CREATIVE ENTREPRENEUR ACCELERATOR PROGRAM

Overview

The Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator Program is designed to pair creative entrepreneurs with existing small business consulting services, help creative entrepreneurs grow their business, audience, and revenue.

This program wants to advance the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts’ overarching value of diversity, equity, and inclusion, prioritize investments to creative entrepreneurs who identify as BIPOC, and prioritize investments to creative entrepreneurs located in and whose work benefits low-income communities as defined by the Small Business Administration.

Why Creative Entrepreneurs?

Creative entrepreneurs are invaluable assets to communities. They lead innovation, deliver creative products and services, generate economic opportunity, and build community identity. Assisting creative entrepreneurs is part of the pathway to recovery and increased opportunity within a rapidly changing economic environment. Providing a pathway for creative entrepreneurs to grow their businesses strategically helps foster thriving Pennsylvania communities that are great places to work and live.

Partnership with Bridgeway Capital

Recently the PCA partnered with Bridgeway Capital to utilize Bridgeway Capitals Impact Management System (IMS). This is an additional resource for creative entrepreneurs to gauge both the growth and sustainability of their business.

Application Process

Download the Arts Business Plan slide deck. (Access to slide deck through Contact a Referral Coordinator link below)
Contact a referral coordinator. (LaKeshia Knarr with the PA Wilds Center- contact information through Contact a Referral Coordinator link below)
Meet with the referral coordinator to discuss eligibility.
Once deemed eligible the Creative Entrepreneur will be referred to the Elk County Council on the Arts for access to the application.
Creative Entrepreneur completes and submits client information and formal application form to Elk County Council on the Arts.
Upon receipt of an eligible completed application, Elk County Council on the Arts enters into a grant agreement with the Creative Entrepreneur.
Before grant funds are issued Bridgeway Capital will issue to the Creative Entrepreneur via email a unique link to their Business Growth Ladder (BGL) Hybrid Survey.
Once Bridgeway Capital receives the completed BGL survey, Elk County Council on the Arts will be notified and then issue the grant funds.

Eligibility Requirements

The applicant is at least 18 years of age and has been a resident of Pennsylvania for at least twelve months preceding the submission of this application.
Must be a resident of the following counties:
- Cameron
- Elk
- Forest
- McKean
- Potter
If the Applicant operates an eligible creative business, the business had gross revenue of less than $200,000 for the period covered by the business’ most recently submitted annual filing to the Internal Revenue Service.
Be a creative entrepreneur intending to form a business or operate a business in Pennsylvania.
Eligible creative industries:
- Marketing – Advertising and marketing agencies and professionals
- Architecture – Architecture firms and architects
- Visual Arts & Crafts – Galleries, artists, artisans, and makers
- Design – Product, interior, graphic, and fashion design firms and designers
- Film & Media – Film, video, animation, TV and radio businesses and creators
- Digital Games – Companies, programmers, and individuals producing games
- Music & Entertainment – Producers, venues, musicians, and performers
- Publishing – Print or electronic businesses and content creators, editors, and writers
Funds can not be used for:
- Activities outside the funding period.
- Activities that have a religious purpose.
- Payments to lobbyists.
- Activities for which academic credit is given.
- Offsets to regular business operating costs, including regular salary or wages.
- Hospitality, food, or beverages.
Not a fit:
- Assembly crafts - manufactured items that are assembled with no handmade components (e.g., earrings with only purchased beads and purchased earring wires, diamond paintings, etc.)
- Work that utilizes stock imagery with no original design elements (e.g., digital clip-art, Cricut images, downloaded paintings, drawings, etc.)
- Use of restricted, unlicensed, or copyrighted imagery, or any content deemed inappropriate for the general public.