Black Lives Matter
We welcome and nurture everyone.
Pittsburgh Glass Center stands with the Black community in demanding justice and change. We will continue to amplify the voices and ideas that will lead us to a more equitable society.
I will never know what it feels like to be judged by the color of my skin, but I know to stay silent now is to be complicit. George Floyd lost his life in a senseless act of violence by someone who swore to protect the community. This is not the first time this has happened. It is not even the first time it has happened in the last few months. Art absolutely has the power to provoke conversation and we will continue to work to be a place that shares the voices of artists of color with the Pittsburgh community and beyond.
We know we have more work to do at PGC to make our programs equitable and accessible to all. We are creating a page on our website with resources on anti-racism actions, Black led organizations to donate to, and information about PGC’s free public programming. We have distributed over 100 full tuition scholarships to our classes for people of color since 2016 and vow to continue to increase our outreach to make more people aware of these opportunities.
We are proud to have worked with many amazing Black artists over the last several years through our Idea Furnace artist residency program. We very intentionally reach out to artists of color through this program because we know the art world in general, and the glass world in specific is far too homogeneous.
The commitment to elevating voices of color comes from the highest levels of leadership at PGC including our board. “The board and leadership of Pittsburgh Glass Center stands in solidarity with and holds space for our grieving and enraged Black community. As an organization, we unequivocally believe in racial equity and justice. We are committed to amplifying and learning from the critical voices of Black, Indigenous and other artists of color”. —Alison Oehler, PGC Board President
We will continue to listen to Black leaders, ask questions, and educate ourselves and we hope you will do the same.
—Heather McElwee,
Randi & L. Van V. Dauler, Jr. Executive Director
My name is Courtney Clemm. I am the Outreach & Accessibility Coordinator at Pittsburgh Glass Center. Since our inception in 2001, PGC has been located on the edge of Garfield, a historically Black community. Since 2016 we have offered full scholarships for people of color and had the honor to have awarded over 100.
Despite these facts, the demographics of our students and attendees remain predominantly white. That shows us that while we try, we are not doing enough to diversify, and we challenge ourselves to change that.
If there are any ways that we can make our environment more inclusive and accessible, I urge you to contact me at courtney@pittsburghglasscenter.org.
We want to listen and evolve for the betterment of our communities.
DONATE
If you have money to spare right now, consider making a donation to support anti-racism work in your community. Any amount makes a difference. There are many organizations doing important work right now. Choose one that speaks to you. We are supporting local, grassroots organization 1Hood Media, a collective of socially conscious artists and activists who utilize art to raise awareness.
Educate Yourself and Others
Op-Ed: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: Don’t understand the protests? What you’re seeing is people pushed to the edge Los Angeles Times
Why You Need to Stop Saying "All Lives Matter" Harper’s Bazaar
A Timeline of Events That Led to the 2020 'Fed Up'-rising The Root
How to Support the Struggle Against Police Brutality The Cut
Black Owned Businesses in Pittsburgh VisitPITTSBURGH
Black Owned Etsy Shops Sadie Smiley
Support Black-Owned Businesses: 181 Places to Start Online WebsitePlanet
SCHOLARSHIPS
Our studios are open to everyone who wants to learn and create. We offer a variety of scholarships in an effort to make our classes accessible to as many people as possible. Full-tuition scholarships are available for all classes and workshops for students of color.
Contact Courtney if you have questions at 412-365-2145 ext. 210.
GRANTS FOR GARFIELD RESIDENTS
We offer grants to Garfield residents for classes and artist residencies. If you are a Garfield resident and want to work with glass, contact us.
COMMUNITY PROGRAMS, DEMONSTRATIONS & TOURS
We welcome groups of all ages and abilities to our studios to watch hot glass demonstrations and participate in hands-on activities. Watch artists create amazing glass art, explore our contemporary glass art gallery and try glass making. If you can't come to us, we can bring hands-on activities and glassblowing demonstrations to you free of cost.
ARTIST RESIDENCY
Pittsburgh Glass Center offers several residency tracks that provide direct to support to artists including stipends, travel expenses, and accommodations that allow artists time to hone their skills, create new work, or develop pieces for an exhibition at PGC or elsewhere.
IDEA FURNACE RESIDENCY
We seek to work with non-glass artists to realize their ideas. Call it a collaboration—one that leads to amazing creative alliances and truly inspired works. Frequently, PGC invites non-glass artists into the studio to discuss their design ideas, learn about the glassmaking process, and watch their design come to life. Our exchange regularly leads to mutual learning opportunities.
Idea Furnace is free, and design sessions are typically a 3-hour studio session with a glass artist.