Elk County Council on the Arts Launches Program to Support Local Creative Entrepreneurs
Marisa Gonzalez, Public Arts Program Manager of the Elk County Council on the Arts, announced availability of the Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator Program (“the Program”), which matches eligible creative entrepreneurs with existing, free, local, small business consulting services and financial resources up to $2,000 to help them grow their businesses, audiences, and revenue.
The CEAP Program is open to all eligible applicants but is designed to prioritize investments in socially or economically disadvantaged creative entrepreneurs and those who are located in and whose work benefits low-income communities, as defined by the Small Business Administration. Applications to the CEAP Program will be accepted on a rolling basis.
To be eligible for the CEAP Program, individuals must: be at least 18 years of age and a current resident of Pennsylvania for at least one year; have annual gross revenue less than $200,000; and be a creative entrepreneur intending to form a business or operating a business in Pennsylvania within one or more of the following creative industry areas: marketing; architecture; visual arts and crafts; design; film and media; digital games; music and entertainment; and publishing.
Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator Program grant funds must support business formation or development. Eligible uses of grant funds include activities such as research and development, purchase of supplies and equipment, and professional and business development fees.
The Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator Program is funded by the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts (PCA), a state agency under the Office of the Governor, and administered regionally by the Pennsylvania Partners in the Arts (PPA), PCA’s statewide network of re-granting partners.
The Elk County Council on the Arts serves as the PCA’s PPA partner organization for Cameron, Elk, Forest, McKean, Potter County. The Elk County Council on the Arts is a sales gallery located in beautiful downtown Ridgway Pennsylvania. We offer a wide variety of affordable items from 50+ local artisans. These items include one of a kind jewelry, pottery, photography, mixed media, painting, wood-turning and much more. ECCOTA is a Pennsylvania Council on the Arts partner whose mission is to strengthen the cultural, educational, and economic vitality of Pennsylvania’s communities through the arts. They promote equitable access for all Pennsylvanians to participate fully in a creative life and in the diverse forms of arts and culture in the commonwealth. ECCOTA is a Pennsylvania Council on the Arts partner. Through our partnership with the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts we are able to bring the Pennsylvania Partners in the Arts grant program and Arts in Education residencies to our region.
Additional details about the Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator Program can be found here.
Entrepreneurs located outside of ECCOTA’s service territory may still be eligible for this program; however, they must consult with the PPA partner that serves their county of residence. Four PPA partners serve the PA Wilds, including:
- Centre Foundation: Centre, Clearfield, Clinton (also Huntingdon)
- PPA Contact: Molly Kunkel – molly@centre-foundation.org
- Phone: 814-237-6229
- Elk County Council on the Arts: Cameron, Elk, Forest, McKean, Potter
- PPA Contact: Marisa Gonzalez – marisa@eccota.com
- Phone: 814-772-7051
- Erie Arts and Culture: Warren (as well as Crawford, Erie, Lawrence, Mercer, Venango)
- PPA Contact: Laurel Mitchell – laurel@erieartsandculture.org
- Phone: 814-452-3427, ext. 102
- United Way of Clarion County: Clarion, Jefferson (also Armstrong, Butler, Indiana)
- PPA Contact: Melissa Fulton – clarionunitedway@verizon.net
- Phone: 814-226-8760
More information on the CEAP can and PPA partners be found here.
