Pennsylvania's budget is signed into law, and with it comes a genuine win: an additional $1 million for the Grants to the Arts line item, the first increase to this appropriation in over a decade. It's a fifth of what we asked for, but it's proof that advocacy works. This month, we're celebrating that progress, and looking ahead to how we keep the momentum going all year long. We're also launching something new: an advocacy leadership program coming to Southwestern PA for the first time. 

$50.8B Budget Signed into Law

After 12 days without a spending plan, the PA House and Senate reached a deal on a $50.8 billion budget for the 2026–27 fiscal year, which Gov. Josh Shapiro signed into law on July 12. It's the fifth consecutive year the Commonwealth has gone without an on-time budget, but a marked improvement over last year's five-month impasse.

The final budget agreement is about $2.4 billion less than the proposal Gov. Shapiro introduced in February. It does not include any broad tax increases or use money from Pennsylvania's Rainy Day Fund, the state's emergency savings account.

Several of the Governor's priorities were left out of the final agreement, including a plan to generate new revenue by regulating skill games and a proposed fund to support housing and critical energy infrastructure projects. Lawmakers say they will continue negotiating those issues, along with funding for public transit and affordable housing, in the months ahead.

Arts Funding Sees First Increase in More Than a Decade

With the budget signed, we have a win to celebrate. The Grants to the Arts line item received a $1 million increase over the Governor's original flat-funded proposal of $9.59 million, the first increase to this appropriation in more than a decade. It's only a fifth of the $5 million increase we advocated for, but it's proof that advocacy works.

We're grateful to every elected official who took the time to meet with us and to those who submitted letters of support. We also want to extend special thanks to Sen. Jay Costa and his office for their steadfast leadership and advocacy in championing this increase. This win sets a framework we can build on in future cycles.

Here's why it matters.

This means Pennsylvania Creative Industries, powered by Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, now has $1 million more to work with than originally budgeted, and our advocacy continues to make sure those dollars are deployed in a way that best supports the arts statewide. A Council meeting scheduled for July 9 was postponed and has not yet been rescheduled. When a new date is announced, we encourage the field to attend virtually and register to give public comment, so Council hears directly how you'd like to see that additional $1 million put to use.

» Also worth celebrating: We were pleased to see that funding for the Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission was restored after the state budget proposal originally called for a 3.4% decrease in general government operations and a $2 million reduction in Cultural and Historical Support grants. However, the final budget was passed with a 1.4% increase in operations, and Culture and Historical grants remained flat funded at $4 million with no decrease. We applaud everyone who successfully restored this important funding.

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Turn Passion for the Arts into Powerful Advocacy

We're excited to announce the Advocacy Leadership Institute, a six-month cohort program licensed from CreativeOhio that prepares established arts and cultural leaders across Southwestern Pennsylvania to advocate with clarity, credibility, and confidence at the local and state level. This is the inaugural cohort in the Greater Pittsburgh region, and we’re thrilled to bring the program here to help build a growing network of advocacy champions. 

Applications are now open! Participants will meet monthly from January–June 2027 to build knowledge of legislative and funding processes, hands-on advocacy skills, and lasting relationships with peers and policymakers. Want to learn more before applying? Sign up to attend our free info session on August 20.

Affordable Artist Housing: Press House Open House on July 28

The conversation around affordable housing in Pittsburgh continues to be an important one for our community. Over the past year, we've examined what other cities have done to provide affordable housing specifically for artists, and that helped shape a local opportunity in Pittsburgh.

On July 28, Hullett Properties will host a free open house at Press House, located at 800 Penn Avenue, right across the street from Arts Landing. Press House offers income-responsive housing, and Hullett is hoping to build a community of artists among its tenants.

» Rent is based on the tenant's income. The maximum income limit is 50% AMI: currently $38,600 for a one-person household and $44,200 for a two-person household.

The event, catered by James Cafe, invites artists to tour the building, explore available apartments, meet the Hullett team, and learn more about what it's like to live at Press House. Members of the Arts Council team will also be on hand. If you're an artist looking for housing, this is a great chance to see the space and ask questions in person.

Rebutting Misconceptions About Public Arts Funding

We submitted a letter to the editor to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette earlier this month in response to Brandon McGinley's June 18 column, which questioned Pittsburgh's use of ARPA funds to support arts organizations. Our letter challenged a familiar double standard: public investment in artists and cultural organizations is routinely subjected to a level of scrutiny rarely applied to other public expenditures, even though it represents only a tiny fraction of overall government spending.

Other News of Interest:

What Is a Cultural Plan? Lessons from Four Cities

» Register here for the July 30 session

Join The City Club of Cleveland for a forum on what cultural planning can look like in practice. Arts leaders, including Arts Council CEO Patrick Fisher, will explore how the process requires ongoing adaptation, collaboration, and shared learning. The forum is in person in Cleveland, but will be livestreamed beginning at noon.

Mai Khôi

Mai Khôi is an award-winning singer, composer, and activist who has called Pittsburgh home in exile since fleeing Vietnam in 2019. A former City of Asylum Artist-in-Residence (2020–2022), Khôi rose to stardom in Vietnam before her activism, sparked by witnessing government crackdowns on protesters, led to raided concerts, evictions, and police detentions. Her courage has been recognized with the 2018 Václav Havel Prize for Creative Dissent and the 2022 Four Freedoms Award for Freedom of Speech.

Khôi is now moving to Philadelphia to begin her next chapter, and Pittsburgh will miss her. Thank you, Mai Khôi, for the art and advocacy you've brought to our city and the world at large.

Do you know a person or organization worth a spotlight? We'd love to learn more! Use this form to send us their info for consideration in a future newsletter.

Keep the Momentum Going

The $1 million increase to the Grants to the Arts line item didn't happen on its own; it took legislators willing to write letters of support, offer guidance, and push conversations forward. Last month, we encouraged you to reach out to your appropriations committee members to ask them to push for the increase. This month, we encourage you to join us in taking a moment to tell them thanks. A quick email or phone call goes a long way toward keeping the arts top of mind for the next budget cycle.
 

We also are celebrating the latest announcements of Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP) grants, which provide funding for arts and culture organizations across the region.

Allegheny County arts and culture-related recipients* include:

*This list has been updated to correctly reflect the organizations who received RACP funding. We mistakenly missed that the RACP announcement included RACP applicants in addition to awardees. We apologize for the error.

Elected officials play a large role in RACP grants, and we encourage you to also join us in thanking legislators who helped bring funding to organizations in your community. A full list of recipients can be found in this document.  

Thanks for helping shape Pittsburgh’s future through advocacy and action,

Patrick Fisher
CEO, Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council

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