A New Year of Opportunities to Connect and Collectively Strengthen Our Sector

In June 2023, I joined the organization as the new CEO. Previous to moving to Pittsburgh, I served nearly five years as the leader of Erie Arts & Culture. I also previously worked for the Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville. Since stepping into the position, I’ve prioritized developing or refining internal policies, systems, and processes; right-sizing and building the capacity of the organization to deliver external impact by restructuring the team; working with the team to define programmatic pillars; and conducting an ambitious active listening tour within our community, dedicating time each week to multiple site and studio visits with our stakeholders.

In July 2023, we lost a valued member of our team when Sue Mencher passed away following a courageous battle with lung cancer. Sue had worked for the Arts Council since its founding and also spent five years working for ProParts. In November 2023, we also had another former team member pass away, David Pankratz. Needless to say, it’s been an emotionally challenging year for the team.

In October 2023, Mia Hooper was promoted to the new position of Chief Operating Officer (COO). When the Board of Directors supported the choice to create a COO position within our organization, Mia was the obvious choice for this promotion. Throughout her career, she has demonstrated a commitment to the arts and has developed a skillset that is strongly aligned with the duties and responsibilities expected of a COO. Establishing this position also supports future succession planning by cultivating a strong internal candidate when it's time for a leadership change.

At various times in the year, we also welcomed several new team members, including Clara Kent (Program Specialist), Lisa Cunningham (Director of Marketing and Communications), John Watt (Development Manager), and Ajani Powell (Advocacy and Communications Associate). In January 2024, we will also welcome Mona Wiley (Program Specialist) to the team.

Clarifying Who We Are, and What We Do

We recognized the need to more specifically define who we are and what we do as an organization. We also learned that it would be beneficial to share insights around how our role as a support organization differs from the role of presenting organizations. Through a collaborative team-wide process, we defined our four pillars of service that will guide our internal decision making around what existing programs we continue administering, and similarly which ones we sunset, and what new programs we should start. These pillars are intended to help frame the ways that we are uniquely positioned to make an impact in our sector and the broader community. Our newly defined programmatic pillars include:

• Developing and Strengthening the Arts Ecosystem
• Framing and Guiding Cultural Investment and Action
• Grantmaking within the Arts
• Facilitating Community Connections

Translating these pillars to action, in support of our mission and in service to our stakeholders, we:

• Provide individuals and organizations with the financial and non-financial resources and support they need to thrive within Southwestern Pennsylvania's creative and cultural sector
• Foster and support dynamic and expansive relationships within Southwestern Pennsylvania's creative and cultural sectors
• Conduct research and publish reports on the opportunities and crises that are relevant to, or have an impact on, Southwestern Pennsylvania's creative and cultural sectors
• Raise public awareness of the programs, initiatives, and events led by Southwestern Pennsylvania's creative and cultural sector
• Participate in advocacy efforts at the local, state, and federal levels for arts-friendly public policy

Our website has been updated to reflect these changes, with the goal of improving the user experience when navigating the online resource.

Our Impact in 2023

Even in the midst of change, the team at the Arts Council showed up for our stakeholders in meaningful ways throughout 2023 and delivered measurable results. Some highlights include:

Saving $650,000 in Arts Funding

The Arts Council launched and led a local advocacy campaign that was successful in preventing the reallocation of $650,000 in funds that were designated from the American Rescue Plan to support arts-related pandemic recovery efforts. 

The Creative Hive

We’ve heard that there is a need to create opportunities for our sector to engage with itself. More opportunities to network will help dismantle silos, bridge divides, and support relationship building and potential collaborations. In response to this need, we will launch the Creative Hive in January, a monthly networking event that provides a friendly and casual space for artists, creatives, art educators, culture bearers, and arts administrators to establish and foster professional relationships. The recurring monthly meet-up will be held on the second Thursday of every month from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. Meeting locations will rotate month-to-month to different creative and cultural venues within Pittsburgh.

Arts Leadership Collective

There is still a long way to go to ensure that the individuals comprising our sector are inclusive of people from all identities and lived experiences. As a sector, if we want to evolve who sees themselves as engaged by the arts, it’s critical that we have leadership role models who more accurately reflect the community we serve. As the Arts Council, we play a role in making sure that how we create, present, and preserve the arts is inclusive and equitable. We have a responsibility to empower, actively listen to, and nurture emerging leaders.