Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator Program (CEAP)
The Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator Program supports Pennsylvania creative entrepreneurs with business consultation and a $2,000 grant to grow for-profit micro businesses in fields like arts, design, music, and media.
Funder: Erie Arts and Culture
Due Dates: May 31, 2026 (Erie regional window) | August 31, 2026 (Statewide application close)
Funding Amounts: $2,000 per award; one-time grant with business consultation included.
Summary: Supports Pennsylvania-based creative entrepreneurs with business consultation and grant funding to start or grow for-profit micro businesses.
Key Information: The 2026 cycle is the final year Erie Arts & Culture will administer this grant; program transitions to a new model in 2027.
Description
The Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator Program (CEAP) is aimed at supporting creative entrepreneurs in Pennsylvania who are starting or operating for-profit micro businesses in the creative industries. The program provides both small business consultation services and a $2,000 grant to help entrepreneurs grow their businesses, expand their audiences, and increase revenue. CEAP is designed to foster innovation and economic opportunity across diverse communities—including low-income, urban, suburban, and rural areas—by empowering individuals in fields such as marketing, architecture, visual arts, design, film, media, music, publishing, and more. The 2026 cycle will be the final year Erie Arts & Culture administers this program; beginning in 2027, the program will be managed by PA Creative Industries as a statewide cohort model.
