Office for Public Art Announces Improvements to the Pittsburgh Creative Corps

Pittsburgh, PA — The Pittsburgh Creative Corps has announced improvements to its artist application process aimed at increasing the program’s reach and better support the region’s artists. The Creative Corps, an initiative of the Office for Public Art and Riverlife which engages artists to activate public spaces, will now accept artist applications throughout the year, with applications reviewed twice per year, once in the spring and once in the fall. Artists accepted to the Creative Corps are eligible for a two-year term. Artists seeking to be part of the Corps from now through 2025 can view the Call for Artists and submit an application here: https://pittsburghartscouncil.submittable.com/submit.

Since its launch in 2020, the Creative Corps has hired artists to develop public art projects and create civic engagement programs throughout Downtown and other river-adjacent spaces. Growing regional awareness of the program and the launch of the Corps’ Artist Directory have increased interest from other entities seeking to hire artists for public realm projects. Recent commissions for artists who are part of the Corps include opportunities on the Fern Hollow Bridge construction by Frick Park and with the Pittsburgh CLO Academy in Downtown Pittsburgh.

“The Creative Corps model was developed in part as a response to the feedback that we have heard from artists that the public art application process is opaque and difficult to navigate,” said Derek Reese, OPA’s Program Manager of Artist Services. “We have designed the process to streamline the requirements for artists and reduce the barriers to entry to work in public art. We are seeing this strategy pay off; in the first two years of the Corps, over 50% of the artists have taken part in a paid public art opportunity, ranging from planning sessions to paid design proposals to full-blown public art commissions valued over $100,000.”

The application to join the Corps is open to all artists living and working in southwestern Pennsylvania, including those working in visual, literary, and performance arts, and other forms of practice. All artists interested in working in the public realm are encouraged to apply, regardless of career level. The deadline for submission for the Spring 2023 review is Monday, March 13, and the deadline for Fall 2023 review is Monday, September 11.

“This update to our application process reflects our commitment to engaging a broad pool of artists in the Pittsburgh region who reflect the multi-cultural realities of our neighborhoods and communities,” Reese continued. “Successful applications take significant time and care, and the deadlines do not always align with artists’ other personal and professional commitments. By keeping the application open throughout the year, we are removing another hurdle for artists who want to work in the public realm.”

Artist Information Sessions

The Office for Public Art will hold two artist information sessions about the Creative Corps and application process. Each session will be held online via Zoom. Info session attendees are required to register in advance; however attendance at the information sessions is not required as part of the application.

• Tuesday, January 31, 2023 at 10:00 AM https://tinyurl.com/PCC-Spring23-InfoSession1
• Thursday, February 16, 2023 at 6:00 PM https://tinyurl.com/PCC-Spring23-InfoSession2

Office Hours

In addition to the information sessions, the Office for Public Art offers Office Hours for artists on Thursdays and Fridays. Office Hours are held both in-person and virtually. To schedule a half-hour meeting time, please visit: https://opapgh.org/events/.

More information about the Pittsburgh Creative Corps, including the online directory of current Creative Corps artists, can be found at pittsburghcreativecorps.org.

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