Call for artists: Pittsburgh Foundation seeks submissions for nearly $400K fund to promote social justice

The Pittsburgh Foundation is seeking submissions from local artists striving for social justice solutions to compete for a slice of nearly $400,000 in newly available funding, the foundation announced Thursday.

The grant initiative, called “Exposure: An Artists Program,” was created in collaboration with The Opportunity Fund. Its goal is to support artists “to pursue new ideas, opportunities and skills that are essential to the region’s cultural vitality.” The fund stems from “ongoing efforts to support a diverse array of artists and advocate for racial justice in the arts community,” the foundation says.

The first round of grants is set to be awarded to artists in November. To be eligible, applicants must attend one of two virtual sessions, on either July 20 or Aug. 12.

All mediums of art will be considered, though preference will go to artists who are Black, indigenous and other individuals or collectives representing people of color.

“Black and brown Pittsburgh artists are part of a global uprising authentically interrogating oppression with creativity and brilliance,” said Celeste Smith, the foundation’s senior program officer for arts and culture and co-creator of the new program along with program officer Nicole Henninger. “As cultural front-line workers, artists are actively challenging systems while also supporting themselves and their families. Through Exposure, we’re trying to assist often underfunded, socially conscious artists advocating for the truth.”

Artists who have never received grant money before are encouraged to apply.

The fund also will support three co-fellowships that place artists with established arts organizations, with the aim of coming up with recommendations to address inequity and systemic problems.

The name for the program was inspired by a quote from Julia Cameron, author of “The Artist’s Way. Cameron said, “The act of making art exposes a society to itself. Art brings things to light. It illuminates us.”

An advisory committee of regional artists helped the foundation refine the Exposure program’s criteria and will continue to provide input. Members include Naomi Ruth Allen, Andrés Franco, Sarika Goulatia, D. S. Kinsel, Mikael Owunna, Staycee Pearl and Alisha Wormsley.

Among the advisory committee’s recommendations so far: Offer “more-than-money” opportunities.

A panel of artists from across the region and country will guide foundation staff in making funding decisions.

Here are the types of support available via the new Exposure program:

• Artists/collective support — Up to seven individual artist/collective awards of $20,000 for individuals/$30,000 collectives spread over two years. The Opportunity Fund is funding one individual artist/collective award for craft artists working on handmade and custom projects and with materials associated with folk and contemporary craft traditions, including clay, glass, fiber, wood and metal.

• Transformative justice grants — Three awards of $20,000 for individuals/$30,000 collectives spread over two years for artists/collectives identifying as Black, indigenous or people of color for projects at the intersection of the arts and activism with a racial justice lens. Transformative justice is defined in by the foundation in this context as “a framework and approach for responding to violence, harm and abuse.”

First-time grantee awards: Up to three $5,000 awards to individual artists who have yet to receive support exceeding $2,500 from any grants program. These awards will support and elevate the next generation of creators in the region while further expanding and diversifying the regional arts ecosystem.

• Co-fellowship opportunities — Threeawards of $50,000 each annually to a BIPOC artist working collaboratively at an arts institution, including the Kelly Strayhorn Theater, Carnegie Museum of Art’s Education department and one self-curated artist-equity fellowship. The fellowship will fund artistic practice and support the artists as they advise the institutions in supporting the work of artists working and living in Pittsburgh.​​ The museum and the theater will each receive a $15,000 grant for participating.

The deadline for applying for Exposure funding is 11:59 p.m. on Sept. 13.

For more information and detailed guidelines for applying, visit The Pittsburgh Foundation’s website.