Nurturing a vibrant region by elevating, inspiring, and connecting artists and organizations in Northwestern Pennsylvania. We promote, support, and expand arts and cultural experiences across Northwestern Pennsylvania and strive to make the arts accessible to everyone.
Three features define The Arts Council of Erie’s recent grantmaking: major operating support for Erie’s core arts institutions, repeated backing for organization-building, and annual fellowships for local artists. The largest recent award in the data, $87,395 to the Erie Art Museum in 2025, sits alongside sizable support for the Erie Philharmonic, which received $46,394 in 2024 and $44,440 in 2025. That pattern shows a funder working across both the production and presentation side of the arts ecosystem. The council also funds organizations at a scale that suggests ongoing institutional support rather than isolated project grants. Feed LLC received $33,221 in 2025, while Dramashop and Dafmark Dance Theatre were also funded in 2025. A separate stream supports artists directly through the McCain Artist Fellowship, which awards unrestricted fellowships to three Erie County artists each year at different career stages: Established, Mid-Career, and Emerging. Across the recent grants list, the council’s role is clear: it backs museums, orchestras, theaters, dance organizations, media, and artist-led work within Northwestern Pennsylvania.
Arts organizations are a central focus. In 2025, The Arts Council of Erie gave $87,395 to the Erie Art Museum and $44,440 to the Erie Philharmonic, reflecting support for established cultural institutions that anchor public arts access in Erie. It also funds performance and production groups. Dramashop received $15,000 in 2025, and Dafmark Dance Theatre received $11,650 that same year, placing theater and dance within the council’s grantmaking. Beyond performance, the council supports arts-adjacent public programming and cultural activity. Public Broadcasting of Northwest PA received $9,000 in 2025, while Goodell Gardens & Homestead received $7,000 in 2025, showing that its arts and culture funding reaches organizations with community-facing programming outside traditional venues.
Typical grants cluster in the low-thousands: the 25th percentile is $6,000, the median is $6,890, and the 75th percentile is $10,331. The recent grants list also shows larger operating or institutional awards at the top end, including five-figure support for several organizations. The pattern is repeat funding. Erie Art Museum, Erie Philharmonic, Erie Art Company, Downtown Edinboro Music and Art, Dafmark Dance Theatre, and Goodell Gardens & Homestead all appear more than once across recent years, which points to ongoing relationships rather than one-off awards. The council is a local grantmaker, and the available programs include both unsolicited opportunities and one fellowship program that is not open to unsolicited applications.
$427K
$4.8M
$898K
$1.3M
Most grants fall between $6K and $10K, with a median of $7K.
25th Percentile
$6K
Median
$7K
75th Percentile
$10K
ANNE O'DELL
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Grantmaking is concentrated in Pennsylvania, with 100% of recent grants going to recipients in the HQ state. Erie is the main recipient city, appearing repeatedly in the recent grants list, including awards to Erie Art Museum, Erie Philharmonic, Dramashop, and Public Broadcasting of Northwest PA. Beyond Erie, grants also reached Edinboro, Warren, Sharpsville, Sharon, and Titusville, showing a regional footprint across Northwestern Pennsylvania.
The council funds museums, orchestras, theater groups, dance organizations, arts and technology groups, and community arts programs. Recent grants include the Erie Art Museum, Erie Philharmonic, Dramashop, Dafmark Dance Theatre, and Erie Center for Arts & Technology.
Yes. Its McCain Artist Fellowship awards unrestricted fellowships annually to three Erie County artists at different career stages: Established, Mid-Career, and Emerging. The active program list also includes grants for individual artists such as fellowships and project grants.
The grant-size distribution centers in the low thousands. The 25th percentile is $6,000, the median is $6,890, and the 75th percentile is $10,331. Several active programs also sit at fixed amounts, including $5,000 and $11,000 awards.
The giving is local and all recent grants went to recipients in Pennsylvania. Erie is the dominant city, but the recent list also includes Edinboro, Warren, Sharpsville, Sharon, and Titusville, which shows a broader Northwestern Pennsylvania reach.
The recent grant list shows recurring relationships. Erie Art Museum, Erie Philharmonic, Erie Art Company, Downtown Edinboro Music and Art, Dafmark Dance Theatre, and Goodell Gardens & Homestead each appear in more than one recent year, alongside separate program-based awards and fellowships.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Current and upcoming funding from Arts Council of Erie that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Applicants must be 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations or individuals/grassroots efforts with a fiscal sponsor, with principal offices or activities in Erie County, Pennsylvania. Activities must be public, provide an artistic or social benefit, and have no religious purpose.
Deadline: October 1-December 15 annually
Who can apply: Erie County arts organizations partnering with artists to create arts and cultural programming.
Deadline: Rolling applications until October 31 annually
Who can apply: Applicants must be 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations whose primary focus is providing high-quality arts experiences or arts education. The principal office or activities must be located in Erie County, Pennsylvania. Individuals, municipalities, local education agencies, institutions of higher learning, community development corporations, and nonprofits whose primary missions are outside the arts are ineligible. Projects must be new, innovative, expose students of any age to visual or performing arts, and provide an artistic or social benefit to Erie County. Capital projects, recurring programs, religious or political activities, and reimbursements for expenses outside the grant activity period are ineligible.
Deadline: Annually January 1-March 15; notification May 30; grant activity period June-May.
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Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ERIE ART MUSEUM | ERIE, PA | $283,294 | 2026 | — |
| ERIE PHILHARMONIC | ERIE, PA | $55,846 | 2026 | — |
| EXPERIEENCE CHILDREN'S MUSEUM | ERIE, PA | $17,399 | 2026 | — |
| DOWNTOWN EDINBORO MUSIC AND ART | EDINBORO, PA | $11,250 | 2026 | — |
| ERIE PLAYHOUSE | ERIE, PA | $10,568 | 2026 | — |
| FLAGSHIP NIAGARA LEAGUE | ERIE, PA | $10,000 | 2026 | — |
| HAGEN HISTORY CENTER | ERIE, PA | $10,000 | 2026 | — |
| ERIE CONTEMPORARY BALLET THEATRE | ERIE, PA | $10,000 | 2026 | — |
| NORTH EAST ARTS COUNCIL | NORTH EAST, PA | $6,700 | 2026 | — |
| ERIE ARTS & MUSIC FESTIVAL | ERIE, PA | $6,250 | 2026 | — |
| DAFMARK DANCE THEATRE | ERIE, PA | $5,541 | 2026 | — |
| ERIE ART MUSEUM | ERIE, PA | $87,395 | 2025 | — |
| ERIE PHILHARMONIC | ERIE, PA | $44,440 | 2025 | — |
| FEED LLC | ERIE, PA | $33,221 | 2025 | — |
| DRAMASHOP | ERIE, PA | $15,000 | 2025 | — |
| DAFMARK DANCE THEATRE | ERIE, PA | $11,650 | 2025 | — |
| DOWNTOWN EDINBORO MUSIC AND ART | EDINBORO, PA | $10,150 | 2025 | — |
| PUBLIC BROADCASTING OF NORTHWEST PA | ERIE, PA | $9,000 | 2025 | — |
| WARREN COUNTY SUMMER MUSIC SCHOOL | WARREN, PA | $8,000 | 2025 | — |
| ERIE ART COMPANY | ERIE, PA | $7,500 | 2025 | — |
| GOODELL GARDENS & HOMESTEAD | EDINBORO PA, PA | $7,000 | 2025 | — |
| HIGHLY FAVORED PRODUCTIONS LLC | ERIE, PA | $7,000 | 2025 | — |
| TITUSVILLE COUNCIL ON THE ARTS | TITUSVILLE, PA | $6,650 | 2025 | — |
| RANDOM ACTS OF ARTISTS | SHARON, PA | $6,650 | 2025 | — |
| ERIE CENTER FOR ARTS & TECHNOLOGY | ERIE, PA | $6,050 | 2025 | — |
| ERIE ARTS & MUSIC FESTIVAL | ERIE, PA | $6,000 | 2025 | — |
| OIL REGION BALLET | OIL CITY, PA | $5,990 | 2025 | — |
| ERIE PHILHARMONIC | ERIE, PA | $46,394 | 2024 | — |
| ERIE ART MUSEUM | ERIE, PA | $21,376 | 2024 | — |
| ERIE CONTEMPORARY BALLET THEATRE | ERIE, PA | $8,000 | 2024 | — |
| AREA COMMUNITY THEATRE OF SHARPSVIL | SHARPSVILLE, PA | $8,000 | 2024 | — |
| ERIE ART COMPANY | ERIE, PA | $7,000 | 2024 | — |
| DAFMARK DANCE THEATRE | ERIE, PA | $6,350 | 2024 | — |
| FILM SOCIETY OF NORTHWESTERN PA | ERIE, PA | $6,350 | 2024 | — |
| DOWNTOWN EDINBORO MUSIC AND ART | EDINBORO, PA | $6,350 | 2024 | — |
| WARREN CIVIC ORCHESTRA | WARREN, PA | $6,350 | 2024 | — |
| GOODELL GARDENS & HOMESTEAD | EDINBORO PA, PA | $6,000 | 2024 | — |
| PENNSYLVANIA WESTERN UNIVERSITY | CALIFORNIA, PA | $6,000 | 2024 | — |
| SISTERS OF ST JOSEPH NEIGHBORHOOD | ERIE, PA | $6,000 | 2024 | — |
| TITUSVILLE COUNCIL ON THE ARTS | TITUSVILLE, PA | $5,350 | 2024 | — |
| OIL REGION BALLET | OIL CITY, PA | $5,010 | 2024 | — |
| ERIE COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY | ERIE, PA | $22,949 | 2023 | SUPPORT LOCAL ARTS AND CULTURE RELATED ORGANIZATIONS AS WELL AS ART PROJECTS |
| ERIE PHILHARMONIC | ERIE, PA | $16,797 | 2023 | SUPPORT LOCAL ARTS AND CULTURE RELATED ORGANIZATIONS AS WELL AS ART PROJECTS |
| ERIE PLAYHOUSE | ERIE, PA | $10,391 | 2023 | SUPPORT LOCAL ARTS AND CULTURE RELATED ORGANIZATIONS AS WELL AS ART PROJECTS |
| EDINBORO UNIVERSITY | EDINBORO, PA | $6,781 | 2023 | SUPPORT LOCAL ARTS AND CULTURE RELATED ORGANIZATIONS AS WELL AS ART PROJECTS |
| EXPERIENCE CHILDRENS MUSEUM | ERIE, PA | $5,498 | 2023 | SUPPORT LOCAL ARTS AND CULTURE RELATED ORGANIZATIONS AS WELL AS ART PROJECTS |
| FLAGSHIP NIAGARA LEAGUE | ERIE, PA | $5,430 | 2023 | SUPPORT LOCAL ARTS AND CULTURE RELATED ORGANIZATIONS AS WELL AS ART PROJECTS |
| DAFMARK DANCE THEATER | ERIE, PA | $5,125 | 2023 | SUPPORT LOCAL ARTS AND CULTURE RELATED ORGANIZATIONS AS WELL AS ART PROJECTS |
| FILM SOCIETY OF NORTHWESTERN PA | ERIE, PA | $5,125 | 2023 | SUPPORT LOCAL ARTS AND CULTURE RELATED ORGANIZATIONS AS WELL AS ART PROJECTS |
ERIE ART MUSEUM
$283,294ERIE PHILHARMONIC
$55,846DOWNTOWN EDINBORO MUSIC AND ART
$11,250ERIE PLAYHOUSE
$10,568FLAGSHIP NIAGARA LEAGUE
$10,000HAGEN HISTORY CENTER
$10,000ERIE CONTEMPORARY BALLET THEATRE
$10,000NORTH EAST ARTS COUNCIL
$6,700ERIE ARTS & MUSIC FESTIVAL
$6,250DAFMARK DANCE THEATRE
$5,541ERIE ART MUSEUM
$87,395ERIE PHILHARMONIC
$44,440FEED LLC
$33,221DRAMASHOP
$15,000DAFMARK DANCE THEATRE
$11,650DOWNTOWN EDINBORO MUSIC AND ART
$10,150WARREN COUNTY SUMMER MUSIC SCHOOL
$8,000ERIE ART COMPANY
$7,500GOODELL GARDENS & HOMESTEAD
$7,000HIGHLY FAVORED PRODUCTIONS LLC
$7,000TITUSVILLE COUNCIL ON THE ARTS
$6,650RANDOM ACTS OF ARTISTS
$6,650ERIE ARTS & MUSIC FESTIVAL
$6,000OIL REGION BALLET
$5,990ERIE PHILHARMONIC
$46,394ERIE ART MUSEUM
$21,376ERIE CONTEMPORARY BALLET THEATRE
$8,000AREA COMMUNITY THEATRE OF SHARPSVIL
$8,000ERIE ART COMPANY
$7,000DAFMARK DANCE THEATRE
$6,350FILM SOCIETY OF NORTHWESTERN PA
$6,350DOWNTOWN EDINBORO MUSIC AND ART
$6,350WARREN CIVIC ORCHESTRA
$6,350GOODELL GARDENS & HOMESTEAD
$6,000PENNSYLVANIA WESTERN UNIVERSITY
$6,000SISTERS OF ST JOSEPH NEIGHBORHOOD
$6,000TITUSVILLE COUNCIL ON THE ARTS
$5,350OIL REGION BALLET
$5,010SUPPORT LOCAL ARTS AND CULTURE RELATED ORGANIZATIONS AS WELL AS ART PROJECTS
ERIE PHILHARMONIC
$16,797SUPPORT LOCAL ARTS AND CULTURE RELATED ORGANIZATIONS AS WELL AS ART PROJECTS
ERIE PLAYHOUSE
$10,391SUPPORT LOCAL ARTS AND CULTURE RELATED ORGANIZATIONS AS WELL AS ART PROJECTS
EDINBORO UNIVERSITY
$6,781SUPPORT LOCAL ARTS AND CULTURE RELATED ORGANIZATIONS AS WELL AS ART PROJECTS
SUPPORT LOCAL ARTS AND CULTURE RELATED ORGANIZATIONS AS WELL AS ART PROJECTS
FLAGSHIP NIAGARA LEAGUE
$5,430SUPPORT LOCAL ARTS AND CULTURE RELATED ORGANIZATIONS AS WELL AS ART PROJECTS
DAFMARK DANCE THEATER
$5,125SUPPORT LOCAL ARTS AND CULTURE RELATED ORGANIZATIONS AS WELL AS ART PROJECTS
FILM SOCIETY OF NORTHWESTERN PA
$5,125SUPPORT LOCAL ARTS AND CULTURE RELATED ORGANIZATIONS AS WELL AS ART PROJECTS
