Pop-Up Grants for Cultural Producers

March 31, 2020

The application period is now closed.

Pennsylvania Humanities Council (PHC) puts the humanities in action to create positive change in our lives and communities. We use everyday tools available to us all — creativity and the power of stories, reflection, and relationships — to grow our potential and shape an equitable society. The COVID-19 crisis is significantly impacting our cultural life through the closing of museums and libraries and the cancelation of in-person programs, historic tours, festivals, and other major events that bring people together to build community and support local economies, individuals, and organizations.

We believe people have the creativity, know-how, and talent to make a difference right now in building culture, discussing books, and exploring history in our local communities while adhering to social distancing guidelines. We want to quickly give them the support and visibility they need to champion their big ideas. PHC Pop Up Grants for Cultural Producers was created to support organizations in Pennsylvania seeking to launch humanities events, programs, and projects during the COVID-19 shutdown through virtual or other forms of distance-based engagement with the public.

Please note: Pop-up Grants for Cultural Producers are not part of the CARES Act, which allocated additional funding to state and territorial councils through the National Endowment for the Humanities. PHC will have more information on that upcoming opportunity soon.

Project Examples

Humanities programs can take many forms. They delight us, inspire discovery and learning, and open our eyes and hearts to different points of view. They also help us connect, build community, and even heal. The following examples are only a shortlist meant to inspire:

a live Instagram talk about the history of dance clubs followed set of music and storytelling by a DJ and club owner;
behind-the-scenes tour of a museum exhibit on Civil Rights led by a local historian and residents who share their stories
a Zoom dinner-time book discussion or coffee break journal-writing session or family recipe storytelling swap led by a librarian;
Facebook live class exploring local history through family photographs followed by an online exhibit and blog by participants;
curated collection of at-home activities for youth delivered directly to your door;
podcast interviews delivered to your inbox by local mediamakers with creatives, cultural producers, and entrepreneurs on developing our communities.

Award Amount

PHC Pop Up Grants for Cultural Producers will be between $500-$2000.

Deadline

Rolling through April. Deadline may be extended as needed and additional funds are available.

Eligibility

This opportunity is open to small and medium-sized non-profit organizations (budgets under $3 million). Interested individuals should work through local nonprofits to realize their pop-up projects.