David B. Pankratz, Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council
The Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council’s (GPAC) strategic plan has four goals. Number 3 is “to create an environment and opportunities that are supportive of individual artists.”
Anqwenique L. Wingfield, Vocalist and Teaching Artist from
Pittsburgh. Photo by Mark Simpson Photography
Why prioritize individual artists? Creativity is one of GPAC’s five core values. It is our belief that a strong artist community supports our region’s arts organizations, community revitalization, and economic development.
There are 249 artists for every 100,000 of population in Pittsburgh. (The national average is 149). In the past two years, Pittsburgh ranks #6 nationally in artist employment growth. GPAC’s 2013 Annual Survey revealed more positives. Seventy-eight percent of Pittsburgh area artists are optimistic about their futures and 80%+ of arts organizations rate artistic talent here as high. But, there are downsides. Seventy-five percent reported trouble making a living through their art and problems securing health insurance, housing, and studio/rehearsal space are common.
GPAC is addressing these challenges. We established the Pittsburgh Artist Advisory Committee (PAAC) to review artists’ needs and implement initiatives. In Fall 2013, PAAC held HE-HO: The Artists’ Health and Housing Fair, where artists connected with healthcare providers, mortgage lenders, and housing experts. Attendees, at a rate of 100%, said they’d recommend fellow artists attend future HE-HO fairs.
GPAC’s Artist Opportunity Grant program (AOG), through support from the Heinz Endowments and The Pittsburgh Foundation, awarded 45 grants to artists in 2013 to develop a wide array of skills and mentoring opportunities. All of AOG recipients agreed their grant “significantly impacted their artistic growth.” GPAC has established new outreach channels to increase applications from artists of color, in keeping with GPAC commitments to diversity and equity.
On the donations front, GPAC will ensure that artists who are members of GPAC, along with arts organizations, can receive donations via the 2014 Arts Day of Giving. During the last Arts Day of Giving, in 2011, nearly $2 million was raised in a 24-hour period.
Our Art on the Walls program, at the offices of GPAC, is an ongoing exhibition opportunity for local and regional visual artists, business clients, and, soon, the Pittsburgh Mayor. The program aims to transform work environments with art and encourages visitors to become art buyers. The current exhibit at GPAC, curated by d. s. kinsel, features art works which encourage viewers to experience varied reflections of contemporary black existence.
GPAC offers a wide range of workshops on topics of interest to artists, such as media relations, website development, taxes, financial wellness, and expanded programs for artists from Business Volunteers for the Arts and Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts.
Finally, GPAC communications’ team supports an extensive network of information and promotion resources–an Artist Opportunity listserv, isArt blog, the Pittsburgh Artist Registry (an artist database), and a Resource Directory with information about business and legal issues and more.
Contact Christiane Leach, GPAC’s Artist Coordinator, at [email protected] to learn more about GPAC’s programs and services for individual artists.