GRANT PANELS

Each year the Arts Council for Long Beach convenes approximately six panels comprised of local artists, arts professionals, and community members. Panelists undertake the important task of ensuring fairness in the review of grants applications and deciding how to distribute grant funds to artists and arts organizations doing work in Long Beach. The process generally follows this sequence:

• Individual panels are created to evaluate each grant category
• Panelists receive copies of completed grant applications and scoring sheets. Panelist, on their own time before the panel convenes as a group,"pre-score" applicants based on a set of criteria.
• Panelists convene as a group for one day-long session where they discuss the applications as a group and view supplemental artisticmaterials submitted by grant applicants (slides, videos, CDs, PowerPoint, etc.). Panels typically meet in May, June and July of each year.
• Panelists decide on a final score for each individual or organizational applicant. Scores are averaged between all panelists.
• Applicants with the highest scores receive the largest grant awards in their respective categories while lower scoring applicants receive lesser awards or no awards. Grant award amounts are also dependent upon Arts Council funding levels.

Grant Panelist Requirements

• Panelists may only serve on one grant panel and cannot serve on a panel for a category in which they are currently applying. Panelistsmay not evaluate applicants in which there is a conflict of interest.
• Panelists must be residents of southern California.
• Panelists are chosen from various artistic and cultural disciplines. Each grant panel is comprised of a diverse cross section of the artistic and cultural community.

The Arts Council for Long Beach seeks individual artists, arts educators,arts administrators, historians, and other arts or cultural professionals to become grants panelists. Panelists must commit from 12 to 20 hours of their time to reading and pre-scoring applications on their own time and attending the full-day panel meeting (one weekday from 10AM to 5PM). Panelists are paid a $60 stipend for their time and expertise, and are treated to a free lunch on the day of their grant panel meeting.

To nominate a panelist, including self-nominations, download and complete the PANELIST NOMINATION FORM. Return the form along with the nominees RESUME, CV or BIO. Submitting a nomination form does not guarantee the nominee will be used as a panelist. Submit nominations and inquiries to the Director of Grants.