The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage and what do you do?
The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage (the Center) is dedicated to stimulating a vibrant cultural community in the five-county Southeastern Pennsylvania region. The Center's seven key funding Initiatives—Dance Advance, Heritage Philadelphia Program, Pew Fellowships in the Arts, Philadelphia Cultural Management Initiative, Philadelphia Exhibitions Initiative, Philadelphia Music Project, and Philadelphia Theatre Initiative—provide support to area artists and arts and heritage organizations whose work is distinguished by excellence, imagination, and courage.
How is the Center associated with the Pew Charitable Trusts?
The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage is funded by The Pew Charitable Trusts, and is a key component of Pew's strategic support for culture in the region.
How is the Center associated with the University of the Arts?
The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage is administered through The University of the Arts. The University of the Arts performs some administrative functions for the Center.
What kinds of grants do you award? Do you have grants for individuals?
The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage makes awards to both organizations and individuals. Each Initiative has a set of annual guidelines detailing the types of grants available and eligibility criteria. To find out if you or your organization is eligible for funding through The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage, please find the Initiative relating to the discipline(s) you practice and either visit its page on the Center's Web site or contact the individual staff directly. Center staff members are always available to answer any questions you may have.
How many grants did the Center make last year?
In 2011, the Center's Initiatives together awarded over $6.3 million in grants to 69 grantees through its seven Initiatives. Visit the Grants Awarded page for a list of grantees from the most recent calendar year. Since 1989, the Center's Initiatives have provided over $76 million in project support to artists and arts and heritage organizations in the Southeastern Pennsylvania area.
How are grant decisions made at the Center?
Initiative grants are made annually through rigorous peer-review panels composed of a rotating group of distinguished, internationally-recognized experts. These panelists are selected from all over the world and bring both general and specific areas of disciplinary expertise to the process. Professional development and capacity building grants are made at the discretion of Initiative Directors in consultation with Pew or other field experts, as appropriate.
How do I apply for a grant?
Each Initiative announces its annual guidelines and eligibility criteria on the Center's website, as well as a calendar of application due dates and deadlines. Pew Fellowships in the Arts (PFA) applicants are now determined by a nomination process. Please find the webpage of the individual Initiative in your specific discipline for more information, or contact its staff directly.
What does the Center do in addition to grantmaking?
In addition to its grantmaking, the Center organizes lectures, symposia, master classes, trips, and workshops, and commissions scholarship to explore critical issues in the fields we serve. Our Web site houses information about Center-funded events and our grantees, and documents a range of vital content culled from past endeavors. Visit the Center's Publications & Research page for a comprehensive database of these documents and artifacts.
Do the seven Initiatives housed at the Center work together or separately? How are they connected?
The Initiatives have always been funded by The Pew Charitable Trusts and are a key component of Pew's support for culture in the region. The Initiatives work together toward a common agenda of supporting artists and organizations of excellence in our community. Each Initiative works under its own timeline and makes its own project grants. The Initiatives often collaborate on joint professional development activities, including constituency trips and symposia, building bridges and finding fresh and imaginative ways of making connections among the disciplines in the arts community.
I love your facilities and the artwork. Who are the designers and artists represented?
The Center's offices were designed by BluPath Design, Philadelphia. All of the artwork in our office, including text excerpts, has been created by Pew Fellowships in the Arts recipients. For details about individual works of art in the space, download the Center's 2011 Art Notes PDF.
Can we hold a meeting in your space?
Our facilities are primarily reserved for the Center's work; however, when space is available, we do allow constituents and their organizations to host meetings in our space. For more information, please contact Ellen Maher.
Can we visit your library?
Our library is administered through Philadelphia Exhibitions Initiative, which hosts an online library database, and Heritage Philadelphia Program, and can be made available to constituents upon request. Please contact the individual Initiative for more information.
Where is the Center located and where can I park when I visit?
The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage is located on the 18th floor of 1608 Walnut Street, between 16th and 17th Streets in Center City, Philadelphia, near Rittenhouse Square. Limited street parking is available, and there are two parking garages on Chancellor Street, between 15th and 16th Streets, within convenient walking distance.
