The Sachs Program for Arts Innovation 2026 grant cycle opens in the fall of 2025 and culminates in a grant awards announcement celebration in the spring of 2026. Design by Elaine Lopez.
The Sachs Program for Arts Innovation is pleased to announce the opening of our 2026 annual grant cycle. We will be accepting applications September 23–December 19, 2025, for Sachs Program 2026 grants.
There are six categories of grant opportunities during our 2026 grant cycle.
- Artist Residency Grants
- Community Partnerships Grants
- Curricular Support Grants
- Independent Creative Production Grants
- Project Support Grants
- Student Grants
Sachs Program grants support innovative arts activities at the University of Pennsylvania, aligned with our mission to inspire and advocate for creative practices and practitioners across the university and Penn’s extended community.
How to Apply
The first step in applying for a 2026 Sachs Program grant is to review the grant opportunities described on our website and fill out a short inquiry form for the type of grant that best fits your request.
If you’re interested in applying, even if you’re not yet sure what to apply for, we encourage you to get in touch. The preferred method is to submit an inquiry form from a grant category page on the Sachs Program website. Direct links for each grant category have been included below.
We are also happy to meet with anyone interested in applying for a Sachs Program grant after they’ve submitted an inquiry form. These meetings are offered as an optional part of the application process for all grant categories, and are highly encouraged.
Important Deadlines
- November 25, 2025, noon
Deadline to submit a grant inquiry form from the Sachs Program website for all grant categories. This is a required first step for all applications! - December 19, 2025, midnight
Application submission deadline for all grant categories.
Information Sessions
The Sachs Program will host a series of information sessions to review our 2026 grant opportunities in October and November 2025. Interested applicants are encouraged to attend for a chance to learn about each opportunity in discussion with Sachs Program staff and previous grantees.
Sachs Program 2026 grant cycle information sessions will be held on the following Thursdays in the Arts Lounge at the Annenberg Center. Each session will start at 12 noon, and lunch will be served.
- Student Grants Information Session
Thursday, October 16, noon–1 PM
Arts Lounge at the Annenberg Center - Annual Grants Information Session
Thursday, October 23, noon–1 PM
Arts Lounge at the Annenberg Center
- Community Partnerships Grants Information Session
Thursday, November 13, noon–1 PM
Arts Lounge at the Annenberg Center - Artist Residency Grants Information Session
Thursday, November 20, noon–1 PM
Arts Lounge at the Annenberg Center
Student Grants
Sachs Program Student Grants are offered annually for University of Pennsylvania students and student groups.
- Student Grants provide up to $3,500 to undergraduate and graduate students and student groups to support creative practices, from independent projects to thesis and dissertation-related work to programs and initiatives intended to engage the student body or broader public.
In recognition of the 250th anniversary of the United States Declaration of Independence in 2026, undergraduate and graduate students applying for Sachs Program Student Grants may choose to submit applications that address the complexities of this significant anniversary, recognizing the nation’s ongoing struggle to realize its founding principles.
While not a requirement, we encourage student applications that address this moment and welcome multiple perspectives and approaches, including those that highlight the diversity of voices and experiences across our many communities.
Annual Grants
The Sachs Program 2026 Annual Grants include a range of opportunities supporting University of Pennsylvania faculty and staff, departments, programs and centers, and collaborations with community partners.
- Artist Residency Grants provide up to $25,000 to departments, programs, and centers to bring artists, curators, and collectives (formal or informal) to Penn as artists- or curators-in-residence.
- Community Partnerships Grants provide up to $15,000 to support collaborations between Penn faculty (standing and non-standing), staff, departments, programs, and centers in partnerships with community arts and civic organizers and non-profit organizations.
- Curricular Support Grants provide up to $3,500 to non-standing faculty for the implementation of arts-based activities in a course that is currently running or expected to run, or for research or professional development related to a course they are teaching.
- Independent Creative Production Grants provide up to $7,500 to faculty and staff to support (partially or fully) the production of their artistic work.
- Project Support Grants provide up to $7,500 to faculty and staff, departments, programs, and centers to support engagement with the arts and humanities through projects directed towards the Penn community or broader public, including but not limited to public programming, performances, exhibitions, and non-curricular opportunities for learning and making.
For More Information
Sachs Program grant opportunities and eligibility requirements can change from year to year. For more information about our current grant opportunities and application guidelines, please email Sachs Program Associate Director Chloe Reison at reison@upenn.edu.