Americans for the Arts to Present Leadership Award to Renee Piechocki

Piechocki to Be Honored on June 16 at Americans for the Arts’ Convention in Denver

Pittsburgh - May 25, 2018 - Americans for the Arts announced today that Renee Piechocki, former director of Pittsburgh’s Office of Public Art will be honored with the Public Art Network Award at Americans for the Arts’ upcoming Annual Convention in Denver, Colorado. As part of the annual Leadership Award series, the Public Art Network Award recognizes the achievements of individuals and organizations committed to enriching their communities through the arts. In addition to the Public Art Network award, five arts leaders will also receive leadership awards from AFTA: Quanice G. Floyd, American Express Emerging Leaders Award; William Marino, Michael Newton Award; Kristina Newman-Scott, Selina Roberts Ottum Award; Paul Sznewajs, Arts Education Award; Sarah Gonzales Triplett, Alene Valkanas State Arts Advocacy Award. The awards will be presented at Americans for the Arts’ Annual Convention in Denver, Colorado, on Saturday, June 16, 2018, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:15 p.m.

“Our Leadership Award honorees have distinguished themselves as passionate advocates and leaders in innovation, education, management, and advocacy for the arts in communities across the country,” said Robert L. Lynch, president and CEO of Americans for the Arts. “These leaders are driven by a deep belief in the power of the arts to transform individual lives and communities, and their unwavering commitment to local, state, and national support for the arts is deserving of this recognition.”

About Renee Piechocki

Piechocki is passionate about developing projects and initiatives to engage artists and communities in the public realm. She founded Pittsburgh’s Office of Public Art (OPA) in 2005, where her team of five provided technical assistance and educational programs about public art in a thirteen-county region. Under her thirteen-year leadership, OPA produced more than 50 works of permanent and temporary public art and developed ongoing projects with entities in the public and private sector including the Allegheny County Airport Authority, Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership, Neighborhood Allies, and the Community Builders, Inc.

Previously, Piechocki was facilitator the Public Art Network, the national service program in the field of public art, (2000-2004); studio manager for Vito Acconci (1998-2000); and project manager for the City of New York’s Percent for Art Program (1994-1998). Her consulting work includes public art plans and strategies developed in collaboration with Jennifer McGregor and others for City of Laramie, WY (2015), San Pedro Creek Cultural Park in San Antonio, TX (2016), Cross-Charlotte Trail in Charlotte, NC (2016), and the Rose Kennedy Greenway in Boston, MA (2012). Publications include “Contextualizing the Public in Social Practice Projects” in A Companion for Public Art (2016); “Beyond the Ribbon Cutting: Education and Programming Strategies for Public Art Projects and Programs” in Public Art by the Book (2005); Artist Residencies in the Public Realm (2014), a resource guide for successful collaborations; and Add Value Add Art (2010), a resource for private developers. Piechocki’s work as an artist ranges from Two Girls Working, a decade-long collaboration with Tiffany Ludwig; The Driveway of Doom produced every Halloween in collaboration with a cast of characters at her house in Pittsburgh; stop motion short films, short stories, and other creative projects. Piechocki was born in Queens, New York, and received her Bachelor’s degree from Hunter College.

Americans for the Arts is the leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts and arts education in America. With offices in Washington, D.C. and New York City, it has a record of more than 55 years of service. Americans for the Arts is dedicated to representing and serving local communities and creating opportunities for every American to participate in and appreciate all forms of the arts. Additional information is available at www.AmericansForTheArts.org. Americans for the Arts’ Annual Convention brings together arts and community leaders to network and discuss strategies for building stronger towns, counties, and cities through the arts. What started as a small group of 45 people in 1955 has now grown to more than 1,100 each year, and continues to grow 10-15 percent annually.

About the Office of Public Art

The Office of Public Art (OPA), located at the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council, expands the range of possibilities for artists to engage communities through technical assistance, educational programs, commissions, and residencies in the public realm. Founded in 2005, OPA works with organizations and individuals, within the thirteen county regions of Southwestern Pennsylvania, in the public and private sector to facilitate the development of and information about public art. For more information, visit publicartpittsburgh.org.

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About the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council

The Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council champions the arts in Southwestern Pennsylvania, providing financial, professional, and political support for the arts and culture sector. Comprised of more than 600 diverse artists and nonprofit organizations, the Arts Council offers valuable research, legal and business consulting, networking and professional development opportunities so that artists, as well as arts leaders and organizations, can grow their skills and advance their practice. The Arts Council provides grants for artists and arts organizations, leads the region's arts advocacy at the local, state, and national level, and models best practices for accessibility and equity in the arts.

For interviews with the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council, image use requests, and any other media questions, please contact Manager of Communications Lisa Cunningham at 412-391-2060, ext. 227 or lcunningham@pittsburghartscouncil.org.