On June 1, San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee announced his “Shared Prosperity for the Arts Package,” which will provide $7 million to city arts programs over the next two years.

The funding breakdown has $2 million—a 50 percent increase over previous funding levels—to the San Francisco Cultural Equity Endowment Fund and $1 million to Grants for the Arts, which will support small and mid-sized arts nonprofits, individual artists, and historically underserved communities through grants and capacity building. The mayor’s proposal also provides a $3.8 million capital investment over the next two years to the San Francisco's Civic Art Collection and Cultural Centers as well as additional funding for arts education.

Overall, Mayor Lee’s “Shared Prosperity for the Arts Package” is a 14 percent growth over previous budgets. The Mayor’s Office will also collaborate with the San Francisco Arts Commission to find new ways in supporting affordable artist housing. The city’s Board of Supervisors is currently reviewing the mayor’s proposal.