Office for Public Art expands ability to serve the Pittsburgh region

Pittsburgh, PA — Pittsburgh’s independent Office for Public Art (OPA) announced the recent expansion of the organization’s staff and committee structure in order to support its growing programs and opportunities for artists and communities. The expansion includes two new positions and a restructuring of its Advisory Committee to ensure representation of artists, community members, and other partners.

About the Team

Dominique Chestand joined the OPA staff in September 2022 as the Operations Manager. Dominique was first introduced to OPA as a consultant through her work on the Pittsburgh Public Art Counts! survey, a collaborative effort between OPA and the Public History, Art, and Design division (formerly the Public Art and Civic Design division) of the City of Pittsburgh. As the Operations Manager, Dominique works with OPA staff, community partners, and artists to create more equitable and effective practices within OPA’s operations. Additionally, she develops strategies for improving the accessibility of public art in the Pittsburgh region for the many audiences that the organization serves including artists and neighborhoods.

Lauren Basing joined the OPA staff in October 2022 as the Artist Services Coordinator. Lauren began working with OPA as an intern while pursuing her Master of Arts Management degree with Carnegie Mellon University. As the Artist Services Coordinator, Lauren supports the growing roster of artists in the Pittsburgh Creative Corps, and works with clients to provide guidance on artist selection processes and project management.

In addition to the two new staff positions, Project Manager Derek Reese was promoted to Program Manager for Artist Services and Program and Marketing Coordinator Ashley Anderson was promoted to Marketing and Communications Manager.

“This is a very exciting time for OPA as we look to better support the growing interest and investment in public art in the region through the services and opportunities we provide to artists, communities, and other partners,” said Executive Director Sallyann Kluz. “Bringing Dominique and Lauren onto our team adds not only to our organizational capacity but to the knowledge, talents, and resources available to Pittsburgh’s growing public art eco-system. As executive director, I am honored by the level of dedication and enthusiasm for this work that the staff, committee, and board members bring to the organization.”

Board of Directors and Advisory Committee

Earlier this year, OPA announced the election of its inaugural Board of Directors, along with the new name, Office for Public Art, and new office location in the East Liberty neighborhood of Pittsburgh. In addition to the Board of Directors, OPA is supported by an Advisory Committee, which includes artists, community members, and partners. The Advisory Committee advises OPA staff on program and project development, reviews OPA’s activities, participates in planning activities, and discusses current issues relevant to the organization’s work and the Pittsburgh region.

The Advisory Committee includes: J. Thomas Agnew, cultural entrepreneur and Co-Founder of BOOM Concepts; Bruce Chan, Senior Director of Urban Design, Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership; Yu-San Chang, Associate Director, Contemporary Craft; Fran Flaherty, Artist; Director, Joseph F. and Helen C. Dyer Arts Center at Rochester Institute of Technology’s National Technical Institute for the Deaf; Joseph Hall, Executive Director, Kelly Strayhorn Theater; and Njaimeh Njie, Artist.

OPA’s Board of Directors includes: J. Thomas Agnew, cultural entrepreneur and Co-Founder of BOOM Concepts; Shad Henderson, Vice President of Equity and Inclusion at Neighborhood Allies; Shaunda McDill, Producer at DEMASKUS Theater Collective and Program Officer at The Heinz Endowments; Rachel Rearick, Executive Director of Contemporary Craft; and Kyle Webster, General Counsel at ACTION-Housing Inc.

The Office for Public Art is a nonprofit corporation in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania which is fiscally sponsored by the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council, a 501(c)(3) organization.

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