The Burbank Parks and Recreation Department, in collaboration with the Burbank Cultural Arts Commission, is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2026 Community Arts Program Grants. $61,500 in funding has been awarded in amounts ranging from $1,500 to $4,250 to support 18 cultural arts projects presented in the City of Burbank this year, many with free or low-cost ticket options.
Launched in October 2023, the grant program was designed to support local artists and non-profit arts organizations, while actively engaging Burbank residents with diverse and outstanding cultural arts projects. The opportunity was open to individual professional artists and non-profit arts organizations located in Los Angeles County with special consideration given to those currently based in Burbank. 11 of the 18 grant recipients are Burbank-based.
Eligible proposals were reviewed by an independent panel of arts professionals with expertise in performing and visual arts and scored according to the review criteria, including artistic merit and community impact. Parks and Recreation staff offered application workshops and assistance to applicants and facilitated the panel review and award recommendations process.
Grants to the following artists and projects were approved by the Parks and Recreation Board on January 8, 2026:
The Colony Theatre Company (Theatre): Scripts & Sips
Heidi Duckler Dance (Dance): ¡ORDENA!
Burbank Philharmonic Orchestra (Music): Spring Concerto Concert
Salit Foundation (Music): Encore Concert Series
Conundrum Theatre (Theatre): “New Works Festival”
Pacific Ballet Dance Theatre (Dance): Pacific Ballet Dance Theatre Presents Carmen
Yozmit Kwon (Multi-Disciplinary): Burbank Diamond Walk: Quaternity of Wholeness
Brett Long (Visual Arts): The Animation Station: 26 lowercase letters
Helix Collective (Music): The Music of PBS
Rose Doylemason (Music): ACBC Concert Series
Dante Michael Luna (Music): The Studio Lot Cantata
Burbank Community Band, Inc. (Music): The Golden America Concert
Lane Michael Stanley (Multi-Disciplinary): Quentin Blue
Actors Gang Inc. (Theatre): The Actors’ Gang: Shakespeare in Burbank for Families
Kaelyn Ong (Theatre): child’s play
Melonie Grasty/En Compas Flamenco (Dance): World Flamenco: A Flamenco Concert Dance Series
Bairton W. Brown (Multi-Disciplinary): Afrofuturist Art Fair
C3LA: Contemporary Choral Collective of Los Angeles (Multi-Disciplinary): Movie. Music. Magic.
The 2026 Community Arts Grant Peer Review Panel included:
- Mercedes Cooper – Executive Vice President of Public Programming at ARRAY
- Andy Gersh – Studio Artist with Judson Studios and Owner/Founder, Andy Gersh Glass Art
- Rivita Goyle – Principal, Rivita Music, LLC
- Shenandoah Harris – Founder and Director of Psychopomp Dance Theater
- Stewart Irel – Artistic and Creative Consulting
Further information on the Community Arts Grant Program and funded projects can be found at www.burbankca.gov/communityartsgrant.
Residents and art enthusiasts can find more information about upcoming arts events and sign up for the Burbank Arts Newsletter at www.burbankarts.com.
