2026-2027 CITY OF BOISE CULTURAL AMBASSADOR

The City of Boise Cultural Ambassador program is designed to share Boise’s cultural and creative community with other cities across the globe and foster connections to global audiences.

Acting as Boise’s honorary representative to the world, the Cultural Ambassador engages with national and international audiences through the public expression of culture that helps develop, document, research, share, or reflect upon Boise’s cultural life.

The Boise City Department of Arts & History (A&H) manages the program, and the Boise City Mayor presents the honorific title to the selected Cultural Ambassador.

DEADLINE: Wednesday, April 30, 2025, at 11 p.m. (MT)

APPLY via Submittable

Goals

The goals of the Cultural Ambassador are to:

Raise awareness of the individual and/or organization and their connection to Boise
Raise awareness of cultural activities during the term of the ambassadorship
Expand the cultural impact of the organization on the community
Encourage the promotion of Boise’s cultural life in other cities

Eligibility

Applicants must be characteristically “Boise”.
Individuals, nonprofit organizations, other organizations, and businesses may all apply for the Cultural Ambassador program.
Successful applicants are required to demonstrate ability and integrity within the artistic, historic, or cultural-based medium; knowledge of Boise’s cultural and creative community; and a strong commitment to community and educational programming.
The public expression of culture includes: public art, history, performances, exhibits, educational opportunities (presentations/lectures, workshops, walking tours, training, etc.), collaborations, research, planning, and/or analysis.
In addition to media appearances, the selected Cultural Ambassador will present at least one educational activity per term year that includes, but is not limited to: workshops, classes, or other forms of community outreach.

Expectations

The City of Boise and the Cultural Ambassador will agree on a plan for goals and activities during the term of the award. The Cultural Ambassador program funding will support the agreed-upon goals and activities.

The City and Cultural Ambassador will meet in the fall of each year during the term to discuss how the money has been and will be spent, as well as make any amendments to the agreement as needed. The Cultural Ambassador will submit a final report on

The activities taking place during their ambassadorship
The impact the role had on their person or organization
Any economic benefit that can be seen in the community
Any activities/events/promotions/publicity held/reported in other cities

Funding Amount

The City of Boise will award a monetary stipend offered in varying amounts depending on financial availability.

Application opens on April 1, 2025, and will be accepted through April 30, 2025.

Award recipients and the next Cultural Ambassador will be announced at the Mayor’s Awards for Excellence in Arts & History on Thursday, September 18, 2025, at 5 p.m. at JUMP. Individual tickets and sponsoring opportunities will be available for purchase in early summer. Learn more.

Questions and Clarifications

Please contact: Makenzi Dunstan, Grants & Outreach Program Manager
Email: mdunstan@cityofboise.org

In our commitment to engaging everyone, the City of Boise is actively removing barriers to participation, including for our residents with disabilities and those who prefer a language other than English. If you need an accommodation to access City of Boise’s services, programs, or activities, please contact us at artsandhistory@cityofboise.org or 208-972-8500 (TTY 800-377-3529), preferably within 72 hours before to the event.

En nuestro compromiso por lograr la participación de todos, la Ciudad de Boise está eliminando activamente las barreras a la participación, incluso para nuestros residentes con discapacidades y aquellos que prefieren un idioma distinto del inglés. Si necesita una adaptación para acceder a los servicios, programas o actividades de la Ciudad de Boise, póngase en contacto con nosotros en artsandhistory@cityofboise.org o en el 208-972-8500 (TTY 800-377-3529) preferiblemente en las 72 horas previas al acontecimiento.