Harrisburg, PA – Today, the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts (PCA) announced the addition of six communities to the Creative Communities Initiative (CCI). These place-based community and economic development projects, which were each selected for their innovative and comprehensive approach to addressing a variety of local challenges and opportunities, will receive multi-year funding from the PCA to support creative placemaking work. Each site will receive a total of $100,000 over a four-year period.
The Creative Communities Initiative strengthens Pennsylvania communities through support for arts-based community and economic development work. Each CCI project is rooted in deep community engagement and capitalizes on the community's 's unique creative assets to cultivate community connectedness, livability, and economic development.
“The Creative Communities Initiative exemplifies our commitment to developing vibrant, inclusive, and resilient communities by leveraging Pennsylvania's thriving creative sector," said Karl Blischke, Executive Director of the PCA. “We are excited to see how these new projects harness the power of the arts to create positive change in their communities."
The 2024 PCA Creative Communities Initiative projects are:
Easton – A project of the Greater Easton Development Partnership to advance downtown revitalization and community development through artist led community engagement for planning and implementation of public art projects and activities.
Johnstown – Led by Bottleworks Ethnic Arts Center, the CREATE Public Art Initiative will engage local artists, residents, and youth to plan and implement public art projects and activities in Cambria City, a national historic district in Johnstown.
Kane – Employment of an Arts Engagement Coordinator, a new position of the Chamber of Commerce of Kane PA, to lead local artists and residents for creative placemaking projects and activities including public art, community festivals, and creative small businesses.
Pittsburgh – Developed and managed by Riverlife, the project includes deep community engagement through public art and arts activities to inform major infrastructure projects, including the West End Bridge, and reconnect residents to the Ohio River Front.
Potter County – A county-wide collaboration with the Potter County Creative Council the project includes in-depth community asset mapping and community engagement to inform creative placemaking projects and activities that address the challenge of youth engagement and population loss by improving community vitality, promoting the county's natural and outdoor recreation assets and providing opportunities for creative expression.
Uniontown – The National Road Heritage Corridor's project trains local students to research, interview, and collect local African American stories and plan and implement public art projects and community activities that celebrate people and place and highlight the community's role in the Underground Railroad.
According to the latest data from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), arts and cultural production in Pennsylvania accounted for more than $30 billion of the state's economy and supported more than 175,000 jobs, highlighting the significant role the creative sector plays in Pennsylvania's economic landscape.
The PCA is currently seeking letters of interest for the 2025 Creative Communities Initiative round. Letters will be accepted until November 22, 2024, at 5 p.m. EST. CCI guidelines and information can be found at arts.pa.gov. Questions about developing a CCI proposal should be directed to Sarah Merritt, Director of PA Creative Communities & the Creative Economy.
The mission of the PCA is to strengthen the cultural, educational, and economic vitality of Pennsylvania's communities through the arts. By leveraging the immense power of Pennsylvania's arts and cultural sector, the PCA supports jobs, builds community, inspires lifelong learning, promotes the commonwealth nationally and internationally, and sparks innovation. For more information on the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, please visit the website or follow PCA on LinkedIn and Facebook.
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