We are on the hunt to find creative individuals who want to amplify culture in our town...
We are out to find the most creative, ambitious and entrepreneurial social innovators to come live, play and create in our community for 8 weeks for FREE!
(yep, housing and workspace all covered)
Think of our town – State College, PA – as your sandbox to experiment within to see what you can create. We will select 9 individuals who will each select an 8-week window to move to our town and make your mark.
You bring your ideas and drive, and we’ll provide the community to support you. And the best part – we’ll give you cash to make your idea a reality!
Supportive community, affordable housing + workspace, and permission to pursue a creative project in a town are some of the biggest barriers preventing folks from pursuing their dreams. Our goal is to eliminate those worries so that you can focus on the things that really matter. Beyond dedicated time to fully explore your creative work during the 8 weeks, as a Changemaker in Residence, you will receive:
Innovative Housing
Free housing at the co.space, a 20-person home for changemakers. Get a bed to sleep on and a team of co-conspirators to dream with.
Creative Workspace
Dedicated space to work, create, and host events at 3 Dots, an arts and innovation hub for local creatives, entrepreneurs, and artists.
Mentors and Project Funding
Access to local leaders who have shaped our creative economy, as well as funding to directly support your proposed projects.
If accepted, you will become a key part in shaping the creative economy of our town. We are constantly seeking out driven and creative minds who can positively contribute to our community.
As a Changemaker in Residence, you will spearhead an initiative within one of these critical theme areas in State College, including:
We’ve been busy the past few years creating different building blocks to our ecosystem, but we know we still have a long way to go. As a Changemaker in Residence, you will not only tangibly contribute your project to the region, but you will also shape the narrative of why State College and central Pennsylvania are great places to call home for the creative economy workforce.
State College is a hidden gem in central Pennsylvania. As a college town with a population of 100,000 (half of which are students), we have many of the resources of a large city (bands, theatre, sports, etc.) but are surrounded by the intimacy and natural beauty of the region.
Nature Lover’s Paradise
Ranked the 5th best Adventure Town on the East Coast by National Geographic, State College is home to some of the top mountain biking, kayaking, sky diving and hiking trails all within minutes from downtown.
Happy in Happy Valley
Consistently ranked as one of the safest, least stressful and happiest places in the country, State College proudly donns the title Happy Valley. Ranked as the second smartest city in the country, the majority of our community is eager and excited to offer a supporting hand.
Everything Within a Few Blocks
Living in the downtown area, you have all the resources you need within a 5 block radius. Forget your car – we prefer to walk and bike in this town, so much so that we were ranked in the top 2% for bike-commuting small towns.
Conveniently Located
Located centrally between key metropolitan regions along the east coast, State College is easy to get to and from cities such as New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, or DC. And we’re not bragging, but our airport takes a total of 5 minutes to check-in…
We believe that the more creators and trend-setters we can encourage to play in our community, the more others will want to move here. So we have two expectations for you during your time here.
1) Create, create, create. During your 8 weeks, we hope that you will be a positive force for change that serves as a magnet for others to join you. Paint a mural, host an event, or run a workshop. Simply contribute!
2) Tell your story. We will connect you with our media partners to write articles and create videos recapping your experience living in town. We hope to use these stories to spread the word about why others should consider moving to central Pennsylvania to pursue their creative work.
In the application, we ask that you identify what theme area you are most interested in contributing to. If you have a specific project, event, or initiative that you are passionate about bringing here and working on – awesome! Tell us about it. If you think you have the skills and characteristics we are looking for but want to join something ongoing – awesome! Tell us about it. In general, we are looking for people with the following skills…
Entrepreneurially Minded
An obsessive dedication to creating, doing and rapid iteration. We want individuals with hard skills who don’t need to rely on others at all times.
Strategic Thinker
The ability to listen to numerous perspectives, distill the common needs, and prioritize what actions are needed.
Wildly Creative
The innovators will be creating tangible change, and must therefore infuse a lot of creativity into their work.
In the meantime, please send us an email if you are interested in being notified when the program goes live.