Support our Black and African-American Arts Organizations
This post is an email that was sent to our mailing list on Wednesday, June 3, 2020.
Any changes or updates to the original email have been noted below.
Dear Members, Friends, and Supporters,
Our community is in pain. Over 100,000 people in the United States have died from COVID-19, and over 40 million Americans have filed for unemployment. In the midst of these economic and health crises, we again witness the unnecessary and brutal killings of our citizens of color. George Floyd. Ahmaud Arbery. Breonna Taylor. Tony McDade. And numerous others. Loss upon loss upon loss. Although words feel inadequate, to be silent is to be complicit. Black Lives Matter.
Associated Artists of Pittsburgh was founded in 1910 to exhibit and support the work of regional artists. While we work to make ourselves a more accessible organization and safe space for all artists and audiences regardless of race, ethnicity, age, gender, and sexual-orientation, we want to draw your attention to the following Black and African-American led arts organizations. These organizations labor tirelessly to produce and support the arts of this region. We owe much of our city's culture to them, and we are grateful for all they do. List and links are below.
Go to their websites, read their missions, see what they do, and support their work.
While the following list is by no means exhaustive, it’s a start.
Madeline Gent
Executive Director, Associated Artists of Pittsburgh