Creative Ambassador Grant Program

Creative Ambassador Grant Program

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: City of San José Office of Cultural Affairs
Amount: US $12,000
Last Updated: September 09, 2025

Summary

The Creative Ambassador Grant Program, initiated by the City of San José Office of Cultural Affairs, aims to promote creative expression among residents. This program invites individuals to serve as Creative Ambassadors, engaging the community through hands-on projects and social media outreach. The initiative, launched in 2018, is part of the San Jose Creates and Connects initiative, which seeks to integrate the arts into daily life and foster connections through diverse creative experiences across the city.

Overview

Creative Ambassador Grant Program Purpose: The role of the Creative Ambassador is to champion the power of creative expression and engage members of the public in finding their own creative voice. The Creative Ambassador’s efforts will seek to recognize, celebrate, and promote diverse creative experiences citywide. Background: The Creative Ambassador Program was launched in 2018 as a pilot project under the Office of Cultural Affairs’ (OCA) San Jose Creates and Connects initiative to connect San Jose residents across communities and within neighborhoods through creative participatory experiences. Through San Jose Creates and Connects, OCA seeks to make the arts integral to residents’ everyday lives by focusing on place-based opportunities for creative expression and connection throughout San Jose, showcasing the rich texture of its cultural landscape. The development of this initiative was informed by the national Creating Connections research on the role of creative expression in fostering meaningful connections with people, our community, and ourselves. OCA’s objectives with San Jose Creates and Connects are for residents to see the arts as a way to celebrate their neighborhoods, connect with their neighbors, and have their voices heard. This initiative also celebrates the role of arts and cultural organizations, artists, and artist-run businesses in communities as cultural producers, teachers, neighborhood anchors, and community organizers. Scope of Work: Creative Ambassadors will serve a one-year term, between January 1, 2026, and December 31, 2026, during which time they will complete the following scope of work: Promote the importance of creative expression in everyday life. The Ambassador is expected to:Have an active social media presence, willing to use the #408Creates hashtag and @sjculture to promote creative expression.Partner with OCA in promoting participation in the month-long #WeCreate408 challenge in April.Participate in media interviews as requested.Act as a representative of cultural expression at local events and meetings to engage with residents as requested (at least five events, meetings, or activations)Produce a creative hands-on project in San Jose that engages the public in creative expression. The project must be open to the public, but may target a specific cultural audience, and be participatory in nature. A proposal for the Creative Expression Project must be presented to OCA for approval before implementation. All projects must comply with Santa Clara County Public Health orders.Attend quarterly Creative Ambassador meetings.

Eligibility

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