Important Program Update on the Availability of Pennsylvania Creative Industries’ Entry Track Grant Program
Please see the following update.
In April 2025, Pennsylvania Creative Industries’ governing Council adopted a new strategic plan with the mission to empower, connect, and amplify creatives and creative industries and their contributions to Pennsylvania’s communities, economy, and workforce.
To support this new mission, Pennsylvania Creative Industries will invest its resources in five key areas:
- Asset Development (e.g., creative organizations, entrepreneurial ecosystem, technical assistance, regional networking).
- Workforce Development (e.g., creative skills, career awareness, and employment pathways).
- Community Development (e.g., creative placemaking, engagement with local governments, and networking for practitioners).
- Visibility (e.g., promotion of creative industries, products and services, and of the contributions and opportunities within our commonwealth’s creative sector).
- Policy (e.g., creation of policies that promote and foster relevancy and opportunity for creative industries, within governmental and non-governmental agencies and businesses).
To maximize impact and ensure alignment with these five key areas, Pennsylvania Creative Industries will be sunsetting the Arts Organizations and Arts Programs (AOAP) and Entry Track programs. Both programs will discontinue as of Fiscal Year 2026–2027 (July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027). Please note this will not impact your current Fiscal Year 2025-2026 AOAP or Entry Track grant.
Looking Ahead
Over the coming months, Pennsylvania Creative Industries will be publishing new and expanded opportunities for the Commonwealth’s creative sector, including:
- Pennsylvania Creative Asset Program -- New, direct, flexible support for small- to mid-sized arts organizations with average annual revenue between $100K - $2M;
- Application Opens: Monday, February 2, 2026
- Application Closes: Monday, March 16, 2026
- Anticipated grant amounts will range between $10,000-$15,000 per organization.
- Creative Communities Initiative -- expanded funding availability for multi-year grants of $100K for community-led creative projects;
- Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator -- enhanced program design to provide strategic business development support for artists;
- Creative Business Loan Fund – access to affordable, flexible financing designed for creative entrepreneurs.
- Creative Innovation and Impact Grant Program -- supports new, multi-year strategies that empower, connect, and amplify creatives and creative industries and their contributions to Pennsylvania’s communities, economy, and workforce.
- Anticipated grant amounts will be between $100,000-$150,000.
In addition to these funding opportunities, you can sign up for news here to stay informed as we develop additional programs.
Overview
Features of the Entry Track grant program:
- Applicant organizations must be able to demonstrate a history of at least two years of consistent arts programming in Pennsylvania and have an annual average arts revenue of $200,000 or greater.
- Funding amounts for Entry Track are set by the PCA's governing council and applied to all Entry Track grantees .
- Activity Period: July 1 - June 30. All funded activities must take place during this time period.
- The Entry Track application guidelines provide additional information regarding eligibility and how to apply.