PA Arts Funding Changes: Updates, Resources, and Ways to Take Action

The Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance is working closely with our statewide partners across the Commonwealth in response to the impact of recent changes by Pennsylvania Creative Industries (PA Creative Industries), powered by the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts. The Cultural Alliance first shared this announcement in November 2025, which you can find via our Information Update.

This page serves as a central hub for updates, resources, and opportunities to engage as the situation continues to evolve.

 

Recent Changes to Pennsylvania’s Arts Funding Structure

PA Creative Industries has introduced a new strategic framework and brand identity that includes significant restructuring of statewide grant programs. As part of this transition, the Pennsylvania Partners in the Arts (PPA) program will conclude after FY26, ending the Cultural Alliance’s role as the regional administrator for Southeastern Pennsylvania.

For more than two decades, the Cultural Alliance has served as one of 14 regional partners stewarding PPA grants, including the Creative Sector Flex Fund (CSFF) and the Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator (CEA). Under the new framework:

  • The Creative Sector Flex Fund will sunset after FY26 and be replaced by the Creative Asset Program, which will be administered directly by PCI and available to organizations with annual budgets between $100,000 and $2 million.
  • The Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator will transition to statewide administration, with additional program updates expected in 2026.

The Cultural Alliance will administer CSFF through FY26 and is running one final round of the Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator this spring 2026. Details are available here.

PA Creative Industries has made additional changes, including:

  • Discontinuing the Arts Organizations & Arts Program grants (AOAP)
  • Discontinuing the Arts in Education partnership and Teaching Artist Residencies
  • Discontinuing the Folk & Traditional Arts partnership and Folk Artist Apprenticeships
  • Discontinuing the Preserving Diverse Cultures grants

 

Why This Matters

The introduction of PA Creative Industries’ strategic framework and the restructuring of grant programs represent a major shift and presents dire implications to how public arts funding is distributed across the region and in Pennsylvania. Without timely guidance and course correction, many organizations—particularly small and community-rooted groups—will lose access to funding that has historically supported core operations, artistic programming, and workforce development.

Who and what's at risk:

  • 70% of Pennsylvania’s arts and cultural organizations that previously benefited from PA Creative Industries’ grant programs are likely to be adversely affected.
  • The employment of 500+ artists and arts administrators are at risk.
  • The $9.59 million state arts line item that legislators allocated for grants to support PA arts organizations and arts education are at risk of misdirection.

These changes also arrive after more than a decade of stagnant public investment. Pennsylvania currently ranks 33rd nationally in per capita arts funding, despite ranking in the top 10 nationally for arts vibrancy.

 

What PA’s Cultural Community Is Asking For

Arts leaders and advocates across the Commonwealth, including in Greater Philadelphia, are calling for transparency, accountability, and adjustments to ensure that Pennsylvania’s arts infrastructure remains accessible and equitable. Key priorities include:

  • Recommitment to Act 538 (1965) to ensure state arts funding supports cultural, educational, and civic outcomes alongside economic development.
  • Increased state investment in arts and culture, including a $5 million increase to grant funding and a dedicated line item for economic development programs.
  • Greater transparency and accountability to ensure that the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts fulfills its missions effectively and equitably by enacting strong oversight and clear reporting to the PA Arts & Culture Caucus. 
  • Extension of Arts in Education and Folk Arts partnerships. These programs are foundational to community-based cultural access across Pennsylvania. Communities need stability and time to responsibly transition relationships and sustain local impact. 
  • Extend Funding for the Preserving Diverse Cultures Division by increasing $671,000 funding for the division, including its multi-year grants and organizational development support. This division empowered artists and arts organizations from underserved and under-resourced communities to grow.  

 

Watch the Virtual Town Hall

In response to these developments, the Cultural Alliance hosted a Virtual Town Hall on PA Arts Funding on February 25, 2026. The town hall brought together artists, cultural organizations, and advocates to discuss the changes and identify next steps. See the video below.

View the slidedeck from the Virtual Town Hall 

 

Tools & Resources

Access key materials to help you stay informed and take action, including a letter to legislators’ template and other materials.

 

Stay Engaged

The Cultural Alliance remains committed to keeping our members and partners informed as new information becomes available. We encourage you to stay connected and participate in advocacy efforts that support a strong and equitable cultural ecosystem across Pennsylvania. Sign up for Advocacy Alerts, CultureWire, and our general communications.

For general questions about current grants administered by the Cultural Alliance, please contact grants@philaculture.org. If you have questions specific to PA Creative Industries grants, please contact Amanda Lovell, Director of Access to the Creative Sector at alovell@pa.gov.