data, and headcount is reported at 1–10 employees, indicating a small operating base relative to its regional scope.

Name

Arts Connection

Legal name

Arts Connection - The Arts Council of San Bernardino County

Website

https://artsconnectionnetwork.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Arts Connection is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit designated as the state-local partner of the California Arts Council for San Bernardino County. It supports 200+ arts organizations, individual artists, schools, and municipalities through grants, fiscal sponsorship, residencies, and arts education programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Arts Council Services

NAICS

Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71), Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries (711)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGAHAL

Arts & Culture Service/Support Organizations (Networks, Advocacy, Capacity Building)

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Arts, Culture & Heritage Nonprofits

SECONDARYBPAGAHAC

Arts Education & Community Arts Programs

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Arts, Culture & Heritage Nonprofits

SECONDARYBPAGALAO

Community Arts, Culture & Creative Placemaking Enterprises

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Social Enterprises & Impact Organizations

SECONDARYBPAGAHAD

Cultural Centers & Community Cultural Organizations

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Arts, Culture & Heritage Nonprofits

Keywords

• Arts administration services
• Artist residency programs
• Arts education programs
• Community arts funding
• Cultural consulting services

Headquarters

HQ city

San Bernardino

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Grants and Government Funding: Arts Connection receives funding from government agencies including California Arts Council, National Endowment for the Arts, and local municipal partners. As the state-local partner designated by San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors, the organization facilitates and distributes grant funding to arts organizations.
2. Donations and Philanthropy: Individual and corporate donations from community members, local partners, and sponsors support operations and microgrant programs.
3. Program Fees and Rentals: Revenue from studio rentals (workSPACE program), and nominal fees for certain workshops and programs.
4. Microgrant Administration: Arts Connection administers microgrant programs for municipalities like City of Ontario, taking administrative fees to manage application processes and fund distribution.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Arts Connection - The Arts Council of San Bernardino County supports individual artists, arts organizations, schools, and municipalities through artist residency programs (Estudio Aire), microgrants ranging from $500 to $1,500, fiscal sponsorship administration, K-12 after-school arts education (ARTS Avenue), national poetry recitation competitions (Poetry Out Loud), affordable studio rentals (workSPACE), shared studio programming (Arte Común), and customized consulting for cities and arts organizations. The organization serves as the designated state-local partner to the California Arts Council for San Bernardino County.

Product overview

Arts Connection operates as a comprehensive arts council serving San Bernardino County, offering a multi-faceted portfolio of programs and services centered around artist support, arts education, and community engagement. The core offerings include Estudio Aire (Artist-In-Residence program with companion workSPACE rentals and Arte Común shared studio space), ARTS Avenue (K-12 after-school arts workshops), Poetry Out Loud (high school poetry competition), Artist Micro Grants ($500-$1,000 grants), and the Ontario Artist Microgrant (City of Ontario partnership grants of $500-$1,500). Supporting infrastructure includes Fiscal Sponsorship for tax-exempt status, Consulting Services for municipalities and organizations, Creatives At Work documentation campaign, and the SB County Arts Happenings newsletter. This platform-plus-programs architecture is designed to serve artists at every career stage from youth through established professionals, with funding provided by organizations including US Bank, California Arts Council, NEA, and the Inland Empire Community Foundation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Estudio Aire An Artist-In-Residence (AIR) program located in San Bernardino, providing emerging and mid-career artists from local communities with 24/7 access to a self-contained studio space for one- to two-month residencies, financial stipends, free studio materials, mentorship, and personalized professional development workshops. Artists create community-engaged culminating events.
• ARTS Avenue (After School Program) A free after-school arts and culture workshop program for youth K-12, offering disciplines including painting, drawing, ceramics, photography, dance, creative writing, and music, delivered by local professional artists at multiple school sites across San Bernardino County.
• Poetry Out Loud A free national poetry recitation and competition program for high school students, hosted locally by Arts Connection for seven years. Students select poems from the National Poetry Foundation Anthology, memorize, interpret, and recite them in competitions advancing from classroom to regional to state and national levels with cash prizes.
• Artist Micro Grants A cornerstone grant initiative providing $15,000 annually to 22 artists who reside in or work within San Bernardino County, with individual grants ranging from $500 to $1,000 to support materials, production, professional development, and other artistic needs.
• Ontario Artist Microgrant A pilot grant program in partnership with the City of Ontario, supporting creative projects by artists living in San Bernardino County with $500 to $1,500 grants for public activations such as workshops, pop-up installations, performances, or cultural events within Ontario city limits.
• workSPACE Studio Rentals Affordable reserved studio access for artists and creative teams needing exclusive, uninterrupted production time at Estudio Aire, offering day rentals ($150 for 8 hours, up to 12 people, Thursday-Sunday 9AM-5PM) and evening rentals ($75 for 4 hours, up to 6 people, Monday-Sunday 5:30PM-9:30PM), priced below typical regional studio rental costs.
• Fiscal Sponsorship Program Administrative support and guidance enabling artists, projects, and organizations to pursue grants, donations, and sponsorship opportunities requiring tax-exempt status. Arts Connection manages funds disbursement according to grant proposals and guidelines, currently sponsoring 16+ artist collectives and programs.
• Arte Común A free, artist-centered third space offering shared time and space at Estudio Aire for artists to practice together in a supportive, shared studio environment, supporting creative presence, process, and flow.
• Consulting Services Customized consultancy services for organizations and municipalities, including public art planning, fund development strategy, program development and evaluation, arts leadership recruitment and coaching, event management, creative economy development, arts and culture master planning, artist microgrant program administration, creative placemaking, and VAPA planning.
• Inland Film Festival An annual film festival program showcasing films from and about the Inland Empire region, with programming including calls for submissions, screenings, and related events.

Quantifiable outcome

• 22 artists received microgrants totaling $15,000 annually
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

30 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• City of OntariocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 December 2025City of Ontario launched its first Artist Microgrant Pilot Program in partnership with Arts Connection, providing $500-$1,500 grants to 7-12 artists for public activations within Ontario city limits.
• Inland Empire Community FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounded in 1941, IECF is the oldest and largest community foundation serving Riverside and San Bernardino Counties. Arts Connection partners with IECF for funding coordination and community foundation services across the 27,000+ square mile region.
• Riverside Arts CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEstablished in 1977, Riverside Arts Council is Riverside County's central source for arts-related services. Arts Connection collaborates on regional arts initiatives and creative economy development across the Inland Empire.
• California Desert Arts CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCDAC unifies, empowers, and promotes arts and culture in the Coachella Valley region. Arts Connection partners on advocacy, business development, and cultural initiatives in the desert region.
• Garcia Center for the ArtscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEstablished in 1932 and renamed in 2015, the Garcia Center serves as a hub for creatives and art organizations in San Bernardino. Arts Connection hosts programs and events at this venue and collaborates on community arts initiatives.
• San Bernardino County Superintendent of SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWith a $350 million budget and nearly 2,000 staff, the County Superintendent collaborates with Arts Connection on Poetry Out Loud and other arts education programs for K-12 schools.
• California Arts CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCalifornia's state arts agency designated Arts Connection as its state-local partner for San Bernardino County. This partnership enables distribution of state arts funding and advocacy for the creative sector.
• National Endowment for the ArtscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe independent federal arts agency partners with Arts Connection through the Poetry Out Loud program and other initiatives to support arts learning and access.
• Poetry FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPublisher of Poetry magazine, the Poetry Foundation partners with Arts Connection on the Poetry Out Loud program, providing resources and national competition structure.
• Inlandia InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional literary organization that collaborates with Arts Connection on Poetry Out Loud programming in San Bernardino County.
• California State University, San BernardinominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCSUSB collaborates with Arts Connection through board leadership (Board Chair Kathryn Ervin is Professor and Chair of Theatre Arts) and regional arts initiatives.
• City of San BernardinocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe City partners with Arts Connection on Clean California grant projects including Sole Alley revitalization and 4th Street Alley Beautification in the Historic Arts District.
• City of RedlandscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArts Connection is leading the Arts and Culture Master Plan (ACMP) for the City of Redlands, gathering community input to develop shared vision and goals for arts and culture.
• Compound YVminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFiscally sponsored program under Arts Connection, operated by independent artists making communities better through creative work.
• Creative GroundsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFiscally sponsored program under Arts Connection supporting community arts initiatives.
• Eclipse Creative SpaceminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFiscally sponsored program under Arts Connection for creative space development.
• Institute of InquiryminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFiscally sponsored program under Arts Connection focused on inquiry-based learning through arts.
• Kapoeira Angola Preto VelhominorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFiscally sponsored program under Arts Connection for cultural arts programming.
• Other Desert RadiominorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFiscally sponsored program under Arts Connection, a creative arts project.
• Perry PicasshoeminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFiscally sponsored program under Arts Connection supporting artistic projects.
• 3 Lines CollectiveminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFiscally sponsored program under Arts Connection, an artist collective.
• The Firehouse JTminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFiscally sponsored program under Arts Connection for Joshua Tree arts programming.
• Frontline ObserverminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFiscally sponsored program under Arts Connection for documentary and journalistic arts.
• SoCal Trash ArmyminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFiscally sponsored program under Arts Connection focused on environmental arts activism.
• Solstice Theatre IEminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFiscally sponsored program under Arts Connection, a QBIPOC community shadow puppet theatre.
• Studio Works Art CollectiveminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFiscally sponsored program under Arts Connection, an artist collective.
• Sun SpotminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFiscally sponsored program under Arts Connection for creative arts.
• Jamii PublishingminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFiscally sponsored program under Arts Connection for literary publishing.
• Public RoadminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFiscally sponsored program under Arts Connection for literary arts.
• Wild WomxnminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFiscally sponsored program under Arts Connection for women's arts programming.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance: Regional arts service organization supporting cultural groups and artists in the Greater Philadelphia area through advocacy, research, and capacity building. Comparable as a regional arts intermediary serving member organizations, though operating in a different geography.

Direct peers

• Fractured Atlas: National nonprofit providing fiscal sponsorship and business services to artists and arts organizations. Directly comparable to Arts Connection's fiscal sponsorship program, with similar value proposition of enabling tax-exempt grant access for individual artists and small collectives.
• Arts Council for Long Beach: Long Beach's local arts council providing grant administration, advocacy, and arts programming in a single California municipality. Comparable to Arts Connection as a California-based arts service/support nonprofit serving artists, cultural organizations, and municipal partners.
• Riverside Arts Council: Riverside County's central arts service organization and a named strategic partner of Arts Connection. Operates the same state-local partner model for Riverside County, delivering grants, advocacy, fiscal sponsorship, and arts education programming — directly comparable in mission, structure, and revenue model.
• California Desert Arts Council: Coachella Valley's regional arts council and a named partner of Arts Connection. Mirrors the same CAC state-local partner structure, providing advocacy, regranting, and business development for artists and arts organizations within its region — directly comparable organizational model and customer base.

Broad incumbents

• Mid-America Arts Alliance: Regional arts organization serving multiple states through grantmaking, professional development, and artist services. Comparable to Arts Connection in mission as an arts service/support intermediary that distributes funding and builds capacity across a multi-state region.
• Americans for the Arts: National nonprofit arts service organization advancing the arts through advocacy, research, and professional development. Comparable as a larger, nationally scoped arts service/support organization with overlapping functions in advocacy, capacity building, and grant program design.
• New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA): Long-established New York arts service organization operating fiscal sponsorship, grants, fellowships, and professional development across all artistic disciplines. Comparable as a larger incumbent offering the same combination of fiscal sponsorship and artist support services that Arts Connection delivers at the regional level.
• LA County Arts Commission: County-level arts body for Los Angeles County administering grants, public art, and cultural services at much larger scale. Comparable as a government-affiliated arts service organization in California with overlapping functions in grant administration, advocacy, and arts education.
• San Francisco Arts Commission: Municipal arts body for San Francisco administering grants, public art, and cultural programming. Comparable to Arts Connection as a government-connected arts service organization in California with overlapping grant administration and community arts programming functions.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/artsconnection_network
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCZPOCGlR7d0z4cjxiKcwgCw
• Facebookfacebook.com/ArtsConnectionNetwork
• Instagraminstagram.com/artsconnection_network

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Arts Connection