Guam Community Support Sessions

Creative West’s Pacific Jurisdictions Artist Fund (PJAF) is currently open for artists, culture bearers, and tradition keepers here in Guam.

The Pacific Jurisdictions Artist Fund is a community-rooted, artist-centered program co-designed with artists and cultural leaders from Guam, the CNMI, and American Samoa. The fund reflects the role artists play in preserving language, lineage, cultural knowledge, and strengthening community wellness and belonging.

This year, 15 individual artists from Guam will each receive a flat $2,000 unrestricted award.

This is not a project grant. Funding can support creative practice, cultural preservation, rest, healing, daily needs, and artistic sustainability — however each artist defines it.

To support artists through the application process, Creative West has tasked CJ Ochoco — Guam’s PJAF Community Lead and President of Breaking Wave Theatre Company — to host free in-person Community Support Sessions at the BWTC HQ. 

These sessions are working spaces where artists can:
🌿 Get hands-on help navigating GO Smart
🌿 Ask questions about the application
🌿 Work alongside fellow artists
🌿 Learn from past awardees
🌿 Receive support in a welcoming community environment

Artists working in all forms — including visual arts, dance, tattooing, weaving, music, storytelling, performance, healing, language preservation, film, and more — are encouraged to attend and apply.

🗓 Guam Community Support Sessions at BWTC HQ:
Thursday, May 28 | 6:30 PM–8:30 PM
Saturday, May 30 | 1:00 PM–3:00 PM
Saturday, May 30 | 4:00 PM–6:00 PM
Thursday, June 4 | 6:30 PM–8:30 PM
Saturday, June 6 | 1:00 PM–3:00 PM
Saturday, June 6 | 4:00 PM–6:00 PM

Breaking Wave Theatre Company HQ is located in MongMong-Toto-Maite at the MTM Building.

In light of the recent impacts of Super Typhoon Sinlaku across the Marianas, the application deadline has been extended to create additional flexibility and support for artists and communities navigating ongoing recovery efforts.

🌊 Updated Guam deadline:
June 9, 2026 at 3:59 PM ChST

Apply:
https://creativewestgrants.gosmart.org/

Register for a Guam support session:
https://form.jotform.com/bwtcguam/pjaf-gu-2026

These sessions are not required, but if you are interested in attending, please register with the link above. All sessions will be the same, so you will only need to attend one. Artists are encouraged to bring laptops, tablets, or phones if possible. These sessions are designed to be practical, welcoming working spaces where artists can receive hands-on support throughout the application process.

Questions:
📧 cj@bwtcguam.com

Si Yu’os Ma’åse’ • Thank you for the stories you carry.

Session attendance is not required to apply for the fund, but if you are interested in attending, please select your session below. You will only need to attend one as all sessions will be structure the samed, but if you'd like to attend multiple dates to have extra work time, you are welcome to select more than one date. 

Media & Liability Release

By attending a PJAF Guam Community Support Session, I acknowledge that participation is voluntary and that I am responsible for my own personal belongings, health, and well-being during the event.

I understand that the Pacific Jurisdictions Artist Fund (PJAF), Creative West, Breaking Wave Theatre Company, event facilitators, volunteers, and partner organizations are not liable for any injury, loss, damage, or incident that may occur as a result of my participation, except where required by law.

I also understand that photos, video, and/or audio may be captured during the session for documentation, reporting, educational, promotional, website, and social media purposes related to PJAF, Creative West, and/or Breaking Wave Theatre Company.

By registering, I grant permission for my image, voice, and likeness to be used without compensation.

If I do not wish to be photographed or recorded, I understand it is my responsibility to notify event organizers upon arrival.