Volunteer in the Arts - Be a Panelist

Each year the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance seeks individuals to serve on Pennsylvania Partners in the Arts grant advisory panels. Panelists contribute artistic, administrative, educational, and operational perspectives in discussion and evaluation of grant applications. 

As a volunteer panelist, you’ll have the opportunity to forge new connections with peers who share your passion for arts and culture while supporting your community. A vital voice in the decision making process, panelists get an up-close look at the grantmaking process and learn about the many creative ways artists and arts organizations are making a difference locally.

Panelist Qualifications

• Be an adult 18 years of age or older who resides or works in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery or Philadelphia county. This process is about making sure that residents of each community have access to the arts.
• Have education, experience, or appreciation of arts and culture. We welcome a variety of experience - this could include work in the sector, an active or past artistic practice, or simply just a passion for arts and culture. Consultants, attorneys, community leaders, educators, philanthropists, non-profit administrators, and arts enthusiasts have all been panelists in the past. 
• Some financial or organizational management experience is a plus, but not required.

Panelist Responsibilities

• Participate in a mandatory online panel orientation in which you will learn about how to review and score the applications. The orientation will be approximately 30 minutes and will be offered as a live webinar or a recording for your convenience. 
• Read and rate each grant application according to criteria established by the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts. Reading the grant applications must be done in advance of the panel meeting on your own time. You will have at least three weeks to read and rate approximately 20 applications and should plan on spending an estimated 10-20 hours preparing for the panel. 
• Attend the one-day panel session. The panel meeting is a one-day commitment where you will discuss the applications and come to consensus on the scores with your fellow panelists. Panelists are not compensated for their service. We have not yet determined if the panel meetings will be held virtually or in-person, please indicate your preferences on the panelist interest form. 

Have questions about serving as a panelist? Email grants@philaculture.org.

Pennsylvania Partners in the Arts is an initiative of the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts (PCA), a state agency under the Office of the Governor. The mission of the PCA is to strengthen the cultural, educational, and economic vitality of Pennsylvania's communities through the arts.