About GBAC

The Greater Bay Area Arts Coalition (GBAC) is a regional network of artists, culture bearers, creative workers, organizers, and leaders working across public, private, nonprofit, and philanthropic sectors. 

We are dedicated to building regional power for the arts & culture ecosystem.

We advance arts and culture advocacy through a community-driven approach to uplift grassroots leadership, self-determination, and strategic policy engagement.The coalition is led by and centers the systemic realities of the communities represented by coalition members, intentionally shaping advocacy, policy, and activism through core narratives and actions that impact us!

Join Us

If you live or work in the following Bay Area Counties: Sonoma, Napa, Solano, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, Alameda, San Mateo and/or Santa Clara - become a member for FREE and learn more at: www.wearegbac.org - Click on “Join the Coalition!”

Introduction to GBAC Fellowships

GBAC Fellowships are investments in individuals who want to deepen their knowledge of and commitment to cultural organizing and cultural policy work in the greater San Francisco Bay Area. Applicants must be in the Greater Bay Area Arts Coalition or be referred by someone in the group. Fellowships are funded at a minimum of $5,000 for a period of six months (with the possibility of extension for a second period of six months). The fellowships will be supported by the Greater Bay Area Arts Coalition (GBAC), California for the Arts, and Creative West.

Structure of GBAC Fellowship Program

• Fellowship Amount: Up to $10,000 over one year, distributed in two installments—one per 6-month period. This two-part compensation structure is designed to support a shared reflection on fit, engagement, and alignment with program goals before proceeding to the second phase.
• Duration: 
• Period 1: September 1, 2025 - March 31, 2026
• Period 2: April 1, 2026 - August 31, 2026
• Eligibility: Individuals who live and/or work in the Greater Bay Area—including Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano, and Sonoma counties—and are coalition members or familiar with the coalition's work are invited to apply. Members of the general public are also welcome to apply and will be asked to share how they became connected to GBAC.

Description of Fellowships and Responsibilities

GBAC Fellows play a dual role within the coalition, contributing both to its internal infrastructure and its external impact for an average of 8-10 hours per month (including those 2 minimum meetings per month).

As part of their core responsibilities, Fellows serve on the GBAC Leadership Committee, which involves:

• Attending a monthly one-hour leadership meeting
• Attending a monthly one-hour full coalition meeting (minimum)

The GBAC Leadership Committee, composed of all the GBAC Fellows, CA for the Arts, and Creative West, are responsible for setting the agenda for coalition meetings, maintaining accountability to coalition priorities and annual initiatives, and making budget decisions aligned with those priorities.

In addition to their leadership role, Fellows undertake individual projects that support and advance the coalition’s key priorities:

1. Investing in artists and community-rooted organizations
2. Integrating arts and culture into regional development

Fellowship projects may focus on, but are not limited to, any of the following areas:

• Refining the coalition’s core narrative, messages, and stories
• Developing a shared advocacy action calendar and city/county budget timeline
• Sharing information and building relationships with advocates in underrepresented counties (e.g., Sonoma, Solano, San Benito, Napa)
• Creating accessible, culturally competent professional development and capacity-building resources for underrepresented artists and organizations
• Promoting more accessible language practices (e.g., forming a language committee, reducing industry jargon)
• Organizing county-by-county "happy hour" social events as a coalition-building and membership strategy

Other project ideas that align with GBAC’s core priorities are welcome and encouraged.