Membership Program

If you were invited to join as a Beta Tester and completed the onboarding form, congratulations, you’re now part of our new Membership Pilot Program! Please note that all previous members from the old program (FY24) are no longer considered active members. Don’t worry, though, you can still join the waitlist to participate in the next phase of onboarding! 

“Beta Tester” is just a way of saying early members. They’re creative individuals and organizations helping us try out the new program, share feedback, and shape what comes next. Think of them as the first ones to test-drive the new model before it opens up to everyone.

We reached out to a mix of artists, organizations, and arts workers from across the region: different disciplines, sizes, and backgrounds. Our goal was to include a wide range of voices to make sure the program works for as many people as possible. 

We started by looking at people and organizations who are already connected to the Arts Council in meaningful ways, including:

• Organizations who were dues-paying members of our old Membership Program
• Individuals and organizations who joined community conversations with our Membership Director over the summer
• People who reached out early when we first announced the new Membership Pilot and were excited to participate, including financially
   

From there, our Membership Director used a simple rubric to help guide invitations. That meant looking at things like:

• Representation across different disciplines, backgrounds, and sizes

• Alignment with our values and mindset around equity and community care

• Capacity and commitment to actively participate and give feedback
   

We also asked the full Arts Council team for recommendations, especially based on past relationships including studio visits, site visits, and testimonials.

All of this together helped us build a Beta Tester group that reflects a wide range of experiences and perspectives, and who are ready to engage deeply with the pilot and help us make it stronger for everyone.

Additions will begin in February 2026, with monthly enrollment waves continuing through May.

If you’re not able to join during those waves, or choose not to apply as a Beta Tester, you’ll have another chance to join as a “full” member during the open enrollment period in June 2026.

That open enrollment will lead into the full program launch starting in July 2026.

Yes, anyone can apply, whether as an individual or an organization!

We embrace the broader idea of being “creative” rather than limiting ourselves to “the arts” because creativity takes many forms and continues to evolve. Everyone’s creativity belongs here, and we believe each person and organization plays a vital role in our ecosystem. 

You can join the Waitlist by filling out this short form on our website: Beta Tester Waitlist. 

Here, you’ll answer a few questions about yourself and your creative practice, or about your creative organization if you’re applying on its behalf. It helps us get to know you a bit better and understand how you might fit into an upcoming enrollment wave.

Once you submit the form, a page will pop up that says “Thank You for Joining the Waitlist!” That lets you know we’ve received your submission. 

If you’re selected to join as a Beta Test Member, you’ll get an email from our Membership Director with the subject line “Invitation: Join our Membership Pilot.” That email will include details about what to expect as a Beta Tester, how to access member benefits, and how to complete payment.

If you don’t hear from us right away, please don’t take it as a sign that we don’t value you or your work! We’re adding new Beta Test members slowly and intentionally so we can build a program that truly serves the creative individuals and organizations in our region. You’ll stay on the waitlist as we move through each enrollment wave leading up to the public launch.

The full Membership Program will launch July 2026. 

Honestly? We heard from the people we serve that our old model just wasn’t working anymore. While it definitely served its purpose when it first launched, membership over the years at the Arts Council has changed a lot. 

Like many organizations, the Arts Council has been impacted by shifts like limited staffing and a commitment to broad access during the 2020 pandemic. That was important, but it also meant the old membership model became less consistent and less sustainable than we wanted it to be.

In 2024, our Strategic Plan made something clear: if we want a strong creative ecosystem, we need a membership program built on shared investment and mutual support.

We’re deeply grateful to the organizations that have been paying dues and standing with us over the years. As we move into this renewed Membership Program, individuals will also contribute financially. This isn’t just about money, though. It’s a call to community and a step toward long-term sustainability, where we support one another and the wider arts ecosystem together.

Yes, if you wish to participate in the Membership Pilot or the full program launch, you will need to reapply. 

Because membership has changed so much over the years, we’re rebuilding our systems rather than just carrying everything over as-is. Think of this as a fresh start: a new structure, clearer expectations, and benefits. A chance to make sure everyone who wants to be involved is joining under the same, updated program.

Short answer: it’s your choice.

If you’re mainly looking for support for you as an artist or arts worker (your practice, career, or personal creative growth), you’ll probably want to apply as a creative individual.

If you’re looking for benefits that will support a team, venue, studio, nonprofit, or creative business, then applying as a creative organization may be a better fit.

Either way, we encourage you to take a look at the membership types, pricing, and benefits before you decide. Each membership type is designed with different needs in mind, so you can choose the one that best matches how you do your creative work in the world.

You’re right, individual membership now includes a financial contribution.

Why did we make that decision? As we talked about in “What happened to the old membership program?”, our 2024 Strategic Plan made it clear that the Arts Council needed a new approach, one that recognizes that sustaining a strong creative ecosystem depends on mutual investment. 

We heard from our community that they wanted deeper support, more consistency, and a membership that could actually last.

Asking individuals to contribute financially is part of that shift. 

That said, this new Membership Program is not just about paying dues. While individuals will now contribute financially, this renewed Membership program is intended as both a call to community and a strategic step toward long-term sustainability built on interdependence.

We’ve also designed flexible pricing tiers so that cost doesn’t become a barrier. And if finances are a real challenge, we’ll work with you. The goal is to make membership accessible, not exclusive.

Yes, you may cancel your membership.

If you’re an individual member, you can cancel at any time by stopping your recurring payments. Once your payments stop, your membership and benefits will end at the close of your current paid period.

If you’re an organizational member, your dues are paid as a one-time annual payment. Because of that, refunds aren’t guaranteed. In special circumstances, we may consider exceptions in conversation with the Arts Council’s leadership team.

If you’re thinking about canceling, we always welcome a quick email or conversation first. Your feedback helps us understand what’s working, what isn’t, and how we can make the program a better fit for our creative community.

We’re working hard to add benefits that feel genuinely useful for both individuals and organizations.

Current benefits include:

• Spotlights in our communications platforms
• Access to volunteer lawyers and business professionals through our Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts and Business for the Arts programs
• “Ask Anything” virtual strategy sessions with Arts Council staff, where you can talk through questions about your creative practice, organization, or next steps
• Discounts to creative resources and assets
• And more!

For the most up-to date membership benefits and offerings, visit our current list of Arts Council Beta Test Membership Benefits.

Yes, we’d love to partner with you!

If your business or organization would like to offer a discount, resource, or other benefit to our members, please email membership@pittsburghartscouncil.org with the subject line “Membership Partner Perk” to discuss more. We’ll follow up to learn more and talk through what a good fit might look like.