Grants for Creative Entrepreneurs to Grow Arts Micro-Businesses

Grants for Creative Entrepreneurs to Grow Arts Micro-Businesses is a $2,000 grant program administered by the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council through the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts' Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator (CEA) program, available to creative entrepreneurs in Allegheny, Beaver, Greene, and Washington counties in southwestern Pennsylvania.

The program combines free small business consulting with direct funding to help creative individuals grow their businesses and revenue. Eligible applicants are creative entrepreneurs and small business owners working in arts, media, design, crafts, and other cultural industries in the four-county service area. The most recent cycle announced $2,000 awards in September 2025.

Arts Blog | Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council - Any - Art News Artist Profile Artist Resources Arts & Culture Spotlight Arts Opportunities Cultural Policy Demystifying the Arts Grantmaking Guest Blog Pittsburgh Playlists Weekly Art Events Announcement | November 7, 2025 Pennsylvania Creative Industries to End Regional Partnerships and Creative Sector Flex Fund Program The Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council has learned that Pennsylvania Creative Industries, powered by Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, will end its long-standing regional partnership agreements.

Grant Announcement | September 29, 2025 $2,000 Grants Available to Creative Entrepreneurs in Allegheny, Beaver, Greene, & Washington Counties The Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council has announced information for the next Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator (CEA) grant program, which provides creative entrepreneurs in Allegheny, Beaver, Greene, and Washington counties with free small business consulting and $2,000 in funding to grow their businesses and revenue.

Grantmaking | August 20, 2025 Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council Announces Application Dates for $5,000 Grants to Regional Arts Organizations The Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council has announced the application dates for the Creative Sector Flex Fund (CSFF), a grant program supporting arts organizations in Allegheny, Beaver, Greene, and Washington counties.

Grant Announcement | April 30, 2025 Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council Awards $88,000 in State Grants to Creative Business Owners Forty-four Southwestern Pennsylvania creative entrepreneurs were awarded a total of $88,000 from the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council to support their business’ general operations as part of the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts’ (PCA) Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator program.

Grant Announcement | February 19, 2025 Black Artist Empowerment Grant Announces Award Recipients Ashanté Josey, Michael Carroll, and Kahlil Darden are proud to announce the 15 artists who will be awarded with a Black Artist Empowerment Grant, an initiative designed to uplift and support Black artists and creatives in Allegheny County.

Grantee Success Story | February 3, 2025 Pittsburgh Latino Magazine: A Year of Growth, Celebrations, and Community Impact With a bilingual website, print magazine, and a new podcast, Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council grantee María Manautou-Matos is championing the region's Latine community.

Guest Blog | January 16, 2025 How Arts Organizations Can Better Prepare for Federal and State Funding Faith Collins, Community Capacity Coordinator at the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission, provides arts and culture organizations with the knowledge they need to achieve funding from federal and state grants.

The Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council Awards $180,000 in Grants to 36 Regional Organizations through the Creative Sector Flex Fund The Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council is proud to announce the 36 Southwestern Pennsylvania organizations awarded with a total of $180,000 to support arts and culture work and programming as part of the Creative Sector Flex Fund grant program.

Black Artist Empowerment Grant to Recognize Black Artists and Creatives in Allegheny County Ashanté Josey, Michael Carroll, and Kahlil Darden are proud to announce the Black Artist Empowerment Grant, which will award 15 individual grants in the amount of $500 each to Black artists and creatives living and working in Allegheny County.

Healing Through Art: Katina Lee on Creativity and Wellness Learn about the artistic practice of Pittsburgh-based visual artist and expressive arts coach Katina Lee, who was awarded a Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator grant through the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council.

Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council Awards $354,000 in Pandemic Relief Grants to 118 Artists and Arts Workers in Southwestern Pennsylvania The Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council has awarded 118 artists and arts workers across Allegheny, Beaver, Greene, and Washington counties with $3,000 individual grants, totaling $354,000 in financial relief made possible through the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Commonwealth Financing Authority (CFA), and the Department of Community and Economic Development.

Coming This Summer: Grant Opportunities for Artists and Arts Organizations Grants Totaling $88,000 in State Funding Awarded to Local Creative Entrepreneurs Forty-four Southwestern Pennsylvania creative entrepreneurs were awarded a total of $88,000 from the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council to support their business’ general operations as part of the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts’ Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator program.

How to Apply for an Arts Grant The hardest part of being an artist should be making art, not writing grants. We compiled a list of tips to help make applying for an arts grant a little easier. $150,000 in Grants Awarded to 30 Regional Arts Organizations The grant program provides $5,000 grants to arts organizations in Allegheny, Beaver, Greene, and Washington counties with average annual revenues between $10,000 - $200,000.

Grants Totaling $50,000 in State Funding Awarded to Local Creative Businesses Twenty-six Western Pennsylvania creative entrepreneurs were awarded a total of $50,000 from the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council to support their business’ general operations as part of the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts’ Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator program.

Grants are used to start or operate a creative business in addition to providing access to free business consultations through local providers.

Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council to Receive $10,000 Research Grant from the National Endowment for the Arts Pittsburgh – January 10, 2023 — The Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council is pleased to announce it has been approved by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) to receive a Research Grant in the Arts award of $10,000.

This grant will support the Arts Council’s second round of racial equity and arts funding research as an update to its 2018 report, “Racial Equity and Arts Funding in Greater Pittsburgh. ” The 2018 report’s conclusion was that the overall picture is one of continuing disparities in arts funding by race. Advocacy Alert: State advocacy wins bring new funding to artists and organizations Advocacy work often happens behind the scenes.

So, when we heard that nearly $15 million of American Rescue Plan Act funding was on the table, we collaborated with our state advocacy partner to advocate for funds to be directed toward the arts community. Learn more about the new PA Arts and Culture Recovery Program!

Arts Council Awards $450,000 to 55 Local Artists and Arts Organizations The Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council has awarded $450,000 directly to the Allegheny County arts community as part of its Allegheny Arts Revival Grant, a one-time grant program funded by the National Endowment for the Arts.

$150,000 in Grants Available to Creative Entrepreneurs in Allegheny, Beaver, Greene & Washington Counties Creative entrepreneurs can receive up to $2,000 to support general operations of their small business through the Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator Grant, opening on Saturday, October 15, 2022.

New Grant Provides $450,000 to Allegheny County Artists and Arts Organizations The Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council announced today the launch of its largest grant program to date – the Allegheny Arts Revival Grant – which provides $450,000 to Allegheny County artists and arts organizations. This grant program is funded by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA).

Grants Totaling $100,000 Awarded in State Funding to Local Creative Businesses Fifty Western Pennsylvania creative entrepreneurs were awarded a total of $100,000 from the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council to support their business’ general operations as part of the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts’ (PCA) Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator program.

Grants are used to start or operate a creative business in addition to providing access to free business consultations through local providers.

Arts Council Awards $48,000 to 24 Local Creative Entrepreneurs Twenty-four Western Pennsylvania creative entrepreneurs have been awarded a total of $48,000 from the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council to support their business' general operations in the first distribution of funds from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts' Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator program.

Grants range from $500 to $2,000 and go toward starting or operating a creative business in Allegheny, Beaver, Greene, and Washington counties.

Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council to Receive $500,000 from the NEA to Re-grant Into Allegheny County The Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council has been selected to receive a $500,000 American Rescue Plan grant from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) to help the arts and cultural sector recover from the pandemic.

The Arts Council plans to regrant these funds to small nonprofit organizations and independent artists in Allegheny County in 2022. Arts Council Opens Applications Today for Two State Grant Programs for Arts Organizations Two grant programs open today for arts organizations that provide ongoing public art programs in Pennsylvania.

The state funds are regranted by the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council for applicants in Allegheny, Beaver, Greene and Washington counties on behalf of the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts (PCA).

New Fund Supports Emerging Creative Entrepreneurs Allegheny, Beaver, Greene, and Washington Counties Creative entrepreneurs can now access small business consulting services and critical financial resources through the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts’ Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator program, administered by the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council for applicants in Allegheny, Beaver, Greene, and Washington counties.

This program offers $500 to $2,000 in support of creative entrepreneurs starting a business or currently operating a micro-business in creative fields such as marketing, architecture, visual arts, crafts, design, film and media, digital games, music, entertainment, and publishing.

Arts Council Awards $10,000 to Nine Western Pennsylvania Teaching Artists Nine Western Pennsylvania teaching artists and arts educators have received a total of $10,000 to support career training and other professional development opportunities in the first distribution of funds from the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council’s Teaching Artist Opportunity Grant.

Grant Announcement: Changes to PCA State Grant Programs The Pennsylvania Council on the Arts (PCA) recently announced changes to its state-funded grant programs, including that it will be sunsetting its Project Stream Grant program due to post-pandemic fiscal impacts and changes in funding priorities.

New Fund Provides Support to Arts Sector by Offsetting Costs Related to COVID-19 Arts nonprofits and venues in Western Pennsylvania can soon access financial relief for costs related to COVID-19 venue and staff safety measures thanks to a new grant program by the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council.

New Grant Provides up to $2,000 for Teaching Artists in Western Pennsylvania A new grant program of the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council (GPAC) will provide up to $2,000 to support Western Pennsylvania teaching artists and arts educators seeking career training and other professional development opportunities. Applications for the grant program open on Monday, February 15.

Arts Council Receives $150,000 from Foundations and Individuals to Support Artists Impacted by COVID-19 The Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council (GPAC) has received nearly $150,000 for its Emergency Fund for Artists thanks to a combination of individual giving and foundation support since pivoting its fund in mid-March to support those affected by the current pandemic.

However, more than $80,000 is needed in order for the Arts Council to support all incoming applicants.

Arts Council Expands Emergency Fund for Artists, Asks for Donations in Response to Coronavirus In response to COVID-19's impact on the arts community, the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council has temporarily expanded the application guidelines of its Emergency Fund for Artists to cover up to $500 in loss of income due to coronavirus-related closings. The Arts Council is also asking for help raising funds to support the Emergency Fund.

Five Pittsburgh Artists Receive $10,000 in Professional Development Funds from Arts Council Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council announced five local artists will receive $10,000 total in awards as part of its December 2019 round of Artist Opportunity Grants. These grants provide financial support for artists to access professional development opportunities to support their creative careers.

41 Local Arts Groups and Artists to receive $69,891 in Funding This month the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council announced the distribution of $69,891 in Pennsylvania Council on the Arts (PCA) Project Stream grants across the seven-county Greater Pittsburgh region. The Arts Council honored the 41 grantees during a grant ceremony on Wednesday, November 20 at the Arts Council’s Downtown Pittsburgh office.

Arts Council Awards Nearly $85,000 to Pittsburgh-Area Artists Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council announced $84,985 in awards as part of its Artist Opportunity Grant and Lift Grant programs, which both support the creative careers of Greater Pittsburgh artists.

Pittsburgh Artists Receive $10,000 in Professional Development Funds from Arts Council Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council announced $10,000 in awards in its April 2019 round of Artist Opportunity Grants, which provides financial support for artists to access professional development opportunities to support their creative careers.

GPAC Emergency Fund Supports Its First Artist The Emergency Fund for Artists, administered by the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council, has awarded its first emergency grant to local guitarist Nathan Zoob. Launched in 2018, the Emergency Fund for Artists provides $300-$1,000 grants to support individuals who have experienced career-threatening situations, such as a fire, flood, accident or theft.

Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council Announces Second Round of Lift Grant Awardees Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council (GPAC) is pleased to announce the second round of creative professionals to receive a Lift Grant, GPAC’s newest grant program. $70,000 was awarded to four grantees (below) for artistic endeavors taking place through April 30, 2019.

Of the 72 applicants during this round of grants, 16 advanced to the second round of grant proposal reviews, with the final four project proposals selected to receive funding.

Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council Announces Grant Awards for Local Artists Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council announced $14,980 in awards in the April 2018 round of Artist Opportunity Grants, which will support artists in accessing professional development opportunities to support their creative careers.

Ten artists were awarded grants ranging from $680 – $2500 for technical needs, travel, lodging, and presentations associated with improving their art practice. Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council Announces Inaugural Round of Lift Grant Awardees Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council (GPAC) is pleased to announce the first round of creative professionals to receive a Lift Grant, GPAC’s newest grant program.

$75,075 was awarded to seven grantees (below) for artistic endeavors taking place through October 31, 2018. The project-specific funding supports the production and presentation of the arts throughout the 10-county region, lifting both the careers of working artists and the cultural offerings in Southwestern PA.

Launching, Today: The Lift Grant, a New Fund for Regional Artists Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council officially announces a new grant program for artists, organizations, and artistic collaborations: the Lift Grant. Lift Grants of $5,000 - $20,000 will be awarded twice annually through the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council thanks to a generous grant from the Hillman Foundation.

Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council Announces Grant Awards for Local Artists Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council announces $10,010 in awards in this round of Artist Opportunity Grants, funds to support individual artists in accessing professional development opportunities that support their artistic careers.

Eleven artists were awarded grants ranging from $660 - $1500 to support technical needs, travel, lodging, and presentations associated with improving their art practice.