Program Update on Changes to Pennsylvania Creative Industries’ Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator
Beginning with Fiscal Year 2026-2027, Pennsylvania Creative Industries’ Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator (CEA) program will no longer be administered by the Pennsylvania Partners in the Arts (PPA).
The CEA program has seen great demand and impact since its launch in 2021. With implementation of Pennsylvania Creative Industries’ updated strategic framework, the agency is working to revise the CEA program design to ensure enhanced, strategic business development support for program participants.
Pennsylvania Creative Industries anticipates sharing details about and future application timelines for the CEA program in the fall of 2026.
Note: Pennsylvania Partners in the Arts organizations are still the regional point of contact for the CEA program for current year (July 1, 2025 – December 31, 2026) CEA program participants. As grant award agreement materials outline, CEA program participants must submit all required final report materials and receipts to their regional PPA organization's point of contact (PDF) by December 31, 2026.
Questions
- For question regarding a current CEA grant, contact your regional PPA Partner organization (PDF).
- For general questions regarding the evolution and availability of the CEA program, contact Amanda Lovell, PA Creative Industries’ Director of Access to the Creative Sector.
How to Apply
The Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator is administered regionally by the PCA's Pennsylvania Partners in the Arts (PPA) Partners, in cooperation with a network of small business development organizations, including the PA Small Business Development Centers.
To learn more about the Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator in your county and participating referral coordinators, contact your regional PPA partner.
Eligibility requirements
- Eligibile creative entrepreneurs must be at least 18 years of age and a current resident of Pennsylvania for at least one year.
- Applicant's business must have gross revenue less than $200,000.
- Creative entrepreneurs are eligible to receive funding through the Creative Entrepreneurs Accelerator Program once every three years.
Who are creative entrepreneurs?
Under the Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator program definition, creative entrepreneurs are individuals who intend to form a business or who operate a for-profit micro business in Pennsylvania within one or more of the following creative industry areas:
- Marketing: Advertising and marketing agencies & professionals
- Architecture: Architecture firms & architects
- Visual Arts & Crafts: Galleries, artists, artisans & makers
- Design: Product, interior, graphic, and fashion design firms and designers
- Film & Media: Film, video, animation, TV & Radio businesses
- Digital Games: Companies, programmers & individuals producing games
- Music & Entertainment: Producers, venues, musicians & performers
- Publishing: Print or electronic businesses & content creators, editors & writers
How the program works
- Creative entrepreneurs will first receive consultation services from and business plan review by a local small business development organization (known as "referral coordinators" for the purposes of this program). Business consultation services will be provided at no cost to interested creative entrepreneurs.
- Referral coordinators can help with the how-tos of starting a business, development of a sound business plan, and business growth and sustainability strategies.
- Once a referral coordinator has reviewed a creative entrepreneur's business plan, they will refer the creative entrepreneur to the regional PPA partner organization.
- Upon receiving the referral, the PPA partner will send application materials to the creative entrepreneur.
- After receiving an eligible and complete application, the PPA partner will enter into an award agreement with the creative entrepreneur and process a grant of $2,000.