Overview
Agency Mission
Empowering, connecting, and amplifying creatives and creative industries and their contributions to Pennsylvania’s communities, economy, and workforce.
Agency Vision
Pennsylvania becomes the national leader among states for creative communities, talent, and industries.
Agency Brand
In March 2025, PA Council on the Arts’ Governing Council adopted ‘Pennsylvania Creative Industries’ as its new brand. This brand better positions us to foster collaboration amongst a range of creative disciplines; speaks to the breadth of expertise, abilities, and offerings of the sector; and emphasizes the importance of creativity in driving innovation, economic growth, and community development.
We offer tools to help PA communities be competitive
Grants for Arts Organizations and Arts Programs – Ensure your community offers a variety of cultural amenities that enhance quality of life.
Support for Arts-Based Community and Economic Development – Jump start your quality of place with multi-year assistance up to $100,000. Reactivate your main streets and commercial corridors, develop signature cultural events, or attract entrepreneurs and other key professional talent.
Access to Patient Capital for Creative Small Businesses – Grow creative industries in your community with access to patient and flexible capital ranging from $5,000 to $250,000.
Pathways to Start or Grow Your Creative Small Business – Make your entrepreneurial ecosystem shine and attract and retain entrepreneurs in your community with access to free business development consultation and financial assistance of $2,000.
The Power of the Creative Industries
Did you know PA's creative sector employment numbers rank 7th in the nation?
- Creative sector assets are fundamental to prosperity, as many commonwealth communities—both rural and urban—face challenges related to business starts, population loss, and access to capital.
- PA Creative Industries is doing its part to connect Pennsylvania communities with relevant tools and game-changing opportunities.
A state is only as strong and competitive as its communities.
- Communities compete for residents, a talented workforce, and investment.
- A robust creative sector is a competitive differentiator for Pennsylvania communities.
Quality of place makes a difference.
- Thriving arts and culture activities and amenities are natural attractors for visitors, residents, investment, and to incentivize relocation of talent critical to a community’s prosperity.
- The creative sector not only raises the visibility of communities but also adds $30 billion to our economy and employs more than 189,000.
See how we help build businesses through investments in creative entrepreneurs and small businesses and listen to stories from creative sector innovators and contributors.
PCA History
On October 26, 1966, Governor William D. Scranton signed enabling legislation establishing the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts. Through the provisions of Act 538, the Council is charged with "the encouragement and development of the various arts" in the Commonwealth. Funding for the PCA comes from the citizens of Pennsylvania through an annual state appropriation by the General Assembly and from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), a federal agency.
The Council's grants programs began in 1968 with a modest program of support for community arts festivals. Currently, the PCA accomplishes its mission through a combination of grants to the arts; partnerships and initiatives; technical assistance to partners and applicants; and by serving as a resource for arts-related information for public officials, other agencies of state government, and the general public. The PCA undertakes partnerships and initiatives to leverage opportunities, to seek solutions to challenges affecting the arts in the Commonwealth, and to initiate programs that will serve a broad spectrum of artists, arts organizations and arts participants throughout the state.