Art tells the truth. Culture builds community. Creativity drives change.
In Oakland and across the Bay Area, art isn’t a luxury—it’s survival, resistance,
identity, and joy. But for too long, local artists, cultural workers, and community-based
creative spaces have been underfunded and displaced, even as their work shapes the
very soul of our neighborhoods.
The McFadden Finch Foundation invests in arts and entertainment that reflect and uplift community voices. We fund artists and organizations that drive storytelling, healing, and cultural preservation—especially in communities pushed to the margins.
What We Fund
- Public art, murals, and community storytelling projects
- Black, Indigenous, immigrant, and queer-led arts organizations
- Neighborhood-based music, theater, film, and performance projects
- Artist residencies, fellowships, and cultural leadership programs
- Spaces and venues for community-driven arts and media
- Arts education and mentorship for youth and emerging creatives
Why It Matters
- Cultural workers are essential to community memory, resilience, and imagination.
- Gentrification has displaced many artists and shut down grassroots venues.
- Youth need spaces to explore identity and lead through creative expression.
- Art is not a side project—it’s infrastructure for social change.
We fund the creatives who help us see, feel, and build toward a better future.
Our Approach
We invest in:
- Sustainable arts ecosystems —not one-off events
- Place-based cultural strategy—art that grows from and serves neighborhoods
- Artist-led solutions—we follow the lead of creatives building community
- Cross-sector collaboration—connecting arts with housing, health, justice, and education
We also provide general operating support and flexible funding, because artists need
stability to thrive.