PHILADELPHIA—(June 27, 2019)— The Philadelphia Cultural Fund today announced $223,918 in grants to 13 cultural organizations that use arts to enrich the lives of young people, ages 5 to 18, throughout the city. These 2019 Youth Arts Enrichment (YAE) Grants aim to encourage and provide high-quality arts instruction, training, and participatory experiences to city youth who have limited or no access to cultural enrichment through other avenues. Many of the children are living in Philadelphia’s most underserved, impoverished communities.
“It’s an honor to invest in the talented and creative minds of young people and help them build their craft or expose them to the power of the arts. We’re also proud that our City knows how important it is to provide funds to organizations supporting these young artists and we’re grateful for the continued financial assistance,” Cultural Fund Executive Director Barbara Silzle. “Arts programs for youth do more than mentor the next Mozart. They provide a safe space where young people can explore their identity, goals, and strengths. It’s gratifying to know that these community-minded organizations can help serve our children and help channel their energy through high-quality artistry.”
Grantees represent a wide array of arts programming including dance, music, theatre, visual arts, youth broadcast, and film production and writing. Many of the programs are provided free of charge to the youth participants. The maximum grant is $20,000. These grants provide essential support for programs specifically directed to serve Philadelphia youth.