Advocacy in the Arts, Special Edition: March 11, 2026
A Special Arts Advocacy Day Edition |
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On March 24, artists, administrators of arts organizations, educators, and community members from across the Commonwealth will gather in Harrisburg for Arts Advocacy Day 2026. This annual day of action is an opportunity to speak with one voice about why the arts matter in Pennsylvania, and what they need to thrive. Whether you have been advocating for years or are new to this work, there is a place for you — even if you can't participate in person. |
What Is Arts Advocacy Day? |
Arts Advocacy Day is a statewide effort coordinated by Creative Pennsylvania (formerly Citizens for the Arts in Pennsylvania) to meet with members of the Pennsylvania General Assembly and their staff to:
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- Demonstrate how the arts strengthen our communities
- Advocate for smart, stable public investment
- Ensure policies support artists, arts education, and cultural organizations in all 67 counties
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Pennsylvania is consistently ranked among the most arts-vibrant states in the nation, yet our public investment in the arts ranks dreadfully below the majority of our neighboring states. Arts Advocacy Day is about working to close that gap and ensuring public funding works as intended: to support artists, nonprofit cultural organizations, arts education, and community-based creative work across the Commonwealth.
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What Are We Advocating For? |
This year, advocates across the state are aligned around several shared priorities: |
1. Recommit to the Mission of the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts (PCA), as spelled out in Act 538 of 1965 |
The PCA was established to support artists and cultural organizations in every county. We are advocating to:
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- Increase the state arts grants line item from $9.59 million to $12.9 million to strengthen direct support for artists and arts organizations across Pennsylvania.
- Restore the $1.7 million redirected from arts grants to economic development programs, ensuring these funds once again support the PCA’s core arts grantmaking.
- Extend Arts in Education and Folk Arts partnership programs, which are foundational to community-based cultural access, giving communities the stability and time needed to responsibly transition relationships and sustain local impact.
- Reinstate the Preserving Diverse Cultures Division, maintaining its $671,000 budget to provide multi-year grants and organizational development support for culturally specific and community-rooted arts organizations.
- Establish Pennsylvania Creative Industries as a division within the PCA, supported by $2 million in new funding to advance creative sector economic development without diverting resources from arts grants.
- Ensure grant programs reflect the full diversity of Pennsylvania’s arts ecosystem, supporting artists at different career stages, organizations of varying sizes, and a wide range of artistic disciplines and community-based work.
- Fill future Citizen Council vacancies with members who actively represent and understand Pennsylvania’s arts sector, ensuring informed leadership and strong connections to the communities the PCA serves.
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2. Ensure Transparency, Accountability, and Long-Term Stability
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Public funding works best when it is transparent, accountable, and predictable. We are advocating for:
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- Clear reporting on grant guidelines and awards to ensure stakeholders understand how funds are allocated.
- Strong legislative oversight of PCA grantmaking and funding decisions.
- A statewide mapping initiative to document and promote public and private institutions engaged in artistic and cultural activity across Pennsylvania, helping policymakers better understand the sector’s reach and needs.
- Long-term infrastructure policies, including exploring a statewide “percent for arts” fund to provide sustainable support for the arts across the Commonwealth.
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Advocacy can happen from wherever you are. Whether you plan to join us in Harrisburg on March 24 or you’re advocating from your home community, your voice matters. Legislators want to hear from the people they represent, especially when those messages come from constituents who care deeply about their communities. To make participation accessible and effective, we’ve developed a comprehensive Arts Advocacy Day 2026 Toolkit to empower individuals and organizations to advocate confidently and clearly.
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- Background context on this year’s legislative priorities
- Clear messaging grounded in shared statewide goals
- Templates for emails and letters
- Social media guidance
- Tips for respectful and effective engagement
- Information to help you connect with your own legislators
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Whether you are new to advocacy or have been doing this work for years, the toolkit is designed to meet you where you are.
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Register for Public Comment During Virtual PCI Meeting |
Members of Council, the governing body of Pennsylvania Creative Industries, will meet virtually on March 26 at 9 a.m. The meeting is open to the public and can be attended online via Microsoft Teams or by phone. Anyone wishing to address Council during public comment should submit a request by email in advance of the meeting. Requests should include the speaker’s affiliation and the topic they wish to address. We encourage anyone who believes the agency’s strategic shift may be harmful to the arts field to share their perspective during public comment. How to Attend |
- Join the meeting: Meeting ID: 233 395 797 081 53 | Passcode: pM2Dd65W
- Or dial in by phone: +1 267-332-8737 | Phone conference ID: 997 518 879#
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In addition to gathering in Harrisburg on March 24, grassroots organizers across the state are developing collective responses to the changes at the state arts agency. On March 12, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., MAAP and Casa de Duende will officially launch the ROAR Campaign, which stands for Restoring Opportunities for Artists and Residents. Their goal is to ensure that our communities receive the public investment they deserve. » Register to attend the virtual campaign kickoff here.
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Thanks for helping shape Pittsburgh's future through advocacy and action, |
Patrick Fisher
CEO, Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council
PS. Did someone forward you this newsletter? Sign up now to be part of the movement. New here? Welcome! We send a few different emails. If you’re just here for Advocacy in the Arts, click 'Manage email preferences' below and select 'Advocacy Newsletters.' |
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