The City of San Diego Commission for Arts and Culture announces workshops in September and October to inform the public about the application and review processes for FY 2011 funding for San Diego arts and culture programs.

The City supports art and culture through two programs that provide funding to nonprofits through a review process – the Organizational Support Program (OSP) and the Creative Communities San Diego Program (CCSD).

The OSP provides general operating support, including administrative as well as artistic expenses, for organizations whose mission and goals are substantially aligned with the City of San Diego Commission for Arts and Culture. These organizations foster the stabilization and diversification of San Diego’s cultural base, enhance the quality of life in the city’s neighborhoods and pursue the vision of San Diego as a tourism destination.

OSP workshops will be held on Wednesday, September 9, 2009, 2:30 – 4:30 PM in City Council District at the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, Coast Room, 700 Prospect Street, La Jolla, CA 92037 and Thursday, September 10, 2009, 2:30 – 4:30 PM in City Council District 6 at the City of San Diego Ridgeview Training Facility, 9601 Ridgehaven Court.

The CCSD Program supports projects that provide access and increase opportunities for San Diego residents and visitors to participate in arts and culture and to exercise their creative abilities. These projects enrich the lives of locals and build healthy, vital neighborhoods. CCSD projects include, but are not limited to festivals, parades and annual celebrations, and a broad range of activities and events that enable diverse populations to engage in quality arts and culture experiences together.

CCSD workshops will be held on Wednesday, September 30, 2009, 2:30 – 4:30 PM, in City Council District 6 at the Mission Valley Library, 2123 Fenton Parkway, and on Thursday, October 1, 2009, 2:30 – 4:30 PM in City Council District 4 at the Valencia Park/Malcolm X Library, 5148 Market Street.

The mission of the Commission for Arts and Culture is to vitalize the San Diego community by integrating arts and culture into community life, supporting the region’s cultural assets, and showcasing San Diego as an international cultural destination.

For more information visit the Commission at sandiego.gov/arts-culture.