Artist Opportunities

Call for Artists and Creatives: ArtLift Grants 2026

Application Deadline: Friday, February 20, 2026, 11:59 PM

Program Overview: The Palo Alto Public Art Program is making ten $5,000 ArtLift Grants available to artists and creatives with the goal of inspiring the community and spreading joy through art and creativity. Proposed projects will encourage play, belonging, community participation, and promote shared experiences throughout Palo Alto. ArtLift Grants in 2026 fund temporary projects across various commercial corridors and neighborhoods of Palo Alto, centering on Downtown, California Avenue, and Cubberley Community Center.

Intent and Types of Suitable Projects: ArtLift Grants support temporary artworks and creative experiences that activate public spaces and foster community connection. Projects should be uplifting and imaginative, free and accessible to people of all ages and abilities, and safe and appropriate for their intended locations. 

Examples of suitable projects include: 

  • Temporary public art installations in commercial corridors and at Cubberley Community Center, including works incorporating Augmented Reality or Virtual Reality.
  • Temporary murals or installations in vacant storefronts with confirmed site permission at the time of application.
  • Live, scheduled, or pop-up performance-based art experiences presented in public settings.

Eligibility: Applicants must be 18 or older and have a demonstrated connection to Palo Alto. Artists and creatives living in Palo Alto or East Palo Alto are especially encouraged to apply. Individual artists, artist teams, and creative groups are eligible. Only one proposal may be submitted per applicant.

Read Full Call(PDF, 515KB)                 Apply for ArtLift Grant  

About Artist Opportunities

The Palo Alto Public Art Program works extensively with local, regional and national artists to bring permanent and temporary artworks that build the visual identity and reflect the diverse and exciting environment of the City of Palo Alto. Through its Percent for Art Program, the City provides opportunities for artists to create original works of art that comprise Palo Alto's rapidly growing collection of permanent and portable artworks.

Artists who wish to be considered for public art opportunities associated with construction in private development projects, please contact Program Director Elise DeMarzo by email.

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Artist Resources

Visit Americans for the Arts (AFTA) website for up-to-date news and resources for the arts and culture field, including information about relief funds, resource pages and other helpful tools, articles and creative opportunities. 

Californians for the Arts is a comprehensive, multidisciplinary organization focused on advancing and building public awareness of the value and impact of arts, culture and creativity across California.

Americans for the Arts Public Art Network (PAN) develops professional services for individuals and organizations engaged in the field of public art. PAN is dedicated to advancing public art programs and projects through advocacy, policy, and information resources to further art and design in our built environment.

AFTA Public Art Resource Center is an online portal that provides a wide range of tools and resources tailored to the needs of professionals working in the public art field.

Forecast Public Art fosters dynamic, inclusive and resilient communities through public art, community-engaged design and transformative placemaking. For 40 years, Forecast has improved the collective life of communities through a unique combination of responsive consulting services, rare one-to-one support for public artists, and abundant resources, including Public Art Review, the world’s leading public art magazine.

SlideRoom is a comprehensive application management system to accept and review applications and capable of handling media, forms and references all in one place.

CaFÉ, Call for Entry is a comprehensive tool for all artists looking for arts opportunities — from competitions to public art calls. Additionally, CaFÉ enables organizations to build their calls for artists, manage applications jurying process in a cost-effective way.

CODAworx is an online community for artists and design professionals to showcase their work, collaborate with one another, and earn recognition for their projects. 

Founded in July 2016, the Arts Administrators of Color Network (AAC) is a service organization that focuses on networking and community building through the arts.

Public Art Exchange is an open and transparent network for the Public Art Field.

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