Philly Jazz Month is the City of Philadelphia’s annual celebration of jazz each April, co-presented by Creative Philadelphia (Creative PHL) and Mid Atlantic Arts in partnership with Jazz Philadelphia, and WRTI. Together, we invite all generations of creatives to take part in Philly Jazz Month 2026. Through this collaboration, funding is available to support high-quality, jazz-inspired events in Philadelphia County. If you are interested in receiving funding for your event, please complete the application below.  

Who Can Apply:  

• Artists (Ex: musician, puppeteer, dancer) 
• Arts / Cultural Organizations (Ex: cultural heritage group, cultural institution, arts center) 
• Cultural Event Producers (Ex: festival organizer) 
• Civic Leaders (Ex: block captain, member of a neighborhood association)      

Philly Jazz Month Event Requirements 

• Located in Philadelphia County 
• Funds support Philadelphia based artists and/or cultural organizations 
• Have a live / interactive component 
• Strategy to market and promote the event in the neighborhood 

Funding Deadline and Application Timeline 

• Event must be between April 1st, 2026, and April 30th, 2026 
• Application Deadline - February 18th, 2026, 11:59pm 
• Funding Determination Notification - Week of March 9th 

Creative PHL encourages Philadelphia’s creatives to take inspiration from these traditions when proposing events. Eligible events include but are not limited to: * 

• Performances: Live music, dance, or theater. 
• Panels & Talks: Discussions regarding jazz history, theory, or community impact. 
• Salon-style Events: Intimate creative gatherings and social exchanges. 
• Poetry Events: Spoken word and literary readings influenced by jazz. 
• Hybrid Educational Components: Workshops or classes that combine instruction with performance or history.

 *Note: This single application covers all event types, including educational components and workshops. There is no need to submit a separate education-specific application.

Specific examples of events include: 

• A live jazz music performance 
• A live drawing class accompanied by a jazz musician 
• A spoken word performance influenced by the melodic and improvisational traditions of jazz 
• A walking tour of jazz-inspired murals or historic sites in Philadelphia 
• A jazz dance, exercise, yoga, or other forms of movement classes or performance 

Funding Details   Creative PHL, Mid Atlantic Arts, Jazz Philadelphia, and WRTI are providing grants up to $1,500 to produce jazz-inspired cultural events in Philadelphia during the month of April. Applicants must select the category of funding they are applying for. The amount requested should be proportionate to the size, impact, and number of artists supported by the cultural event. Funding must be used to pay artists, and all funding recipients must be Philadelphia County residents. Funding recipients must provide a Certificate of Insurance (COI) for the arts activity or event. Creative PHL can provide guidance in obtaining a COI if you/your organization does not carry general liability insurance.  Please see this one-pager for more information on purchasing one-time event insurance. 

Questions? Contact creativephl@gmail.com. 

What is Art in City Hall

Creative Philadelphia's Art In City Hall exhibition program invites Philadelphia’s cultural community to present proposals to exhibit art in display cases in the public corridors of historic City Hall.

Art in City Hall is an exhibits program that transforms the public corridors of City Hall into a platform for the arts. It provides an opportunity for Philadelphia’s diverse cultural organizations  to present their artistic expressions and utilize the visual arts to amplify community voices, foster healing and community dialogue in the most important civic building in the city – The People’s Building. The program is committed to presenting a wide range of ideas and artistic explorations to showcase the important role the arts play in our communities.

Eligibility

Local nonprofits, art programs, and cultural organizations are invited to submit proposals. Collaborations between organizations and other partners, such as with local schools are welcomed, but one organization needs to lead the application process. Artists do not have to live in Philadelphia but including artists from the region is strongly encouraged. Artists can be self-taught or professionally trained.

At this time, we do not present solo exhibitions and encourage the organizations to select enough artists to utilize all the display cases in City Hall.

Exhibition Locations

15 exhibit display cases are located on the First through Fourth Floors of City Hall near the offices of the Mayor, City Council, and City Council Chambers.

Exhibition Dates

There are four exhibit opportunities year round. The calendar is usually booked up to six months or more in advance.

• May – July
• August – October
• November – January
• February - April

Exhibition Installation and Programming

Participating organizations are expected to deliver and install the exhibition and supply all exhibition hardware and printed materials. They are also expected to plan ONE educational program that complements the exhibition. OACCE may assist the partner organizations in the development and coordination of the exhibit programming, but the organization is responsible for all expenses for the events.

City Hall Hours

City Hall is open to the public Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., and closed on weekends and holidays. Visitors must sign in at the Northeast corner Visitor’s Entrance, have personal belongings checked, and follow COVID protocols.