CAC – INDIVIDUAL ARTIST FELLOWSHIPS
INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM: Region 3 – The Bay Area , Administered by Kala Art Institute
Presented in partnership with the California Arts Council, celebrating 50 years of investing in California’s artists.
Congratulations to the recipients of the 2026 California Arts Council Individual Artists Fellowship (CAC IAF) for the Bay Area!
Funded by a grant from the California Arts Council (CAC), it’s been an honor and privilege to be the administering organization for the Bay Area. Thanks to all who applied for this opportunity. In the Bay Area it was a highly competitive field with 694 applicants. 32 panelists from diverse artistic disciplines across eight Bay Area counties reviewed, scored, and ranked the applications based on creative vision, artistic excellence, and community impact. Each submission reflected the rich creativity and dedication present throughout the region.
We’re excited to award 30 unrestricted fellowships totaling $560,000 (eight artists in the legacy artist tier receiving $50,000 each, ten in the established artists tier receiving $10,000 each, and twelve in the emerging artists tier receiving $5,000 each) to individual artists and culture bearers living and working in this region.
The Fellowship Activity Period runs September 1, 2026 – August 31, 2027. Fellows will use their awards to enhance their creative practice and will have opportunities to convene both virtually and at Kala with opportunities to share work through Kala’s exhibitions and public programs throughout the one-year fellowship period.
Legacy Artist Fellow
Florante Aguilar – Napa County, Traditional Filipino Music
Guillermo Gómez-Peña – San Francisco County, Interdisciplinary Work
Mildred Howard – Alameda County, Visual Arts
Alleluia Panis – San Francisco County, Interdisciplinary Work
Favianna Rodriguez – Alameda County, Interdisciplinary Work
Katherine Sherwood – Contra Costa County, Visual Arts
Deborah Vaughan – Alameda County, Performing Arts
Van-Anh Vanessa Vo – Alameda County, Traditional and Indigenous Practices
Established Artist Fellows
Cece Carpio – Alameda County, Visual Arts
Cheryl Derricotte – San Francisco County, Visual Arts
Diana Diroy – San Mateo County, Media Arts
Sean Dorsey – San Francisco County, Dance
Packard Jennings – Alameda County, Interdisciplinary Work
Cathy Lu – Contra Costa County, Visual Arts
Kiazi Malonga – Alameda County, Traditional and Indigenous Practices
Renee Moncada-Mcelroy – Alameda County, Media Arts
Leslie Tai – Sonoma County, Media Arts
Latanya d. Tigner – Alameda County, Dance
Emerging Artist Fellows
Emmanuele Allamani – Alameda County, Visual Arts/Media Arts
Jon Ayon – Alameda County, Media Arts
Hana Baba – Alameda County, Media Arts
Olivia Cueva – Alameda County, Visual Arts
Ezra Fox – San Francisco County, Literary Arts
Gracia Mwamba Ngudia – Marin County, Literary Arts
Nicole Shaffer – Alameda County, Visual Arts
Wendy M. Thompson – Alameda County, Literary Arts
Paul S Ukrainets – Alameda County, Literary Arts
L. Song Wu – San Mateo County, Visual Arts
Rochelle Youk – Contra Costa County, Visual Arts
Stephanie Zhang – Santa Clara County, Visual Arts
Staff Contacts:
Mayumi Hamanaka, Kala Co-Executive Director, office: 510-841-7000 x201, mayumi@kala.org,
Tressa Jones, Kala Communications & Development Manager, office: 510-841-7000 x204, tressa@kala.org
Ellen Lake, Kala Co-Executive Director, cell:510-520-6438, ellen@kala.org
