Oakland has awarded $1.1 million in grants to 78 artists and nonprofit groups promoting the arts.

The grants, approved by the City Council in February, are administered through the city’s cultural funding program. They range from $3,000 to $37,500.

“The cultural arts grants are a vital tool in our efforts to strengthen and preserve Oakland’s rich and diverse arts tradition,” Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf said in a statement.

The grant program was designed to aid Oakland nonprofit arts groups and at the same time encourage arts programming and expose young people to art in classes or after school.

Funding for grants includes $730,120 from the general fund and $391,733.39 from a dedicated portion of the hotel room tax fund.

Grants were awarded to community festivals, workshops, art classes, exhibitions, school residencies and cultural commemorations.

Among those receiving grants is the third annual Black-Eyed Pea Festival, a celebration that highlights traditional African-American food, music and art held at Mosswood Park. It was given a $4,999 grant.

Filmmaker Tony Nguyen received $4,999 to help him fund a documentary, “Fresh Frozen,” he is working on. The film features a small sandwich shop trying to stay afloat as an Oakland neighborhood undergoes change.

The grants will help support more than 8,000 art events and activities, most of which are free, with an expected 300,000 people taking part.

“Interest in the cultural funding grant program has really grown. We’ve seen a 74 percent increase in the number of applications received in the last four years,” Roberto Bedoya, cultural affairs manager, said in a statement.

Some of the largest grants include $37,500 each to Creative Growth Art Center, Destiny Arts Center and East Bay Performing Arts.

The program has four core funding categories: arts in the schools, individual artist funding, organization project and organizational assistance.

Following the grant application deadline in May 2016, review panels of Bay Area professional artists and arts administrators reviewed 172 eligible applications.

“Through these grants, Oakland artists and arts organizations have the opportunity to showcase their talents by bringing innovative work to adults and youth throughout Oakland,” Bedoya said.