Spotlight Program

The Spotlight Program is administered by Pennsylvania Creative Industries, the flagship brand of the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency dedicated to strengthening the creative sector across the Commonwealth. The Council’s strategic plan emphasizes empowering, connecting, and amplifying creative industries as drivers of economic growth, workforce development, and community vitality. Through this program, the agency aims to support smaller arts organizations and programs that contribute to Pennsylvania’s cultural ecosystem while aligning with statewide development priorities. The primary purpose of the Spotlight Program is to provide financial support and professional development opportunities to smaller creative organizations and arts programs that deliver services, products, or programming aligned with one of five strategic focus areas: Asset Development, Workforce Development, Community Development, Visibility, or Policy. In addition to funding, the program fosters collaboration among grantees by offering networking opportunities such as webinars tailored to specific artistic disciplines or strategic focus areas. These opportunities are designed to strengthen organizational capacity and encourage cross-sector learning. Funding through the Spotlight Program is relatively modest, with anticipated awards of up to 5000 dollars per grantee. The program operates on a reimbursement basis, meaning that awarded organizations must first incur and pay for eligible expenses, then submit documentation such as receipts, invoices, and proof of payment along with a final report in order to receive reimbursement. Funds may only be used for eligible program-related expenses occurring within the designated performance period, which runs from January 1 through December 31, 2027. Certain costs are explicitly prohibited, including lobbying expenses, cash prizes, hospitality costs, and activities that are not accessible to the public. Eligibility is limited to nonprofit, tax-exempt organizations and units of local government located in Pennsylvania. Applicants must demonstrate an annual average arts revenue between 10000 and less than 100000 dollars, calculated over a two-year period, and must have at least two years of consistent arts programming within the state. Both standalone arts organizations and arts programs housed within larger nonprofit or governmental entities are eligible, provided they meet documentation requirements. Organizations such as colleges, universities, K-12 schools, and auxiliary fundraising groups are explicitly excluded from eligibility. The application process requires applicants to complete several preparatory steps before submission. Applicants must review program guidelines and comply with a checklist of requirements, then submit their application through the Electronic Single Application system. Registration for a Keystone Login is required to access the application portal, and applicants must also establish ACH payment capability to receive funds. Required application materials include organizational documentation such as IRS determination letters, Form 990 filings, financial statements, and a record of arts activities from the past two years, along with narrative responses addressing mission alignment and organizational capacity. Applications are evaluated by a review committee that assesses eligibility, completeness, and the quality of narrative responses, particularly the applicant’s alignment with one of the strategic focus areas. Evaluation criteria include the strength of the organization’s contribution to the selected focus area, evidence of service to communities, and demonstrated organizational capacity. Financial stability is also reviewed through submitted financial documents. Final funding decisions consider these factors alongside program budget constraints and geographic distribution considerations, with final approval granted by the Council. The application timeline for the 2026–2027 cycle opens on August 3, 2026, and closes on September 14, 2026. Following review and approval, awarded organizations will be notified and required to complete the performance period during the 2027 calendar year. Final reimbursement materials and reports must be submitted no later than January 30, 2028. Failure to meet reporting deadlines or comply with grant conditions may result in termination of the award and ineligibility for future funding. Applicants may direct questions regarding program content or application requirements to designated program staff via email or phone.

Strongly align activities to one strategic focus area and clearly demonstrate organizational capacity and community impact