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The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage

Project Eligibility

The Philadelphia Theatre Initiative provides support to enable a limited number of theatres, presenters and artists to undertake projects of distinction. These exemplary projects:

  • Employ professional artists;
  • Evolve from long-range artistic plans;
  • Signal artistic advancement within the context of the highest standards of practice in the field;
  • Are compelling undertakings for the artists and administrators involved;
  • Hold substantial promise of artistic excellence;
  • Positively affect the applicant, the community and, possibly, the nonprofit theatre field;
  • Culminate in public performances in the five-county Philadelphia region.

Performing arts presenters should contact the PTI Director to discuss appropriate site visits or other means of evaluating the work they plan to propose. The selection panel will not be able to consider applications from presenters without a means of evaluating the proposed work.

All proposed projects must have at their heart artistic advancement; most represent a good measure of creative risk. Projects of particular interest to the Philadelphia Theatre Initiative include but are not limited to the following:

  • Development and production of a new work;
  • Presentation of a large-scale production in collaboration with another area nonprofit theatre;
  • Production of an original interpretation of a classic;
  • Production of a piece developed in collaboration with a nonprofit professional theatre from outside the region, culminating in performances within the region;
  • Collaboration with artists from other arts disciplines, culminating in an innovative theatre production within the region;
  • Presentation of an acclaimed theatre company or play that has not previously been seen in this region;
  • A two-year project with the first year devoted to development of a new work and the second year to production of that work.

PTI DOES NOT SUPPORT:

  • General operations;
  • Productions outside of the five-county Philadelphia area;
  • Staff salaries or benefits (except for salaries of an acting ensemble);
  • Student-generated projects;
  • Endowments, capital campaigns or improvements, or debt reduction;
  • Cash reserve funds;
  • Permanent equipment purchases not directly integral to the project;
  • Fund-raising activities;
  • Receptions or other social activities.

PROGRAM GUIDELINES AND APPLICATIONS
Please visit Apply for a Grant for full program guidelines and application forms.

RECENT GRANTS
For descriptions of recent projects funded by PTI, click here.

Theatre