Creative Philadelphia (formerly the Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy) and the Illuminate the Arts Grant (ITAG) Committee today launched the $1.5 million 2024 Illuminate the Arts Grant. The online application will remain open through Friday, September 13, 2024 at 11:59 p.m.

The 2024 Illuminate the Arts Grant is a means to help strengthen and financially uplift Philadelphia’s creative sector, particularly in Philadelphia’s Black and Brown communities, and those that do not have access to most traditional sources of arts funding.

A total of $1.5M will be distributed to Philadelphia’s individual artists, small and mid-size arts organizations, and small creative enterprises to support and acknowledge their creative practice and impact on Philadelphia’s disadvantaged and most underserved and poorest communities.

“Although the Illuminate the Arts Grant originated as Covid-19 relief, it continues to address an important need as a funding opportunity serving individual artists and enterprises, as well as non-profits,” said Chief Cultural Officer Val Gay. “We want to dispel the narrative of the ‘starving artist.’ Accessible funding opportunities like this one help strengthen our creative sector and enrich the quality of life for so many creatives in Philadelphia.”

Applicant Eligibility

The 2024 Illuminate the Arts Grant application process and eligibility requirements are uniquely geared to meet the needs of the local arts and culture community while providing funds quickly and efficiently. Applicants must be based in Philadelphia County. The 2024 grants will support:

• Individual artists with a 2023 total annual income of $55,800 or less can apply for a grant of $1,500-$2,000. Individual artists who claim dependents are eligible for higher maximum income limits and should visit the application to determine eligibility.
• Small nonprofit arts organizations with 2023 operating budgets of $100,000 or less can apply for grants ranging from $3,000-$5,000.
• Mid-size nonprofit arts organizations with 2023 operating budgets between $100,000-$500,000 can apply for grants ranging from $5,000-$7,000.
• Small creative enterprises with 2023 operating budgets less than $500,000 can apply for grants ranging from $5,000-$7,000.

This will be a competitive grant with more eligible applicants than the $1.5M Illuminate the Arts Grant will be able to support. Applicants can submit only one request to the 2024 Illuminate the Arts Grant but are encouraged to apply for support through other funding available from local, state, and national levels. A list of other resources is available at creativephl.org/opportunities.

Application Q&A Sessions

Creative Philadelphia compiled Frequently Asked Questions for the 2024 Illuminate the Arts Grant. Creative Philadelphia hosted two virtual question and answer sessions for applicants who need more information about completing the online application through Submittable. The virtual sessions were open to the public.  Frequently Asked Questions can be found here.

Eligible applicants can apply online by visiting creativephl.org/illuminatethearts for more information.

For assistance in completing the application through the online form, please email creativephl@gmail.com or call 215-906-5873. Language access support is available by request. Si no puede completar la solicitud a través del formulario en línea o necesita ayuda en español, envíe un correo electrónico a creativephl@gmail.com.