Advocacy doesn't just happen in public hearings or in the offices of elected officials. It happens in a happy hour toast, a classroom conversation, a meeting that has nothing to do with the arts on paper. This month, I keep coming back to a simple question: whatever room we're in, how are we showing up for the things that matter to us, and to those we're connected to and work on behalf of? Every conversation is a chance to advocate, and every advocate we bring along builds a stronger, wider network.

Raising a Glass to Sen. Jay Costa's Leadership

Earlier this month, the Arts Council hosted an intimate happy hour to thank state Sen. Jay Costa (D-Allegheny) for his leadership and advocacy on behalf of the arts. Capacity topped out at 40, and narrowing the list was hard when, honestly, we'd have loved to fill the room twice over. Even so, it gave our team and Board a chance to reconnect with past Board directors, thank donors for their continued support, and make sure leaders from arts organizations had real one-on-one time with the senator.

Sen. Costa played a critical role in securing this year’s $1 million increase in the Commonwealth's arts investment. Our happy hour gave us the chance to keep building the case for stronger state-level support, and to keep pressing the point that economic impact, while real and worth telling, shouldn't overshadow the arts' other primary and secondary benefits to our communities.

A special thank you to Bob Sendell of All in Good Taste Productions for hosting us, and to Sen. Costa for spending the entire evening fully engaged with everyone in the room.

Engaging Future Arts Leaders

I returned to Carnegie Mellon University this month for a conversation with students in the Master of Arts Management program, something I'm fortunate to do each year. These visits are a chance to talk about advocacy not just as a theoretical exercise, but as a practice, grounding the conversation in specific examples of advocacy in action and connecting it to where things stand right now for the arts and humanities in the Greater Pittsburgh region. 

Each year we cover a lot of ground in our conversation: how advocacy campaigns actually take shape, what it looks like to build relationships with elected officials over time, and where our current priorities fit into a broader advocacy strategy. It's always energizing to spend time with students who are thinking seriously about how to build a career at the intersection of the arts and public life, and I'm grateful to CMU and Dr. Brett Ashley Crawford for continuing to welcome the Arts Council into the classroom year after year.

A Board Chair Who Never Stops Advocating for the Arts

Nayli Russo Long, Chair of the Arts Council's Board of Directors, recently met with U.S. Sen. Dave McCormick (R-PA) for matters unrelated to her role with the Arts Council. Even so, she didn't let the opportunity pass. Nayli spoke with the senator directly about the importance of protecting funding for the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities, and urged him to help ensure artistic liberty remains protected when federal funding decisions are made. We're grateful to Nayli for representing the arts so naturally, and for reinforcing to Sen. McCormick the importance of federal support for the arts. 

Save the Date: Our Next Policy and Action Roundtable Turns to Social Prescribing

Mark your calendars: our next Policy and Action Roundtable is set for November 4, one day after Election Day, from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the Manchester Craftsmen's Guild (MCG) Concert Hall. We're turning our focus to social prescribing, the practice of connecting people to arts and cultural experiences as a complement to traditional healthcare and well-being support. 

We're pleased to share that Chris Appleton, Founder and CEO of SocialRx (formerly Art Pharmacy), will join the conversation, alongside state Rep. Jessica Benham (D-Allegheny), who sits on state committees related to aging, health, and mental wellness, and Courtney Abegunde, Managing Director of Steel Smiling. Save the date! We're continuing to build out the rest of the panel and will share details on additional speakers and registration as they come together.

This builds on our ongoing efforts to see social prescribing piloted here in Southwestern Pennsylvania, and, ideally, rolled out more broadly at the state level, following the lead Massachusetts set in 2024.

Decked Out for Democracy

A new Pittsburgh-based grassroots effort called Decked Out for Democracy wants us to start treating election season the way we treat the holidays: decorating anything public-facing (houses, cars, bikes, front doors, clothing) with handmade, pro-democracy messaging. Think colorful, creative, even wacky, paired with practical information like election dates and voter registration deadlines. 

Organizers are reaching out to artists first to help get the ball rolling, and content will be shared on Instagram and TikTok as it comes in. They're also hosting community making opportunities for anyone who wants to get involved. The premise is simple but the need is real: many voting activists report that a lot of people don't even realize an election is happening. If you're an artist looking for a low-lift, high-visibility way to get involved this fall, this is a fun one.

Protecting Artists' Creative Expression

Maryland's Protecting Artists' Creative Expression (PACE) Act, signed into law by Governor Wes Moore, takes effect October 1. It establishes that rap lyrics and other creative works can no longer be assumed to reflect an artist's literal intent or presented as a confession, admissible only in narrow circumstances, such as when the work refers directly to the facts of the case or the artist intended it literally. PEN America and free expression advocates are calling it “a model that should be adopted by other states and the federal government.”

Other News of Interest:

Salvage Art Summit | September 24-27

» Register here

This free, four-day virtual summit is open to artists, activists, and artivists nationwide working at the intersection of art and climate action. Sessions from 22 artists, organizers, and wellness practitioners cover turning waste into art, using creative work to push for systemic change, and sustaining yourself as an artist-activist.

2026 Nancy Hanks Lecture on Arts and Public Policy | September 30

» Sign up for the livestream

Americans for the Arts' free annual lecture is streaming on YouTube from wherever you are. The program features Tony Award-winning actress and director Phylicia Rashad speaking on the role of the arts in a healthy democracy. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) and Rep. Doris Matsui (D-CA) will also receive the 2026 Congressional Arts Leadership Awards. Sign up to get a reminder with the start time and stream link.

IATSE Local No. 3

Union representing Pittsburgh's stagehands

For nearly 140 years, the members of IATSE Local 3 have worked behind the scenes at Pittsburgh's theaters, concerts, and major productions, building sets, hanging lights, and rigging stages. Chartered in 1887, Local 3 is one of the oldest stagehand unions in the country and advocates for safer working conditions, fair pay, and better benefits for stage technicians. As Gary, the reader who nominated them for this spotlight, shares, "The audience sees the finished production, but the hard work, skill, dedication, and professionalism of IATSE Local 3 members make the show possible."

Mia Hooper

Chief Operating Officer, Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council

Our own Mia Hooper will receive YWCA Greater Pittsburgh's 2026 Creative Arts & Innovation Award at the Equity Awards on November 19. The award honors women whose work in the arts brings public attention to the empowerment of women, especially women of color. At the Arts Council, Mia leads initiatives that support the region's creative economy. She also serves on the executive committee of Disability Lead, a national organization preparing people with disabilities for leadership roles, and as a council member for East McKeesport Borough. Please join us in congratulating Mia!

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.

2026 National Arts Service Organizations Survey

An arts service organization (ASO) is a nonprofit that supports the arts and culture sector itself, rather than producing or presenting art directly, and there are a number of them in Pittsburgh’s arts ecosystem, including the Arts Council. Despite the number of national ASOs, there's remarkably little data on who we are, how we operate, and what we actually do. 

ADC Consulting's 2026 National ASO Survey aims to change that. It's a first-of-its-kind effort to build an open, national dataset on arts service organizations, information that can strengthen advocacy, guide funders, and help our field make the case for its own sustainability with real evidence behind it. 

The more ASOs that participate, the more accurate and useful that picture becomes. If you lead or work at an arts service organization, take a few minutes to be counted. The survey closes October 9.

Last Call: Advocacy Leadership Institute Applications Close September 30
 

There's less than a week left to apply for the Advocacy Leadership Institute. Established arts and culture leaders and senior staff at Southwestern Pennsylvania organizations are encouraged to apply for this inaugural Greater Pittsburgh cohort. Licensed from CreativeOhio, the six-month program prepares participants to advocate with clarity, credibility, and confidence at the local and state level.

Participants will meet monthly from January through June 2027 to build knowledge of legislative and funding processes, hands-on advocacy skills, and lasting relationships with peers and policymakers.

Thanks for helping shape Pittsburgh’s future through advocacy and action,

Patrick Fisher
CEO, Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council

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