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The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage

Philadelphia Theatre Initiative

The Philadelphia Theatre Initiative (PTI) exists to foster and promote artistic excellence, imagination, and courage in the region’s nonprofit theater.

To those ends, PTI seeks to:

  • Provide theaters, presenters, and independent theater artists with the resources required to stimulate artistic development and create or present theater of the highest standards;
  • Strengthen and expand the creative capacity of theaters, presenters, and independent theater artists of this region;
  • Expand the range of theatrical programming available to a wide range of Philadelphia-area audiences; and
  • Develop a sense of community through the exchange of ideas, information and resources.

At this site you can learn more about PTI, find eligibility information for grants, read descriptions of recently-funded projects, and download program guidelines and application materials.

PTI staff members are listed in the contact section of this website.

PTI News

Theater artists from Philadelphia blog about their travels to the Prague Quadrennial of Performance Design and Space ("the PQ")

PTI took eight accomplished theater designers and practitioners to the PQ, which features displays of juried theater design, installations, exhibitions and performances from over 60 countries. Read participants' reflections on their experiences here in a series of blog posts.

Pew Center for Arts & Heritage Announces 2011 Philadelphia Theatre Initiative Grant Recipients

Actress and playwright Anna Deavere Smith is interviewed about her work

Abbey Theatre’s leader meets with Philadelphia-area theater professionals

Academy Award-winning actress Estelle Parsons speaks about acting during a visit to The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage

PTI co-hosts an interview with Václav Havel, playwright and former President of the Czech Republic

Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Tony Kushner meets with Philadelphia theater professionals

Philadelphia Theatre Initiative
The Pew Center for Arts and Heritage
1608 Walnut Street, 18th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Phone: 267.350.4940
Fax: 267.350.4997
E-mail: pti@pcah.us

Photo at top: Philadelphia Theatre Company, Ruined. Pictured: Heather Alicia Simms, Oberon K.A. Adjepong, Chandra Thomas, Keona Welch.  Photo by Mark Garvin.

Photo at bottom: People's Light & Theatre Company, Dividing the Estate. Pictured: The Cast.  Photo by Mark Garvin.

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