Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council Awards $354,000 in Pandemic Relief Grants to 118 Artists and Arts Workers in Southwestern Pennsylvania
The Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council has awarded 118 artists and arts workers across Allegheny, Beaver, Greene, and Washington counties with $3,000 individual grants, totaling $354,000 in financial relief made possible through the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Commonwealth Financing Authority (CFA), and the Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED). These Artist Income Recovery (AIR) grants were designed to ease some of the ongoing financial challenges that artists and arts workers have faced due to the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Artists and arts workers were—and remain—among the most severely affected segment of the nation’s workforce, according to Americans for the Arts. At the height of the pandemic in 2020, 63% experienced unemployment and 95% lost creative income. Artists of the Global Majority had even higher rates of unemployment than white artists in 2020 due to the pandemic (69% vs. 60%) and lost a larger percentage of their creative income (61% vs. 56%). Nearly 40% of artists were unable to access or afford food at some point during the pandemic and 58% did not visit a medical professional due to an inability to pay.
The demand for these grants was evident, with more than 200 applications submitted. While the initial plan was to disburse only 80 grants, increased funding of $118,000 from the DCED allowed the Arts Council to extend support to an additional 38 grantees. Reflecting a commitment to equity in the arts, 51% of the funds were directed toward artists and arts workers from the Global Majority, who were disproportionately impacted by the pandemic.
“The Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council is honored to support our region’s artists and arts workers who have endured such significant hardship over the past few years,” says Patrick Fisher, CEO of the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council. “While these modest grants can’t fully compensate for the extensive losses resulting from canceled events, closed venues, and furloughs, we’re grateful to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the DCED for making this relief possible. By providing this assistance, we hope to lessen the burden faced by so many and to affirm our commitment to the arts community.”
These grants offer crucial—albeit partial—financial support to artists and arts workers whose incomes were impacted by canceled events and closures. Each $3,000 grant empowers recipients to continue their creative work and reinforces their essential contributions to the region’s cultural landscape.
“The Shapiro Administration is pleased to support artists in Western Pennsylvania through these grants,” says Mandy Book, DCED Deputy Secretary. “The local arts do a great deal in the Greater Pittsburgh area to improve quality of life and help establish our communities as vibrant and thriving centers of culture. We are thrilled to invest in the artists that add so much to the region’s culture and sense of community.”
The Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council is grateful for the opportunity to provide this support on behalf of the Commonwealth and to administer funding that centers equity and accessibility for those most affected. The Arts Council extends its thanks to the DCED, the Commonwealth Financing Authority, and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for valuing the contributions of Pennsylvania’s artists and arts workers.
A full list of AIR Grantees follows:
Kahmeela Adams-Friedson, Nihan Alaz, Nafi Ayvaci, Glorie B, Rici B, staci b, Jeff Barker, Isaac Beachy, Kim Beck, Brandon Bell, Michele Lee Betts, Jon Bindley, Benjamin Brady, Danielle Brannigan, D.T. Burns, Taylor Bush, Patrick Cannon, Sean Carroll, Israel Centeno, Rona Chang, Mona Chatrizeh, Arie Cole, Danielle Crooks, Kina Crow, Indira Cunningham, Cynthia Dallas, Nick M. Daniels, Michael DeMasi, DJ QRX, Casey Droege, Patrick Everett, MarySue Flick, Amy Garbark, Leo Ghost, Allison Glancey, Tresa Green, Jaime Guerrero, Markeea Hart, Lori Hepner, Jackie Hooper, Tereneh Idia, INEZ, Zuly Inirio, Josh Inklovich, Mars Jackson, Jaded, Cosmik Jest, Erika Johnson, atiya jones, Juliandra Jones, Ashanté Josey, Steve Kalinsky, Jacquet Kehm, LaVerne Kemp, Sandy Kessler Kaminski, Janita Kilgore, DS Kinsel, Jason LeViere, Kirsten Lowe-Rebel, Sheika Lugtu, Brannon Lyons, Aimee Manion, Adil Mansoor, Mia Marshall, Joel R. Martinez, Becky Mayhew, Gregory McCall, Shannon McDowell, Michael Meketa Sanchez, Darrin Milliner, Sandra Moore, Jami Morgan, Nakeya Mosley, Heather Mull, Sean Neukom, Emily O'Donnell, Morgan Overton, Mikael Owunna, Jameelah Platt, Christopher "Radu" Plucinsly, Joann Renner, Natalie Robb, Gizelxanath Rodriguez, Rebecca Rothermel, Guy F. Ruff III, Rell Rushin, Claire Sabatine, Beyvan Schantz, Sasha Jin Schwartz, Jenifer Schweitzer, Bill Shannon, John Sharvin, Ricardo Solis, Pete Spynda, Lyn Starr, Hawsé Sumi, Mark Tamsula, anna thompson, Wyona Gene Tourmaline, Matthew Torti, Darcy Trunzo, Morgan Wable, Jon Ward, Jibril Washington, Jerel Webster, Christi Welter, Quaishawn Whitlock, Jared Wickerham, David William, Gregory Scott Williams, Jr., Annesley Williams, Anqwenique, Jonah Winter, Amanda Wolf, Brett C. Wormsley, sarah huny young, Alison Zapata, and Kara Zuzu.
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