News

Grants Totaling $100,000 Awarded in State Funding to Local Creative Businesses

Pittsburgh – April 5, 2022 – Fifty Western Pennsylvania creative entrepreneurs were awarded a total of $100,000 from the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council to support their business’ general operations as part of the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts’ (PCA) Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator program. Grants are used to start or operate a creative business in addition to providing access to free business consultations through local providers.  

The business owners receiving grants represent the diversity of Western Pennsylvania creative economy, including photographers, illustrators, performance training academies, hair braiding practices, architects, woodworkers, printers, and fashion designers. 

“This second round of funding for Pittsburgh’s creative economy had an overwhelming response,” shares Arts Council Manager of Grants and Membership, Shaqui Scott. “We awarded double the number of entrepreneurs when compared to the first round. Unfortunately, this means that the funds supplied by the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts ran out quickly. This is an indication of the incredible interest from our community of creative entrepreneurs who bring their work to life, fueling our creative economy.”  

Due to the high quantity of eligible applicants, Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator funds have been depleted. The PCA will replenish funds in the fall of 2022. For more information about the program, visit the PCA website.  

The Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator program launched in October 2021 to support economic recovery and increase opportunities for creative workers. Grant funds support businesses with gross revenue of less than $200,000 working in creative fields such as marketing, architecture, visual arts, crafts, design, film and media, digital games, music, entertainment, publishing. In addition to grants, all applicants received free consultation services from local small business development organizations, including Bridgeway Capital, Chatham University and the University of Pittsburgh. 

Fifty-one percent of the funds were reserved for Black, indigenous, or persons of color (BIPOC), or individuals residing in low-income communities identified by the Small Business Administration. 

The Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator awardees each received $2,000 in general operating support for their businesses. The awardees and their respective industries include: 

Architecture 

Design 

Digital Games 

Film & Media 

Music & Entertainment 

Multidiscipline 

Publishing 

Visual Arts & Crafts 

These grant programs are funded annually statewide by the PCA, a state agency under the Office of the Governor, and administered regionally by Pennsylvania Partners in the Arts (PPA), PCA's statewide network of re-granting partners. The Arts Council is the PPA Partner for Allegheny, Beaver, Greene and Washington counties.  

For more information on Greater Pittsburgh Art Council grant programs, please visit www.pittsburghartscouncil.org/programs/grants. 

Photos are available for media to download here, courtesy of the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council.

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Category

Grantmaking

About the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council

The Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council champions the arts in Southwestern Pennsylvania, providing financial, professional, and political support for the arts and culture sector. Comprised of more than 600 diverse artists and nonprofit organizations, the Arts Council offers valuable research, legal and business consulting, networking and professional development opportunities so that artists, as well as arts leaders and organizations, can grow their skills and advance their practice. The Arts Council provides grants for artists and arts organizations, leads the region's arts advocacy at the local, state, and national level, and models best practices for accessibility and equity in the arts.

For interviews with the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council, image use requests, and any other media questions, please contact Manager of Communications Lisa Cunningham at 412-391-2060, ext. 227 or lcunningham@pittsburghartscouncil.org.