March proved to be a particularly important month for advocacy, and for the power of our community showing up together. From our inaugural Policy and Action Roundtable to Arts Advocacy Day, we had two meaningful opportunities to engage, organize, and make our voices heard. None of it would have been possible without you: the advocates and allies who showed up and lent your time, energy, and voice to this work.

Inaugural Policy & Action Roundtable

On March 5, nearly 200 artists, arts leaders, funders, and patrons gathered at Point Park University for our inaugural Policy & Action Roundtable, a candid, forward-looking conversation about how local government can better support the arts ecosystem and cultural sector, and the communities the field serves. The program featured a Q&A with Pittsburgh Mayor Corey O'Connor and Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato.

The discussion reinforced what we believe deeply: artists and cultural organizations are essential partners in shaping Pittsburgh and Allegheny County's future.

Making Our Case in Harrisburg

On March 24, we joined peers from across the Commonwealth in Harrisburg for Arts Advocacy Day, organized by Creative Pennsylvania. Leading up to the event, we collaborated with Creative Pennsylvania, Erie Arts & Culture, the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance, and others to align on a unified statewide message centered on two core priorities: recommitting to the mission of Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, including restoring funding that has been redirected away from direct arts grantmaking, and ensuring greater transparency, accountability, and long-term stability in statewide public arts funding.

We were grateful to be joined in legislative meetings by Colleen Doyno (Pittsburgh Musical Theater), Natalie Sweet (Brew House Arts), Jon Engel and Ryan Henderson (Rivers of Steel), Craig Cannon (Belle Voci), and Micky Krenek (University of Pittsburgh, Department of Theatre Arts). Their presence grounded our shared advocacy priorities in real experiences of artists, administrators, and organizations serving communities across our region, making the case in a way that data alone cannot.

We met directly with Representatives Lindsay Powell (D-21), Jessica Benham (D-36), Arvind Venkat (D-30), and Emily Kinkead (D-20). Two promising paths emerged: Rep. Venkat, a member of the Arts & Culture Caucus, encouraged us to engage the Caucus Co-Chairs to submit a formal letter of support for Creative Pennsylvania's priorities to the General Assembly and the Governor's office. Rep. Kinkead pointed us toward Rep. Aerion Abney, who chairs the Allegheny County House Democratic Delegation, with the goal of securing a parallel support letter from the Delegation. We're actively pursuing both.

This work requires all of us. During opening remarks, Sen. Stefano (R-32) encouraged the group to think boldly and creatively about establishing a sustainable, long-term revenue stream for the arts at the state level. That kind of signal showing a genuine legislative appetite for innovative ideas is exactly what we need to build on. If you have thoughts on what a sustainable funding model for the arts in Pennsylvania could look like, we'd love to hear from you.

There are also other meaningful ways to support this advocacy as it moves forward. Our Arts Advocacy Day Toolkit provides templates, social media assets, and guidance for reaching your representatives.

We also encourage you to contact Gov. Shapiro's office directly:

A Closer Look at Pennsylvania Creative Industries: What the March Council Agenda Reveals

This week, Pennsylvania Creative Industries (PCI), formerly Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, holds its quarterly Council meeting. Thanks to a Right-to-Know request submitted by the ROAR Campaign (Restoring Opportunities for Artists and Residents), we have access to the full packet of materials prepared in advance of that meeting. 

The packet offers a detailed window into the agency’s strategic direction, and it raises serious questions that reinforce exactly why the priorities we brought to Harrisburg on Arts Advocacy Day matter.

Long-standing programs serving artists, arts organizations, and communities in every county of Pennsylvania are being discontinued, and the field deserves a full accounting of how and why those decisions were made. 

As a long-standing partner of PCA, one item stood out in particular: the agency is actively developing a framework for regional "Pennsylvania Creative Industries Hubs," designed to embed the agency within community and economic development networks, while existing relationships with arts organizations appear to be deprioritized. The message this sends is difficult to ignore: a deliberate repositioning of the agency away from the arts sector it was created to serve.

Our stance is clear, and we will be persistent in it. The arts field is not okay with these changes and we question whether PCI is fulfilling its legal mandate, and that deserves a direct and transparent answer.

Ticketmaster Antitrust Case Moves Forward

Earlier this month, the Justice Department announced a tentative settlement with Ticketmaster and its parent company Live Nation, resolving an antitrust lawsuit accusing the company of illegally monopolizing the live events industry. However, a large bipartisan coalition of more than 30 state attorneys general — including Pennsylvania — declined to join the settlement and continued the trial in federal court. 

The National Independent Venue Association noted that the fine amounts to just four days of Live Nation's revenue and includes no explicit protections for fans, artists, or independent venues, according to WHYY.

Other News of Interest:

Museum Workers Advocacy Day | April 9-10

Museum Workers Advocacy Day, an annual virtual event hosted by The National Emerging Museum Professionals Network (NEMPN), provides a platform for museum professionals from all sectors and levels of experience to come together and advocate for equitable industry changes. Registration is free.

U.S. Department of Arts & Culture

A people-centered grassroots action network resourcing and mobilizing cultural organizers and artists
 

With ICE now being deployed at U.S. airports, the USDAC has re-released an essential resource: Taking Back Our Data: Digital Security for Artists & Activists, a zine on protecting your information and devices, alongside a new Digital Security Travel Checklist for artists and advocates navigating increased risk at the border. As this situation continues to develop, we're grateful for practical resources that help artists and advocates prepare and protect themselves.

Richard Parsakian

Arts advocate, fashion curator, and owner of Eons Fashion Antique

Last week, Richard Parsakian curated his final fashion show — after 45 years of curating events — to a sold-out audience at Pittsburgh Opera. The beloved owner of Eons Fashion Antique in Shadyside for four decades, Richard has spent nearly half a century amplifying Pittsburgh's fashion, drag, LGBTQIA+, and arts communities. He has served on the Advisory Board of the Pittsburgh Dance Council, the Pittsburgh LGBTQIA+ Commission, the Pittsburgh Art Commission, and the board of Pittsburgh Earth Day — and we're proud to have him serve on the Arts Council's Board of Directors, where he continues to volunteer his time to advocate for the arts.

Do you know a person or organization worth a spotlight? We'd love to learn more! Use this form to send us their info for consideration in a future newsletter.

U.S. Copyright Office Proposes Fee Increases

The U.S. Copyright Office is proposing raising the fees for copyright registration. If you’re an artist who is concerned this will create a financial barrier to copyrighting your work, we encourage you to submit feedback through their public comment period, which ends on May 4.

Oppose Proposed Changes to Federal Grantees, Harming Nonprofits and Communities

The federal government has proposed requiring all federal grantees — including nonprofits — to sign new certifications, under threat of civil and criminal penalties, before applying for or receiving federal funding. The public comment period closes March 30.

We encourage organizations to join the National Council of Nonprofits and Legal Defense Fund in signing onto a national letter opposing these harmful proposed changes.

I am deeply grateful to work alongside so many passionate and committed people. The momentum we've built this month gives us every reason to keep going.

Patrick Fisher
CEO, Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council

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