There’s nothing about it on their website but Pennsylvania Council on the Arts has suspended its fellowship program. As in, no direct grants to artists this year. This is due to Pennsylvania budget cutbacks of 24%– voted on by the legislature this fall and signed into law by the Governor in Oct.
This news came to us via several artists in Philadelphia who received the information in the form of a letter from Philip Horn, Executive Director of the Council, telling them thanks for submitting their application for fellowships and sorry you did all that work but no money this year for any artists. Maybe there will be some in the future—they hope so.
Meanwhile, grants to Pennsylvania institutions that support public programs will continue.
If you think we’re mad about this, you’re right. Artists are always the first to get cut from funding programs and the last to get recognized for their hard work and contributions to society. Why didn’t they just cut everybody back a little instead of taking the ax to the fellowship program. Unbelievable.
