Totem Pole Playhouse, Chambersburg Ballet and Wilson College are among those across South Central Pennsylvania that will soon benefit from new opportunities to experience live performances, cultural festivals, art education and creative programming made possible through more than $140,000 in Arts for All grants.
The Foundation for Enhancing Communities has awarded funding to 35 nonprofit organizations serving Franklin, Dauphin, Cumberland, Lebanon and Perry Counties and the Dillsburg area of northern York County.
The Arts for All program strengthens South Central Pennsylvania’s creative economy by ensuring that residents of all ages and backgrounds can access artistic experiences that enrich community life.
“By working hand in hand with our community, we are able to expand opportunities for artistic expression and make the arts accessible to more people,” said Stefani McAuliffe, vice president of community impact at TFEC. “The need for programs like these continues to grow, and we invite community members to support Arts for All through donations that ensure the arts remain a powerful force for connection and inspiration.” Donations to Arts for All can be made at www.tfec.org/funds/arts-for-all.
This year’s Arts for All grants support a wide range of projects across South Central Pennsylvania. Awardees include theaters expanding access to free performances, orchestras and music programs educating young musicians, libraries offering concerts and creative learning, community groups creating murals and cultural festivals, and nonprofits bringing arts education directly into schools.
Funded organizations include Lebanon Valley Council on the Arts START program, Totem Pole Playhouse in Franklin County, Cumberland Valley School of Music, Open Stage of Harrisburg, Chambersburg Ballet Guild, Carlisle Arts Learning Center, Harrisburg Men’s Chorus, Perry County Council of the Arts and many more working to make the arts accessible for all.
“These grants are an investment not just in the arts but in the future of our communities,” McAuliffe said. “From engaging students in classrooms to bringing neighbors together at concerts and performances, the impact of these dollars will be felt in every corner of our region.” For more information about Arts for All or to make a donation, visit www.tfec.org.
Celebrating the 2025-2026 Arts for All Grant Recipients
· Totem Pole Playhouse is expanding access to live theater for elementary and middle school students, nurturing creativity and a lifelong love of the arts.
· Market Square Concerts provides free educational outreach programs that bring world-class musicians to children and adults across cultural and economic backgrounds.
· Chambersburg Community Theatre is producing “Fiddler on the Roof,” offering one free performance open to the community.
· Cumberland Valley School of Music supports its arts-integrated preschool, providing inclusive and high-quality instruction for 300 young learners.
· All In Theatre offers an inclusive introductory theater class for children of all abilities to explore the performing arts.
· Arts Alliance of Greater Waynesboro presents Destination ARTS!, a series of free and low-cost events that build a vibrant community through music and visual arts.
· Alexander Hamilton Memorial Free Library offers hands-on STEAM programming for youth through its Art Cart programs.
· Central Pennsylvania Friends of Jazz expands youth jazz education through its Ron Waters Jazz Band and annual jazz camp.
· Chambersburg Ballet Guild partners with schools to provide free Nutcracker performances for fifth-grade students.
· Wilson College hosts a creative writing colloquium where writers of all ages can learn from published authors.
· Waynesboro Area Business Education and Community Foundation collaborates with a local artist to create StoryWalks and hands-on arts experiences for students.
· Tri-County Opportunities Industrialization Center combines literacy and theater education to help adult learners improve reading and communication skills.
