The Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council (GPAC) released a statement highlighting the importance of the arts and creativity in the weeks following the 2024 presidential election. CEO Patrick Fisher spoke to the importance of the arts as not just a uniting factor but a force for equity. “We see artists as more than their creative practices alone. You are whole people, and we commit to standing with you in causes that are critical to you as individuals and as members of our broader community,” Fisher wrote.
Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council Affirms the Value of Art in Divisive Times
Fisher has had a long career as an arts advocate, starting on the ground in the DIY scene of Erie, PA, and entered GPAC as CEO in 2023. From his time in the hardcore scene, he learned about the importance of on-the-ground organizing and mutual aid. Since he started at GPAC, he focused his efforts on not only justifying funding because of its the economic impact but instead to move towards creating a sustainable arts ecosystem that allows creative processes to thrive. He believes that the arts are vital and deserve support on that basis alone, not that they only deserve support when they become profitable.
Fisher stated that “The arts are not simply a reflection of our world. They challenge it, imagine new futures, and hold a mirror to the truths we may not want to face. But these freedoms are never guaranteed. They must be fought for, protected, and continually nurtured.”
GPAC’s role as an arts organization providing resources is all-important. It’s all the more vital in an economy where it’s increasingly difficult to maintain a professional art career. Even finding affordable housing in Pittsburgh as an artist has become a challenge, as WESA reported.
Art as Community
The organization’s latest statement offered some resources for any artists in Pittsburgh looking for community:
- Creative Mornings Pittsburgh
- Urban Sketchers Pittsburgh
- Pittsburgh Sketching Meetup Group
- The Drawing Board Pittsburgh
- Spotlight: Monthly LGTBQ+ Theatre Jam Session
- Write Pittsburgh Open Studios.
Fisher noted that the commitment to caring for each other through creativity should transcend political division. He hopes that people can see that and work to look to larger goals than who’s in office. “The fight for equality and justice is not a partisan issue. It is a human issue, and it is one that we must all engage with, no matter where we fall on the political spectrum,” Fisher said.
For those looking for works of art to inspire and provoke thought during a time of turmoil, we have a few recommendations. You can try the he Charles “Teenie” Harris Archives at the Carnegie Museum of Art, the Troy Hill Art Houses, or the Mattress Factory. Pittsburgh’s also has a variety of independent galleries like April April, Romance, and the Tomayko Foundation. As Fisher said, it is important to see work that doesn’t just reflect back to you what you already believe, but challenges and inspires you to imagine a better future.
Story by Emma Riva / Photo courtesy of GPAC
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