The Foundation for the Performing Arts Center has opened its Clifton Swanson Community Access to the PAC Fund grant program. This grant program supports the Central Coast’s arts organizations that utilize the Performing Arts Center (PAC) for their events.

The Foundation is eager to support local arts groups once again as they return to the stage. Performing artists have been hugely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, forced to halt all in-person events for an extended amount of time. Arts venues, as well, were greatly affected. These businesses were among the first to be required to shut down their operations entirely, and they will be likely the last to reopen, facing a myriad of restrictions.

The Performing Arts Center is reopening this fall, welcoming back patrons and abiding by the latest COVID-19 safety regulations to ensure everyone feels safe during their visit. The PAC and all its partnering organizations are eagerly looking forward to once again offering incredible performances and serving our entire community.

In its sixth year, the Swanson Fund allows local arts nonprofits to apply for funding to cover costs, including technical and rental fees. The Clifton Swanson Community Access was created in 2015 in honor of Clif Swanson. As a longtime Foundation Board Member and past President and a classical musician himself, Clif’s passion for our local artists has never wavered. Through the Swanson Fund, we honor his leadership, talent and passion for the arts.

A central element of the Foundation’s mission is to support local performing artists to help contribute to their ongoing success. Established in 1986, the Foundation provides and promotes an extraordinary and accessible center for the performing arts that elevates the arts in our community in collaboration with our partners, California Polytechnic State University and the City of San Luis Obispo.

All eligible nonprofit arts organizations are encouraged to apply for the 2021-2022 season. The grant application can be found on the Foundation’s website at www.fpacslo.org/impact. Grants are due on Tuesday, August 31 by 5:00 p.m.

The Foundation thanks its donors and business partners for their continued support of the performing arts here in San Luis Obispo County, including their contribution to the Swanson Fund. To donate to the Foundation and help ensure that arts and culture continue to thrive in our community, please visit www.fpacslo.org.