Morgan Kasprowicz to Leave Role as Director of Research and Cultural Policy at the Arts Council
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 26 – Morgan Kasprowicz, Director of Research and Cultural Policy, has announced that she will be leaving her position at the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council in February 2025. Please join us in celebrating Morgan’s years of dedication and service to the region’s artistic community.
“Morgan is a tremendous force who approaches her work with great skill and empathy,” says Mia Hooper, Chief Operating Officer at the Arts Council. “I have learned so much from her over the years – from her start as an intern to her current role, and I’m excited to see what her next chapter brings.”
Morgan first joined the Arts Council as a Research Intern while attending Carnegie Mellon University’s Heinz College. After graduating with a Master of Arts Management degree in Spring 2021, she was brought onboard as the organization’s Research and Advocacy Associate. She quickly advanced to Manager of Research & Special Projects before being promoted to Director of Research and Cultural Policy in December 2022.
“Morgan is one of the most effective advocates I've had the privilege of working with in public service,” says Erika Strassburger, Pittsburgh City Councilperson. “Her skill and determination have produced major wins for Pittsburgh's outstanding arts community, and I'm proud to have worked with her to boost support for these talented individuals.”
The impact Morgan has achieved through her research and advocacy is widespread. Among her many accomplishments, she:
Worked with Citizens for the Arts in PA to advise on and advocate for the structure of what would become the PA Arts and Culture Recovery Program — a $15 million distribution of American Rescue Plan funds across Pennsylvania to arts and culture organizations and creative individuals impacted by COVID-19.
Worked with the City of Pittsburgh and representatives of 1Hood Media, BOOM Concepts, Black Unicorn Library and Archive Project, PearlArts Movement and Sound, and Shiftworks Community + Public Arts to advise the City on an equitable and impactful use of $2 million in American Rescue Plan Funds for “support for the arts.”
Served as the project director and lead researcher for A Second Look: Racial Equity and Arts Funding in Greater Pittsburgh, analyzing the racial equity of over 11,000 arts and culture grants made to organizations Southwest Pennsylvania between 2018 and 2023. This report was presented to a national audience at the Grantmakers in the Arts conference in October 2024 and was funded in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.
Supported Kelly Strayhorn Theater in stopping a reallocation of $10,000 in Community Development Block Grant funds slated to be moved away from the organization.
Served as the Allegheny County director for Arts and Economic Prosperity 6 in collaboration with Americans for the Arts, a national research project demonstrating the economic and social impact of the arts.
Achieved the goal of ensuring that, by 2023, all Arts Council-led research was based on samples at least racially representative of the Allegheny County’s Global Majority population using best practices in research and data equity.
“Morgan is a powerful advocate for data that highlights the arts' role in building thriving communities,” says Joseph Hall, Executive Director of Kelly Strayhorn Theater. “Her leadership in the Arts & Economic Prosperity 6 Study, in collaboration with Americans for the Arts, enabled Kelly Strayhorn Theater to showcase our positive economic impact on East Liberty alongside the social impacts we all feel.”
Morgan was born in Pittsburgh and grew up in rural West Virginia. After graduating with a bachelor's degree in music from Belmont University, Morgan worked in music and performing arts education for nearly 10 years in the Nashville and Denver metro areas. Several of her students went on to study music and theater at top national and international programs, and many are performing professionally. In 2019, she was named “Lead Teacher” at Denver School of Science and Technology for her consistently high student results and contributions to school culture.
Morgan is a champion for equitable access to and representation in the arts. She is passionate about using data and human-centered research to better understand and address the field’s complex challenges and to advocate for the role of arts and culture in building just, vibrant societies.
“Through her steadfast advocacy to preserve the City’s ARPA funding for arts programming, Morgan has profoundly impacted Pittsburgh's arts and culture landscape,” says Sallyann Kluz, Executive Director of Shiftworks Community + Public Arts. “Her efforts not only safeguarded critical resources but also ensured that the arts remain a powerful force for connection, resilience, and innovation in Pittsburgh.”
We are grateful for the lasting impact Morgan has made during her time at the Arts Council, and we remain committed to continuing her important work.
A job opening for a Director of Advocacy and External Affairs will be posted next week.