Meet Our 2026 Grantees

We are dedicated to supporting artists, creative entrepreneurs, and organizations through various grant opportunities. Our funding programs are designed to nurture creativity, enhance cultural experiences, and strengthen the arts community in Northwestern Pennsylvania. Explore the different grants available and learn how you can benefit from our resources.

Lydia McCain Artist Fellows

The McCain Fellowship grant awards are unrestricted. Funds are flexible, and can be used for any part of the artist's creative process, including professional development, purchasing equipment or tools, and support for basic needs. The Fellowship supports one artist in each career level: Emerging, Mid-Career, and Established. Erie Arts and Culture (EAC) awarded $11,000 in unrestricted grants to support the creative careers of three Erie County artists.

Emerging Artist Fellow Tess Carletta

Tessa Sayre (she/her) is an independent author based in the heart of North East, Pennsylvania. Her published works feature diverse characters in magical worlds, with an emphasis on queer joy and the quest to understand the human condition. After writing casually for over fifteen years, Sayre published her debut novel, Kit & Basie in 2023. Praised for its cozy whimsy, Kit & Basie is a gentle study on love and the meaning of home. It has been nominated for 9 indie publishing awards.

Tess writes, "A good book is one you can escape into. A great book is one that, when you return from that escape, you see the real world through a lens that is wider, wiser, and kinder... [My] published and in-progress works are a call to action to chase wholeheartedly after a meaningful existence."

Learn more at: www.tesscarletta.com

Mid-Career Artist Fellow Clayton Bradshaw-Mittal

Clayton Bradshaw-Mittal (they/them) writes queer, working-class stories, essays, and poems. Winner of the Plaza Short Story Prize, their creative work can be found in Story, Third Coast, The Masters Review, Fairy Tale Review, Hole in the Head Review, Friction, South Carolina Review, and elsewhere. Other writing appears in The Rumpus, Barrelhouse, New Ohio Review, and additional journals.

They are the recipient of a MASS MoCA Fellowship and Residency, the Carlisle Family Scholarship from Community of Writers, a Scholarship from the Vermont Studio Center Residency, and an Emerging Artist Fellowship from Partners for the Arts. In addition, their work has been supported by a Sundress Residency, a Twisted Run Residency, and the Tin House Winter Workshop.

Clayton writes about their practice, "I became a writer out of necessity... it was literature that saved me and showed me hope for the future. There was no other space for me outside of books, and I... felt a need to etch my name into the world."

They are currently querying a short story collection titled "Soft Goodbyes Through Broken Veils". The collection is a group of loosely linked short stories that explore what it means to be an artist coming from the working class.

Learn more at: www.writerclaytonbradshaw.com

Established Artist Fellow Preach Freedom

Ronald “Preach Freedom” Williams is a musician, composer, ethnomusicologist, and educator whose career spans global stages, classrooms, and community movements. Born in Erie, Pennsylvania, Preach has spent decades using music as a powerful tool for connection, resistance, and healing.

A founding member of acclaimed groups such as One World Tribe, Preach Freedom and Connect, and the Buffalo Afrobeat Orchestra, Preach Freedom blends soul, Afrobeat, hip-hop, reggae, and funk to create music that is deeply human. His compositions speak to the collective struggle for justice, the beauty of our differences, and the core belief that music is a tool that brings people together. His band One World Tribe was awarded 1st Prize in the Renaissance Artists and Writers Association's 2016 Songs for Social Change Competition for the track “We Are One,” featuring Grammy-winner Terrance Simien.

Preach's ethos is evident throughout his entire career. He shared, "My entire practice can be summarized as 'each one, teach one'. With One World Tribe, we didn’t write for major labels, we wrote to impact our communities... 'We Are One' wasn’t just a song; it was a call: Think globally, act locally. Music is both a mirror and a movement. It’s how I see the world, and it’s the legacy I leave. Preach Freedom is more than my name; it’s my call to action."

Creative Sector Flex Fund

EAC awarded $100,000 to 20 grantees, through the Creative Sector Flex Fund. Grantees represent arts programs and arts organizations in Erie, Crawford, Warren, Venango, and Lawrence Counties. The Creative Sector Flex Fund (CSFF) is a grant program of the Pennsylvania Creative Industries, powered by the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts (PCA), that provides $5,000 in flexible-use grants to support artistic programming and/or arts services in NWPA.

McBrier Family Fund

The McBrier Family Fund supports 501(c)(3) arts organizations working in partnership with artists to develop arts and cultural programs. Erie Arts and Culture prioritizes requests that activate partnerships with folk and traditional artists. With $4,922 this year, we supported:

Erie Art Museum - Activating Sculpture in Bronze Exhibition with traditional Indian dance

McCain special projects grant

The McCain Special Projects Grant supports new arts projects in Erie County. Erie Arts and Culture defines a “Project” as a one-time, public effort that involves some degree of innovation or risk-taking. This year, Erie Arts and Culture was able to support two projects with $11,974:

Citizens Against Racism in Erie • AmeriMasala Festival 2026

GeekErie • Erie Stories for Eerie Readers: A Comics Anthology

Beyers Fund for Music Performances

Erie Arts and Culture uses the annual distribution from the Clarence E. Beyers Fund to support Erie County non-profit organizations and independent efforts that present quality musical performances for the public. With $28,454 many organizations were supported:

McCain Next Steps Grant

The Lydia McCain Next Steps Grant for Arts Organizations provides $5,000 annually to four arts organizations that are prepared to take a strategic next step related to their mission, operations, or programs.This year, we supported:

McCain Artist Opportunities Grant

The Lydia McCain Grant to Advance Artist Opportunities provides funding for artists in Erie County who have a strong artistic vision and a timely opportunity that will help advance their artistic career. Examples of such opportunities may include exhibitions and performances, visiting artist residencies, leading a community-centered arts-based project, and more. With $18,713 we supported:

Rugile Morelli

Madison Wood

Victoria Angelo

Adam Calfee

Vieser Fund for Arts Education

Erie Arts and Culture uses the annual distribution from the Virginia P. Vieser Fund to award a $4,400 grant to one non-profit arts organization implementing a new and innovative arts in education project.

“Learn to Turn” Events by Presque Isle Woodturners

Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator (CEA) Program

Erie Arts & Culture awarded $36,000 through the Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator Program to support 18 creative small businesses across Northwest Pennsylvania with grant funding and small business consulting.

MAJOR COIN, LLC • Kennedy Horton • Erie • A streetwear brand, creative media, and event company

Tataboline Enos • Warren • Built on Enos’ award-winning rural economic development memoir “Proudly Made”, Tataboline Enos writes books in physical and audio format and offers keynote speaking services

The Scribbler's Den • Katie Passerotti • Mercer • An educational writing platform designed to help writers develop their craft through structured learning experiences and community-centered education

Pulp and Vinegar • Jordan Bubin • Erie • A brand that blends digital historic storytelling edu-tainment with live performance

TS Embroidery • Travis Stewart • Erie • High-end custom embroidery services for corporations, small businesses, and individuals

Kay’s Nails • Kayla Gaston • Erie • A professional,  high quality, nail salon offering personalized customer experience, creative nail artistry, strong community engagement, and a convenient downtown Erie location

Conemaugh Leather • David Deter • Erie • Handcrafted 18th-century and colonial-era leather goods

TheWavMax Company • Oryah Brown • Erie • Hip-Hop and R&B digital promotion services

Lichen coLab Creative, Inc. • Eleanor Earnhart • Lawrence • A Benefit Corporation building integrated infrastructure for ceramic artists and creative entrepreneurs in Western Pennsylvania and Eastern Ohio

Abstract Penguin • Andrew Chernauskas • Erie • A creative digital studio providing UX/UI design, custom website development, digital brand strategy, and web application solutions for businesses, nonprofits, & orgs

Abigail Paulson • Erie • Freelance vocalist, songwriter, and recording artist known for her warm, expressive tone and dynamic range

Soprano • Emma Rose Lewis • Erie • Providing unique classical and contemporary musical performances with educational programming at community events, educational institutions, retirement facilities, and more

Lucky Cat Lessons • Brooke Surgener • Erie • Private music studio offering songwriting lessons, co-writing services, and voice, piano, and guitar lessons

Octopuss Design • Jay Yurick • Crawford • Brand offering stationery, accessories, clothing, and home goods at the intersection of metal, punk, and pride

Imagination Photography • Frederick Fiedler • Erie • Offering 50 years of experience in photographic art, matting, framing, and education

Ant’s Art House • Anthony Carson • Erie • Visual and performing artist offering on-the-spot doodles, art prints, coloring and therapy books, and genre-bending folk and pop music

The Fallen Shoppe • Kaleb Lewis • Venango • An immersive retail and folklore experience featuring 14 local artisans, apparel, and special makeup effects/ sculpture education

Sharon Smith Metal Arts • Sharon Smith • Erie • Offering metal pieces rich in symbolism, style, and functionality, and metalsmith education

Carla b. hughes

We’re thrilled to introduce the inaugural recipients of the Carla B. Hughes Memorial Dance Grant: Mariah Johnson, recipient of the $1,000 Choreographer Grant, and Mia Adelhardt, recipient of the $500 Dancer Grant.

Mariah Johnson

Mariah Johnson is an Erie, Pennsylvania-based dance educator, choreographer, performer, and creative leader with more than 25 years of dance training and 13 years of teaching experience. She began dancing at the age of two and trained through the Erie Bayfront Ballet legacy, Erie Bayfront Dance, and Erie Dance Theater. She studied and performed ballet, jazz, tap, modern, contemporary, hip hop, and pointe under many of Erie's distinguished dance educators.

Johnson currently serves as a Dance Educator, Performance Team Director, Competition Team Leader, and Creative Marketing & Social Media Manager at Erie Dance Theater. She teaches jazz, hip hop and contemporary dance to students ages six through adult, mentors approximately 50–70 dancers each week, choreographs original works for the stage, and helps lead the artistic vision of productions, recitals, competitions, and community performances. Among her creative contributions are original full-length theatrical dance productions inspired by Harry Potter, Star Wars, and Black Panther, blending storytelling with choreography across more than eight dance styles for performers ranging from young children to advanced dancers. In addition to her work in the studio, she creates and manages Erie Dance Theater’s digital marketing and creative content, helping connect the organization with audiences throughout the region.

Her choreography has been presented in studio productions, community performances, and regional and national dance competitions, earning multiple Emerging Choreographer Awards, Best Choreography Awards, Judges' Choice Awards, Top Overall High Score Awards, Highest in Division Awards, Best in Category Awards, Platinum and Gold adjudications, Standout Studio Awards, and Hype Awards. She has also participated in professional development opportunities through conventions such as NYCDA and Intrigue.

Johnson attended Indiana University of Pennsylvania, where she studied Interdisciplinary Fine Arts, and will begin pursuing her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance at Mercyhurst University in Fall 2026. Through teaching, choreography, and lifelong learning, she is committed to strengthening Erie’s dance community by creating meaningful artistic experiences, mentoring young dancers, and inspiring future generations through the transformative power of dance.

Mia Adelhardt

Mia Adelhardt is a dancer, instructor, and choreographer from Erie, Pennsylvania, whose passion for dance has shaped her life from an early age. She began dancing as a young child, and returned to training at the age of eleven, after her mother opened a dance studio called Sovereign Ballet. From that point forward, dance became the foundation of her artistic identity and the path she hopes to pursue throughout her life and for years to come.

Over the years, Mia has continued to expand her experience as both a performer and educator while developing her own artistic voice as a choreographer. She has created numerous original works ranging from beginner-level pieces to advanced choreography, discovering a passion for crafting movement that communicates emotion and tells meaningful stories. She hopes to continue expanding her choreographic career by studying new compositional techniques and abstract theatrical elements, and developing innovative works that leave a lasting impact on audiences.

After graduating from high school in 2023, Mia enrolled at Erie County Community College, where she is continuing her education while pursuing her artistic goals. She plans to transfer her credits in the future and is considering earning a graduate degree to further support her career in the performing arts. Looking ahead, Mia hopes to train and perform with contemporary ballet companies, travel internationally to study a variety of artistic perspectives, explore dance companies throughout Europe and beyond, and potentially establish a future living and working in Europe as she continues to grow as both an artist and educator.