Drexel University, 3301 Market St, 215-895-1649, www.drexel.edu/westphal

The ability to think creatively about the Internet gives any job seeker an edge. Nine-to-fivers and folks whose backgrounds are in old-school design will appreciate Drexel's post-baccalaureate digital media certificate program. Areas of coverage include 3D modeling, animation, vector interactive authoring, digital storytelling, spatial visualization, timeline design and computer programming. All those flashy, blinky, spinning things? Yup. People get paid to make those.

200 S. Broad St, www.greaterphilachamber.com

This is the mothership of all resources. Whether you're looking for a social mixer, an events calendar, an industry-specific lecture or help balancing your nonprofit checkbook, the ABC finds ways to address your creative needs. Its daughter organizations, Business Volunteers for the Arts and Technology Connectors, even match pro business and tech folk with nonprofit arts and cultural organizations. Help desk access and free advice on strategic planning? The Jackson 5 said it best: "That's how easy love can be."

237 S. 18th St., Ste. 3A, 215-546-7775, www.cfeva.org

How not to be a starving artist: Hook up with the CFEVA's Career Development Program. The series runs promising artists through an intense schedule of public exhibitions, mentors them with art-world luminaries, and teaches them what to save, when to spend, and why that 1 x 1" thumbnail painting could eventually be worth millions.

325 Chestnut St., Ste. 220, 215-922-2500, www.fmctraining.com

The freakin' Internet. That's all anybody talks about these days. Www-this and www-that. But this is the future, man. And FMC can bring your butt up to speed on all sorts of digital media hoopla, including Web design and development, digital video editing, motion graphics, desktop publishing, podcasting and DVD authoring.

David Joel,owner of the David Joel Guitar Studio, credits his formal jazz training and his continuing education course at Philadelphia's Church of Scientology with giving him "a very strong foundation to compose, perform, study, and teach music."

1616 Walnut St., Ste. 600, 215-557-7811, www.philaculture.org

All hail the advocate. The figures in GPCA's 2006 Portfolio report, a study of some 218 nonprofit cultural organizations, prove just how vital the arts are to Philadelphia's economic well-being: Some 56,000 cultural events, including 22,000 public classes, provide more than 14,000 full- and part-time jobs for area creatives. Which means more local, state and federal funding for the arts. And more grant programs. And if you're willing to spring for a membership, more advocacy meetings with elected officials, more job ads, discounted office supplies, access to a direct mailing cooperative, and free listings in the annual Cultural Resource Directory.

www.independentshall.org

Modeled after San Francisco's experimental CitizenSpace and Hat Factory collectives,

Independents Hall recognizes the value of centralized resources, aka "coworking." For these indie creatives, in-the-flesh meetings are de rigeur. The members are in the midst of locating a permanent coworking space and building a Wikidelphia resource page, so hang tight.

1500 Market St., 2600 Centre Square West, 215-496-8110, www.ipphila.com

Murder rate aside, Philly has a problem: Retention. Why can't we keep our 25- to 34-year-old whiz kids? They come here for school, suck up our resources, and then jet town. (Eff you, New York.) Innovation Philadelphia wants to reverse that trend by developing business resources for creative entrepreneurs. As such, it hosts "innovation forums" with biz heavyweights and has established the Creative Economy Investment Fund to help cover pre-seed and early-stage start-up costs. Its Economic Stimulus Fund, likewise, encourages co-investment in the form of loans, equity and convertible debentures. Mark your calendar: On Sept. 20, IP is hosting Philadelphia's first Creative Industries Career Fair. The event matches for-profit, technology driven businesses with brilliant, talented people just like you. Or that guy one cubicle over. Whatever.

"You wouldn't think that studying monkeys would prepare you for much other than studying monkeys, but after completing my PhD successfully I had the feeling I could do just about anything," says Jacqui Bowman, Biological Anthropology PhD and Executive Director of the University City Arts League.

www.makephilly.com

The geeks who placed first in their middle school science fair are all grown up — and putting their brains to good, collective use. From the people who brought you the Art Buggy Derby, Make: Philly meetups cover lots of techie territory: brazing, soldering, BEAM robotics, etc. Membership is free and attendees are encouraged to participate in 30-minute design challenges at each meeting. Check the site regularly; basement tinkerers and engineering types often post fun DIY projects, plus tips and advice on supplies, construction, execution and electronics.

University of the Arts,

211 S. Broad St., fifth floor, 215-717-6372, www.uarts.edu

"The Center has the possibility of bringing together the business sector and the creative sector," says outgoing president/CEO Miguel Angel Corzo. "They should understand one another's strengths and learn to combine them." Recent Corzo speakers include Oscar-nominated screenwriter Josh Olson, Department of Homeland Security economist Brian W. Roberts Jr., and architectural illustrator David Genther. Services include customized consulting, proprietary research, panel discussions and intensive workshops. Newbies should sign up for Corzo's "Creative Economy 101" course, which breaks down everything you need to know about the creative sector. Once you've wrapped your head around the basics, drop in for a session on creative problem solving or the fundamentals of applying for grant and venture capital.

1608 Walnut St., Ste. 703, 215-546-9426, www.nonprofitfinancefund.org

If theaters made money, would actors be waiters? The NFF teaches nonprofits how to make the most of their thinly stretched dollars. Workshops like "Linking Money to Mission: A Balancing Act" help organizers evaluate their financial needs and capital structure; lectures are followed by 15-minute individual consultations. Other classes discuss green project planning and management, and planning, funding and financing strategies.

Adam Palmer once believed working for himself was "unattainable and impractical." Only after Penn State harnessed his "entrepreneurial spirit" into an undergraduate degree in Business was he able to open The Pita Pit.

www.paopen4business.state.com

PA Open for Business is an excellent resource for creatives looking to launch a start-up. The state-run site includes information on business taxes, financial incentives, assistance and grants. Registered users can process articles of incorporation online for a grand savings of 41 cents. Gotta watch that bottom line.

1616 Walnut St., Ste. 1800, 215-545-3385, ext. 3, www.pvla.org

Lawyers = septic waste, right? Not these guys. Established more than 25 years ago, PVLA's volunteers provide pro-bono legal assistance and business counseling to artists and nonprofit cultural organizations. Which is a blessed thing when a member of your interpretive dance troupe accidentally clocks an old lady seated in the front row.

www.phillycreativeguide.com

Need a graphic artist to whip up a logo for your new line of dog cologne? Want to socialize with other pharmaceutical proofreaders in the Philadelphia area? This online directory features more than 800 listings for Philly's creative arts scene. You can search by career category and subfield, and then sort the findings alphabetically or by relevancy. The Guide spotlights local personalities, networking events and live polls. The advisory board includes biggie presidents from all over P-Town (Rick Davis of the American Society of Media Photographers, Diana Bald of the Philadelphia Advertising Club, Aneira Puttaswamy of the Art Directors' Club of Philadelphia, etc.), so make the best of that old glad-hand.

"Remember that school and coursework are not the only way to learn. Experiencing life, traveling, keeping an open mind all help in your education," says Jeffrey Shablin, President/Owner of Optimal Wellness, Inc. and frequent participant in trade conventions and continuing education courses.

735 S. 50th St., 215-726-1106, www.folkloreproject.org

PFF identifies itself as an "independent public folklife agency," and you can't get more grassroots than that. PFF offers traveling exhibitions, a magazine, free videos, and monthly workshops that walk folk and heritage artists through the basics of grant application. They'll also consult one-on-one with professionals looking to construct a residency program or introduce folk arts to standards-based curricula.

www.phillypreneurs.com

Anyone who still thinks Philly is the birthplace of the cheesesteak and little else needs a crash course in famous firsts. Philadelphia's got bragging rights for the first stock exchange, the first cancer hospital, the first fire engine and the first public library. This Web-based group fancies itself a collective for firsts, as well, opening itself up to "entrepreneurs, inventors and innovators." The online community includes profiles of famous Phillypreneurs, business tips, a miniature blogroll, and podcasts, with more to come.

1168 E. Passyunk Ave., www.punkave.com

If there's a more happening stretch of sidewalk than Passyunk Avenue right now, we haven't seen it. P'unk Avenue Studio is at the heart of the neighborhood revitalization, hosting art openings, community meetings, informal yoga gatherings, and the like. Its mysterious Junto group, which meets on Thursday nights, includes some of the brightest minds in Philly. E-mail mailto:geoff@punkave.com geoff@punkave.com for details.

4212 Chestnut St., third floor, 215-222-4201, www.scribe.org

For those of you who had career epiphanies after seeing Bratz: The Movie, Scribe can help your Hollywood dreams come true. Sort of. The nonprofit media arts organization hosts educational workshops in scriptwriting, documentary planning, nonlinear editing, animation, and more. It can help set up aspiring filmmakers with fiscal sponsorship services and offer limited access to film, audio and auxiliary equipment. It can't, however, make Burton out of a Bratz fan.

Peter W. DiOrio, owner and director of the Massage Arts Center of Philadelphia, has studied everything from aromatherapy to orthopedic massage but always seeks to be a better professional and practitioner.

"This is why we refer to the 'practice' of healing arts, not the 'mastery.' I bought a school so that I could be a source of continuing inspiration and remain in an educational environment always."

Fox School of Business,108 Speakman Hall, 1810 N. 13th St., 215-204-7676, www.temple.edu

Temple University's SBDC is an outreach center for small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs. While it doesn't focus exclusively on the creative sector, its services are universal. Sign up for coaching and consultations, legal advice, crash courses in creative advertising, and hands-on seminars about market research and government marketing. Need a space to work? The SBDC's Virtual Business Development Incubator opens its doors to start-up businesses in need of an office-like setting. Telephones, fax machines, and computers, oh my!

340 N. 12th St., Ste. 400, 215-592-7910, www.studioincamminati.org

At Studio Incamminati, students are teachers and teachers are students. It's the Nelson Shanks school of hard knocks, and the focus is on humanist realism. Day, evening and weekend classes cover basics like figure drawing and oil painting, but also address exhibition prep, grant writing, client relations and small business management. 'Cause at the end of the day, cache aside, who really wants to be a starving artist?