'Envisioning a Just Pittsburgh' initiative calls on arts to shape more equitable future

The Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh and the University of Pittsburgh are giving artists an opportunity to create and define what an equitable Pittsburgh might look like with the second annual “Envisioning a Just Pittsburgh” initiative.

“We wanted to focus on highlighting what a just and equitable Pittsburgh looks like through the lens of community members. Sometimes we can be overwhelmed by so much of what is happening that we lose sight of what is possible,” said Ron Idoko, associate director of the University of Pittsburgh’s Center on Race and Social Problems, founding director of the Racial Equity Consciousness Institute and research assistant professor.

Idoko said just the act of imagining better can be cathartic and that the arts have always been a vanguard for social justice.

“The first step to change is to have an idea of what you want those changes to be,” he said.

Idoko holds several roles in the University of Pittsburgh’s Office of Social Innovation; his work centers on examining and addressing systemic racism and inequities in Pittsburgh and the region.

He noted the 2019 report from Pittsburgh’s Gender Equity Commission showing that Black women in Pittsburgh can go to almost any other metropolitan city and have a better quality of life, so partnering with the Carnegie Museums to help envision and consider what better looks like and to elevate perspectives and the work being done was important to him.

The initiative is a collaboration between multiple cultural institutions and community partners, including 1Hood Media and the August Wilson African American Cultural Center.

The open call for artists, which ends on Oct. 20, will culminate in a showcase beginning in February 2025. All creatives are welcome to apply and the winners will be announced in December.

“When we first launched this, we really hoped to reach artists who had never envisioned themselves being presented in our large institutions because we understand there are many roadblocks that artists face. But our artists are the ones who frequently show us what equity, justice and representation can look like,” said Gina Winstead, vice president of inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility at the Carnegie Museums. “The art is often remembered more than the words we say.”

They are looking to showcase the work of artists using their talents to express what a just Pittsburgh would look like and reflect their experiences, particularly when those experiences have marginalized them based on their identities or created disparities in Pittsburgh and the surrounding areas.

Last year’s showcase included a well-rounded representation of artists, from poets articulating the experience of transitioning their gender to performance pieces by dancers. Winstead also said the showcase has the potential to serve as a launch pad for artists before they move to bigger stages around the city.

The youth perspective is really important to the initiative, especially those 17 and under.

“We want to try to get a lot more youth participating this year,” Winstead said.

Idoko encourages anyone with ideas for a better future to engage, especially young people, because they often have dynamic, vibrant ideas to share.

“We want people to think of this as a collective initiative; it is not just a big institution doing this,” he said.

This year, there will be opportunities for 14 winners across in from adult and youth submissions. The categories for both include visual, performing, literary and interdisciplinary arts. Monetary awards include $2,000 for first-place winners and $750 for second-place winners. For youth, first-place winners will receive $750, and second-place winners will receive $250.

“We want people to afford to be able to continue their talent,” said Morgan Overton, artist and curator of the showcase.

“The experience was excellent and something I will remember for the rest of my life. It was literally confirmation that I am an artist, that this doesn’t have to be a hobby, and that I can do this professionally,” said Lee Price of Uniontown, who won first place in the visual arts category in the inaugural showcase for his painting “Ahmad Jamal’s Dream,” inspired by the world-renowned jazz musician born in Pittsburgh.

The showcase led to a three-month residency for Price at the Carnegie Library’s Hill District branch. This year, Price has decided to sit out the showcase, wanting to give other artists the opportunity to shine.

Overton noted that Pittsburgh has been called the most livable city in different rankings year after year, “but it dismisses the lived experiences of Black and brown community members,” she said.

Overton said many social issues in the region need to be systemically addressed, such as the Black maternal health crisis, air and water quality and the need for equitable education.

“It was important to uplift the arts while speaking about these issues,” she said.

Overton, who is from Penn Hills and lives in Greenfield, knows what it’s like to feel limited in opportunities and to feel the need to leave the city because of it.

“There aren’t enough outlets for us to build community or talk about social justice,” she said. “Art can really shift consciousness.”

A set of jurors will determine whether the submitted works align with the theme of “Envisioning a Just Pittsburgh.” Once the pieces are selected, Overton will think about the story she wants people to take away.

“It’s like playing Tetris with all the different pieces of art,” she said. “You are trying to give the viewer an experience.”

Jasmine Green, an artist and director of education at 1Hood Media, is the jury lead for the visual arts category of the showcase. She said the intentionality behind this project has been a beautifully collaborative process.

“Artists are uniquely positioned to envision futures because every time we create, we look at blank space and create possibility. We see what can be and try to find a way to get to that place,” Green said.

She added that the exhibition puts artists in the driver’s seat to build a vision of Pittsburgh as a place where everyone can thrive, making it livable for all.

“This tells artists and the community that their vision of the future should matter in how we see our collective way forward,” Green said.

Artists can apply here.