HB 428 — An Act establishing the Pennsylvania Artist Fellowship Grant Program; imposing duties on the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts; and making appropriations.

PRINTER'S NO.   396

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         HOUSE BILL
                         No. 428
                                               Session of
                                                 2025

     INTRODUCED BY CIRESI, KHAN, DALEY, VENKAT, GIRAL, PROBST,
        FREEMAN, SANCHEZ, MALAGARI, KENYATTA, DONAHUE, HILL-EVANS,
        HOWARD, PASHINSKI, GREEN, CERRATO, CEPEDA-FREYTIZ AND MAYES,
        JANUARY 30, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON TOURISM, RECREATION AND ECONOMIC
        DEVELOPMENT, JANUARY 30, 2025


                                    AN ACT
 1   Establishing the Pennsylvania Artist Fellowship Grant Program;
 2      imposing duties on the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts; and
 3      making appropriations.
 4      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 5   hereby enacts as follows:
 6   Section 1.    Short title.
 7      This act shall be known and may be cited as the Pennsylvania
 8   Artist Fellowship Grant Program Act.
 9   Section 2.    Definitions.
10      The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
11   have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
12   context clearly indicates otherwise:
13      "Council."    The Pennsylvania Council on the Arts.
14      "Eligible individual."    An individual who meets the
15   eligibility requirements under section 5.
16      "Grant."    Financial assistance for a fellowship under the
17   program.
 1      "Program."      The Pennsylvania Artist Fellowship Grant Program
 2   established under section 3.
 3   Section 3.   Establishment and purposes of program.
 4      The Pennsylvania Artist Fellowship Grant Program is
 5   established within the council to provide grants in accordance
 6   with this act to artists in this Commonwealth for the following
 7   purposes:
 8          (1)     To enable artists to demonstrate or continue
 9      demonstrating their talents and skills in producing or
10      presenting artistic projects or programs in this
11      Commonwealth.
12          (2)     To foster artistic growth and sustain artistic
13      practice.
14          (3)     To encourage artists to relocate to or remain in
15      this Commonwealth.
16          (4)     To support prestigious fellowships as an investment
17      to foster, build and improve communities in this
18      Commonwealth.
19   Section 4.   Administration.
20      The council shall implement and administer the program and
21   shall develop the following in accordance with this act:
22          (1)     An application form for a grant, which must:
23                (i)    Include eligibility criteria, deadlines and
24          information to be submitted, such as contact information,
25          proof of eligibility as described in section 5 and the
26          proposed uses of the grant.
27                (ii)    Be posted on the publicly accessible Internet
28          website of the council.
29          (2)     A process for the following:
30                (i)    The submittal and review of a completed

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 1            application form for a grant, including a timeline for
 2            making a determination to award the grant and notice of
 3            the award of the grant.
 4                  (ii)    The disbursement of a grant.
 5                  (iii)    The general management of the program,
 6            including the maintenance of records regarding grants.
 7   Section 5.     Eligibility.
 8      An individual shall be eligible for a grant if the individual
 9   satisfies all of the following criteria:
10            (1)   Is 18 years of age or older.
11            (2)   Is a resident of this Commonwealth.
12            (3)   Is a visual, media, film or performing artist who
13      provides evidence of regular creative practice.
14            (4)   Produces or presents projects or programs that are
15      relevant to the community and accessible to the public in
16      this Commonwealth.
17            (5)   Is not enrolled in a high school, undergraduate or
18      graduate degree program.
19   Section 6.     Use of grant.
20      (a)   Permissible uses.--A grant may be used to defray costs,
21   fees or other expenses regarding any of the following:
22            (1)   Administration.
23            (2)   Consultant services.
24            (3)   Contractual services.
25            (4)   Daycare services.
26            (5)   Entries.
27            (6)   Equipment rental.
28            (7)   Exhibitions.
29            (8)   Financial tools or planning.
30            (9)   Food.

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 1            (10)    Housing.
 2            (11)    Insurance.
 3            (12)    Studios or workspaces.
 4            (13)    Materials or supplies.
 5            (14)    Marketing.
 6            (15)    Medical services.
 7            (16)    Goods or services provided by technical crews,
 8      fabricators or collaborators.
 9            (17)    Professional memberships.
10            (18)    Performances or production.
11            (19)    Student loans.
12            (20)    Submissions for grants or residency applications.
13            (21)    Travel or transportation.
14            (22)    Utilities.
15            (23)    Website development.
16      (b)   Prohibited uses.--A grant may not be used for any of the
17   following purposes:
18            (1)    To compensate activities performed as part of
19      regular, continuing employment.
20            (2)    To make contributions to any of the following:
21                   (i)    An individual who holds, or is a candidate for,
22            elected office.
23                   (ii)   A political party, organization or action
24            committee.
25            (3)    In connection with a political campaign or
26      referendum.
27            (4)    Lobbying activities.
28   Section 7.      Award of grant.
29      (a)   Nature and amount.--Except as provided in subsection
30   (b), after the review of submitted applications for grants, the

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 1   council shall award grants on an annual basis in the amount of
 2   $100,000 to not more than 25 eligible individuals.
 3      (b)   Limitations.--
 4            (1)   The duration of a grant shall be one year.
 5            (2)   An eligible individual may apply once every two
 6      years for a grant.
 7            (3)   An individual may receive a grant only once.
 8   Section 8.     Funding.
 9      (a)   Appropriation.--Upon the effective date of this
10   subsection:
11            (1)   The amount of $2,500,000 is appropriated from the
12      General Fund to the council for the award of grants.
13            (2)   The amount of $250,000 is appropriated from the
14      General Fund to the council for administrative costs
15      associated with the implementation and administration of the
16      program.
17      (b)   Effect.--The appropriations made under subsection (a)
18   shall supplement and not supplant any other money appropriated
19   to the council for grants or administrative costs or similar
20   purposes.
21      (c)   Nonlapse.--The appropriations made under subsection (a)
22   shall not lapse and shall remain available until expended.
23   Section 9.     Effective date.
24      This act shall take effect in 60 days.




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