Erie Arts & Culture administers grants annually to support projects and programs facilitated by nonprofit organizations in the region. Funding support for our grantmaking operations come from two primary sources, the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts (PCA) and distributions from the Erie Arts Endowment. Applications for each grant program are accepted at different times throughout the calendar year. Applications are reviewed and scored by a volunteer panel who take into consideration the quality of the project design, proposed community engagement and projected impact, and how the project will be managed.
Erie Arts & Culture (EAC) offers a new Arts & Cultural Organization Grant Program through the National Endowment for the Arts and the American Rescue Plan. The grants are intended to fuel the art sector’s recovery from the devastating economic and health effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. These funds are intended to help support arts organizations and the broader arts and culture sector in its response to and recovery from the pandemic.
EAC’s awards will impact a broad constituency, and we encourage applications from a wide variety of arts organizations. Through this project, EAC will provide support to regional organizations as they mitigate the impact the impact of the pandemic while also encouraging the expansion of community access to the arts by (a) demystifying artistic practice and increasing the accessibility of arts programs to communities—especially communities that may have been under-resourced in the past by federal arts funding; and (b) supporting a wide range of arts activities developed in a variety of local settings.
EAC will competitively award ARP funds to eligible arts and cultural non-profit organizations. These funds are intended to help support jobs in the arts sector, maintain day-to-day operations of arts organizations, and assist in the sector's response to and recovery from the COVID-19 crisis.
Clarence E. Beyers pursued a personal mission to increase the Erie community’s access to art and music and make generosity to the arts contagious. For many years, Beyers generously contributed to local arts organizations and helped talented Erie students obtain professional training at nationally recognized institutions. He was active on multiple boards and a long time violist in the Erie Philharmonic.
To continue his legacy, Erie Arts & Culture will use the annual distribution from the Clarence E. Beyers Fund for the Clarence E. Beyers Grant Supporting Musical Performances. $26,000 in grants are awarded over three application cycles annually to non-profit arts organizations that are presenting quality musical performances that are accessible and relevant to the public. The online application portal for the Clarence E. Beyers Grant Supporting Musical Performances will open on October 1.
$5,000 awarded annually to four arts organizations that are prepared to take a strategic next step as it relates to its mission, operations, or programs. Online applications open January 1.
Virginia P. Vieser was a small business owner, mother, and dedicated supporter of education in Erie County. To continue the legacy of Virginia P. Vieser, Erie Arts & Culture will use the annual distribution from the Virginia P. Vieser Fund for the Virginia P. Vieser Grant Supporting Arts in Education. This $4,000 grant is awarded annually to one non-profit arts organization that is implementing a new and innovative arts in education project. The online application portal for the Virginia P. Vieser Grant Supporting Arts in Education will open on January 1.
The Pennsylvania Council on the Arts (PCA) is excited to introduce a new grant program, the Creative Sector Flex Fund (CSFF), for the 2023-2024 grant year. The CSFF is designed to address the changing needs of dynamic PA arts organizations with average annual revenue between $10,000 - $200,000.
This grant program incorporates the current needs of the field by offering grantees the flexibility to use $5,000 grants in ways that ensure the most significant impact for their organizations and communities.
Eligible uses of funds are flexible, including the support of applicants’ administrative, programmatic, and project-related expenses.
Please note: The PCA has retired Pennsylvania Partners in the Arts’ (PPA) Entry to Program Stream, and Program Stream grant programs. The decision to retire these programs resulted from the PCA’s consideration of conversations, feedback, observations, insights, research, and data review with state and industry leaders, panelists, grantees, and community members. The goal of this retirement is to enable the PCA to provide a funding avenue that better aligns with industry trends and the goals of their strategic plan.
Please note: The PCA has retired the PPA Entry to Program Stream, and Program Stream grant programs. The decision to retire these programs resulted from the PCA’s consideration of conversations, feedback, observations, insights, research, and data review with state and industry leaders, panelists, grantees, and community members. The goal of this retirement is to enable the PCA to provide a funding avenue that better aligns with industry trends and the goals of their strategic plan.
Contact Casey Corritore, Program Officer of Capacity Building, with questions about Erie Arts & Culture’s grant making and capacity building programs: [email protected] | 814-452-3427 x 108
The Preserving Diverse Cultures (PDC) Division supports the creation, development and stabilization of organizations, programs and projects whose mission and artistic work are deeply rooted in and reflective of the perspectives of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC). Additionally, the applicant's programs and staff are representative of BIPOC communities.
The Division seeks to foster organizational stability, expansion of the arts and cultural programming in BIPOC communities; and to support the training of capable administrators.
Please note: The Preserving Diverse Cultures grants are administered by the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts. The submission deadline for the 2023 - 2024 program period has passed. Grant program guidelines and due dates for the 2024 - 2025 program period will be published on the PCA’s website in December 2023.
Contact Dana Payne, the PCA’s Director of DEI Initiatives, Diverse Cultures & Heritage, for more information regarding program availability and the application process: [email protected] or 717-525-5544.
A DipJar is a portable donation tool designed specifically for non-profits. The DipJar allows donors to “dip” their credit card into the mobile electronic card reader; enabling one-step collection that is quick and easy. Each DipJar can be set to a dollar amount of your choosing, with a minimum of $3 and a maximum of $1,000 per dip. DipJars do not require wifi and the devices keep financial information safe and secure.
To benefit the region’s creative and cultural non-profit organizations, Erie Arts & Culture has four DipJars that can you reserve for your next event or fundraiser. These devices are a great tool for collecting donations when your supporters are experiencing, in-person, the impact of your organization’s mission. Local success stories include the Martin Luther King Center raising nearly $6,000 at their 10th annual MLK Awards Dinner and the Inner City Neighborhood Art House raising approximately $1,500 in less than two hours at an annual showcase of their programs and services.
Erie County is full of passionate people, and we know that there is a tremendous amount of generosity that flows through our region. It is important that we reinforce the fact that philanthropic giving is not necessarily about making major gifts in thousand dollar increments. It’s about each donor making a contribution that is significant and meaningful to them. For many in our community, that occurs at the $5, $10, $25, and $50 levels. Erie Arts & Culture believes that access to a DipJar provides those in our cultural and creative community with an opportunity to convert audiences to donors in a manner that is intuitive, quick, and reflects technology and consumer trends.
How Can My Organization Borrow the DipJars?
Funds donated through a DipJar are collected by Erie Arts & Culture and then administered to your organization, less service fees, as an unrestricted grant. Please contact Kathleen Birkmire at [email protected]
Erie Arts & Culture serves as the fiscal sponsor for multiple projects and organizations, offering our legal and tax-exempt status.
If you have a project in need of fiscal sponsorship please reach out to Kathleen Birkmire at [email protected] or by phone at (814) 452-3427 x103.
Erie Asian Pacific American Association
The Erie APAA is a volunteer-led, organization dedicated to promoting and raising awareness of the diverse Asian Pacific cultures present in the greater Erie community through educational activities and cultural events.
Grounded Print and Paper Shop
Grounded Print and Paper Shop is an interdisciplinary, contemporary print and paper making studio located in Erie, PA. Their mission is to offer a safe, sustainable, collaborative, and inclusive creative space.
Footlights Theater
The Footlights Theatre Program was initiated in 1974 (back then it was called Students Summer Theater) by The Erie School District and City of Erie Parks and Recreation Department. It was developed as a vehicle to teach area youth about musical theatre through the production of a full-length musical show. The program is now produced by All An Act Theatre Productions and collectively sponsored by The City of Erie Parks and Recreation Department, The Erie School District, and All An Act Theatre Productions.
TEDxERIE
TED is a nonprofit organization devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. TEDxErie, where x = independently organized TED event. TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At our TEDxErie event, TEDTalks video and live speakers will combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group.
Erie County Poet Laureate
Erie County Government, in cooperation with Edinboro University, Gannon University, Mercyhurst University and Penn State Behrend, started the Poet Laureate Initiative in 2009. Already it has received recognition for its impact on the arts in our region; receiving the Pennsylvania County Commissioners Association County Arts Award in 2011 and the National Association of Counties National Arts Award in 2012.
Photo credit: Eric Dye
