Essential Information

News Announcing the West Philadelphia Creative Grants Initiative May 29, 2024 PHILADELPHIA, PA — The Sachs Program for Arts Innovation at the University of Pennsylvania and the Paul Robeson House & Museum (PRHM) are thrilled to announce a new funding opportunity for the West Philadelphia creative community. Individual artists and community and civic groups can apply for West Philadelphia Creative Grants of between $2,500 and $5,000 to support creative projects and cultural activities that benefit the West Philadelphia community and provide general operating support for individual artists and organizations. Essential Information Grant Opportunities Project Grants Funding for art projects and cultural activities that benefit the West Philadelphia community, up to $5,000 each General Operating Grants Support for ongoing operational costs for artists and organizations, up to $2,500 each Application Deadlines Grant applications can be submitted from the Paul Robeson House & Museum website beginning Wednesday, May 29, 2024, through Saturday, June 29, 2024. How to Apply To submit an application for a West Philadelphia Creative Grant and for more information, including examples of the types of projects eligible for support, please visit the Paul Robeson House & Museum website. Submit an application For additional information, please email the West Philadelphia Arts Council at [email protected]. Eligibility Applicants must satisfy the following criteria to be eligible for West Philadelphia Creative Grants. Applicants must live in West Philadelphia or have significant ties to the West Philadelphia community. Applicants must be at least 18 years of age. Applicants must identify as Black, Indigenous, or a Person of Color (BIPOC) or as a BIPOC-led group or organization. Applications are encouraged from the following groups: Community centers, organizations, educators, collectives, informal groups, students, etc. Artists of all types, including emerging artists, novice artists, career artists, mid-career artists, commercial, craft, hobby, and retired artists. West Philadelphia Arts Council West Philadelphia Creative Grants are a local funding initiative established by the newly formed West Philadelphia Arts Council (WPAC). These programs have been developed through a collaboration between the Paul Robeson House & Museum and The Sachs Program for Arts Innovation at the University of Pennsylvania, with lead support from the William Penn Foundation. West Philadelphia Arts Council goals include the following: Promote an active dialogue about the resources needed to support arts and culture in West Philadelphia. Provide direct funding (via grants) to artists and in support of arts activities within West Philadelphia. Develop programming in support of the West Philadelphia creative community based on community needs and desires. Support the launch of an Artist-In-Residence program for West Philadelphia artists at the Paul Robeson House & Museum (to be announced later this year). Coordinate programs with Penn Arts for Community Engagement (PACE), a collaborative group at the University of Pennsylvania made up of professionals from various campus arts institutions, such as Arthur Ross Gallery, Institute of Contemporary Art, Penn Libraries, Penn Live Arts, Penn Museum, the Rotunda, and WXPN. PACE is dedicated to advancing community engagement and leveraging the arts to foster social change in West Philadelphia. The West Philadelphia Arts Council is composed of dedicated individuals from the West Philadelphia community and beyond. Council members bring a wealth of experience and a deep commitment to supporting and nurturing the local arts community. A complete list of WPAC members can be found on the Paul Robeson House & Museum website. Paul Robeson House & Museum Paul Robeson House & Museum (PRHM) is located in West Philadelphia and was the final home of artist, actor, and activist Paul Leroy Robeson. PRHM keeps Paul Robeson’s legacy alive by supporting the values he stood for—social and economic justice, racial equity, artistic excellence, and the power of art as a force for fundamental social change. PRHM is a museum, a hub for research on Paul Robeson, a center for the arts, and a community hub serving West Philadelphia and the world. Since 1984, PRHM has connected the community to the arts through workshops, gallery shows, author talks, and concerts and by providing free or low-cost tickets to other cultural organizations in Philadelphia. William Penn Foundation The William Penn Foundation, founded in 1945 by Otto and Phoebe Haas, is committed to expanding access to resources and opportunities that promote a more vital and just city and region for all. The foundation does this through funding programs in the Philadelphia region in arts and culture, children and families, democracy and civic initiatives, environment and public space, and workforce training and services. The Sachs Program for Arts Innovation The Sachs Program for Arts Innovation is a center at the University of Pennsylvania that provides grants and other forms of strategic support to artists, faculty, cultural centers, students, and other arts advocates at Penn and beyond. Our vision is that the arts at Penn are valued and embraced as a creative catalyst, driving innovation, inspiration, and action. The Sachs Program supports a creative, culturally diverse, and pluralistic Penn community. We are committed to supporting individuals and groups from all races, ethnicities, gender identities, sexual orientations, religions, disabilities, and socioeconomic backgrounds.