Announcement |
Creative Hive Marks Third Year of Building Connection Across Pittsburgh’s Arts Community
As arts funding shrinks and programming faces increasing barriers, the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council is bringing back the Creative Hive, a free monthly community-building event designed to bring artists, creatives, and arts administrators together across disciplines to build relationships, share opportunities, and strengthen the future of the region’s creative ecosystem.
“At its core, Creative Hive events support what it means to be human: connection, nourishment, and the freedom to imagine what’s next,” says Arts Council Membership Director André Solomon. “By gathering in new spaces, meeting new people, and lifting up creative organizations that deserve awareness, we’re strengthening a sector that is better when we move together.”
Now entering its third year, Creative Hive has become one of the few spaces in the region where visual artists, performers, culture bearers, educators, and arts administrators all show up in the same room to connect. Since launching in January 2024, Creative Hive has provided the opportunity for thousands of unique connections, leading to collaborations, partnerships, paid opportunities, and renewed momentum for a sector navigating real challenges.
Each Creative Hive is held at a new, accessible venue, introducing creatives not only to one another, but to cultural spaces they may have never visited before.
Spring 2026 Creative Hive Dates & Locations
- February 24 – Studio for Creative Inquiry, Oakland
- March 31 – ISC Gallery, Lawrenceville
- April 28 – Pittsburgh Glass Center, Garfield
- May 26 – Father Ryan Arts Center at Focus On Renewal, McKees Rocks
- June 30 – City Theatre, South Side
Select events will include light programming from host venues, offering participants a closer look at the creative work happening in each space.
“The Creative Hive meetups have given me a valuable opportunity to connect with a broader and more diverse community,” says Barb Grossman, artist and Fiberarts Guild of Pittsburgh member. “As an older creative with over 40 years of experience in business, I find great joy in sharing insights and offering mentorship to younger creatives who are just beginning their journeys. These gatherings have fostered meaningful intergenerational exchange, where learning flows both ways and creative energy is renewed through connection.”
For organizations, Creative Hive events have also led directly to new partnerships and public-facing work. In 2025, after connecting at a Creative Hive event, Confluence Ballet and GBBN Architects collaborated on a free community performance that challenged long-held ideas about what is possible in ballet.
“The Arts Council’s team is doing an amazing job bringing Pittsburgh’s arts community together to build mutually supportive bonds,” says AJ Smith, Board Treasurer for Confluence Ballet.
Creative Hive events are free and open to artists, creatives, educators, culture bearers, and arts administrators at all career stages. Free snacks and drinks are provided, and advance registration is encouraged.
Learn more and sign up at pittsburghartscouncil.org/events
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