Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance Distributes Over $90,000 in Grants

On October 9, 2015, the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance distributed $94,754 in Pennsylvania Council on the Arts (PCA) Project Stream grants at an award ceremony held at PECO's Energy Hall.

Project Stream grants provide seed money to individual artists and organizations offering innovative, community-based arts projects in southeastern Pennsylvania, and are made possible through the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts' (PCA) Partners in the Arts program with additional support provided by PECO. The program enables the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts to reach a wider audience by increasing access to funds for organizations and artists across the state, thereby increasing statewide audience exposure to arts activities.

"The Cultural Alliance is proud to be a regional partner of the Pennsylvania Council of the Arts," said Maud Lyon, Cultural Alliance President. "Project Stream is a great resource to connect artists and organizations to their community. Through this funding, local artists and organizations are empowered to make a real impact where they live and work, with projects that make neighborhoods vibrant, engage students, and energize community spaces."

The Cultural Alliance's Project Stream provides grants of up to $2,500 to eligible organizations and individuals conducting arts projects in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties. This year, 98 individual artists and nonprofit organizations from around the region were funded, with an average award of $966.88. PECO also contributed $15,000 to the program, which was distributed evenly among recipients.

2015 PPA Project Stream Grant award recipients include:

· Art Ability, a year-round program at Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital which serves as a showcase for, and celebration of, artists with disabilities. Its largest component is an international, twelve-week exhibition and sale of art.

· Brush With the Law, a prison art program by artist Maria Maneos and Fractured Atlas. The program is conducted within the Montgomery County Correctional Facility in a semi-rural section of Eagleville, PA. The project uses visual art practices as a catalyst for positive transformation and self-expression for the inmates involved.

· Project Capoeira, which produces Brazilian Day Philadelphia. The festival, now in its second year at the Greater Plaza at Penn's Landing, features Brazilian music and dancing, food and beverage, artists, and other hands-on activities.

· Quakertown Alive, which produces Arts Alive!, the organization's annual juried art show. The show highlights emerging artists and performers in their event that takes place in downtown Quakertown. This year, Quakertown Alive will be partnering with New Vitae Wellness and Recovery and Art Z Studio to include artists who struggle with mental and chronic physical disabilities and use art as a rehabilitative activity.

· RAIR (Recycled Artist in Residency), provides artists on-site access to recovered materials while RAIR's Special Projects program expands its reach by fulfilling specific material requests to community groups.

"Project Stream funding allows me to be able to come up with different and interesting class activities, and purchase supplies without which Brush With the Law definitely would not be as successful in its scope or outreach," said Maria Maneos, Founder and Executive Director of Brush With the Law. "Being recognized by the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts and the Cultural Alliance is also a great honor, and gives me the confidence and support I need to do more."

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