About University of the Arts
The University of the Arts primarily funds Philadelphia-area arts and cultural institutions, with an emphasis on sustaining museums, performing arts organizations, and community-focused arts programs. Grants are often targeted to project support and institutional capacity for both established cultural anchors (museums, orchestras, theaters) and local community arts groups. The foundation shows a consistent preference for repeat partnerships within the city and with nearby universities.
Focus Areas
Large-scale Philadelphia museums and visual arts institutions (e.g., Barnes Foundation, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Clay Studio)Major performing arts organizations and conservatories in the region (Philadelphia Orchestra, Opera Company of Philadelphia, Curtis Institute)Theater companies and experimental/ensemble theater (Philadelphia Theatre Company, Pig Iron Theatre Company, People’s Light)Community arts and neighborhood arts development (Philadelphia Mural Arts, Village of Arts & Humanities, Asian Arts Initiative)Arts education and university-affiliated arts programs (University of Pennsylvania, Temple University, Arcadia University Art Gallery)
Who They Fund
About University of the Arts
The University of the Arts’ recent giving is anchored by major support for Philadelphia cultural institutions, with the largest grant in the file going to The Barnes Foundation for arts and cultural projects. That pattern continues across museum, theater, music, and community-arts organizations, showing a portfolio built around sustaining the city’s arts ecosystem rather than isolated one-off awards. The grants reach large anchor institutions and smaller neighborhood-facing groups alike, including the Philadelphia Museum of Art and Asian Arts Initiative. Its recent record also shows repeated support for the same organizations over multiple years, a sign of ongoing relationships rather than single-cycle funding. Philadelphia institutions appear throughout the recent grants list, and several recipients receive awards in both 2023 and 2024. The foundation’s giving is also tied to arts education and university-linked cultural work, with grants to institutions such as Temple University and the Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania. Across the file, the consistent theme is support for arts and cultural projects that help maintain performance, exhibition, and community programming in the Philadelphia area.
What University of the Arts Funds
Museum and visual arts institutions are a clear priority. The University of the Arts gave $479,640 to Fabric Workshop and Museum in 2024 and $314,784 to The Clay Studio in 2023, both labeled for arts and cultural projects. It also supported The Barnes Foundation with $645,000 in 2023 and $268,000 in 2024, showing repeat backing for a major visual-arts institution. Performing arts organizations are another major line of giving. The foundation awarded $468,000 to Philadelphia Orchestra Association in 2023 and $192,000 in 2024, while Philadelphia Theatre Company received $375,000 in 2024 and $210,000 in 2023. In community arts, Philadelphia Mural Arts Advocates received $297,300 in 2024 and $193,200 in 2023, and Village of Arts & Humanities received $336,000 in 2023. Those grants point to support for both citywide arts infrastructure and neighborhood cultural programming.
How University of the Arts Gives
Typical grants cluster in the six-figure range: the 25th percentile is $65,179, the median is $120,000, and the 75th percentile is $181,275. The recent grants list shows repeated awards to the same recipients across 2023 and 2024, including several organizations that appear more than once, which suggests ongoing relationships rather than purely one-time gifts. The foundation is a Pure DAF Provider and also makes program-related investments. Grants in the available record are all to organizations rather than individuals.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$9.5M
Total Assets
$189.3M
Total Revenue
$100.3M
Total Expenses
$106.4M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $65K and $181K, with a median of $120K.
25th Percentile
$65K
Median
$120K
75th Percentile
$181K
Geographic Reach
Local2 states funded
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Leadership
KERRY WALK
Accepts unsolicited proposals
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