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Old 07-19-2008, 09:38 PM
 
20,273 posts, read 32,877,652 times
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fleetiebelle gave you good links to arts-related organizations. In general, as others told you in the other thread, although Pittsburgh is a medium-sized city (the "urbanized area" ranks about #22 in the United States), it has a relatively high density of cutural institutions, in parts thanks to its history of once being a larger boom town.

Anyway, I'd just add that I think the "East End" region in Pittsburgh in general is where you should likely be focusing your attention if you are interested in living among arts-oriented people. In some ways the nicer parts of the East End are basically like a large college town, but it also has some more affordable/transitional areas, and that is why you can find things like the Penn Avenue Arts Initiative in the East End.
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Old 07-20-2008, 10:35 AM
 
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Ex Pit, no offense taken. I understand it's not exactly clear. Like Katiana said, if I do end up moving down to Pitt I'd like to talk to people who are involved in the arts and eventually get involved myself. I'm not strictly limiting myself to that. But because art has been a big part of my life for a long time now it's something I need to still be prevalent in my social activities. I am not a huge sports fan, and I am aware that people in Pittsburgh are very passionate about their Steelers and football....I just want to get acquainted with various kinds of people.
I'm sure some of you have moved or are now living in different places, and have experienced that need to be able to interact with people who have similar interests and views. It's a big part of what makes you feel welcome and comfortable. I can imagine that all this talk about arts and culture is coming off as fairly stuck up, but I assure you all that I'm not. I respect everyone's interests. Interestingly enough some of the best pieces of art work are from people who come from the blue collar, working class families. I find it ironic that people of wealth should enjoy it above all. Art should not be regarded as a rich man's hobby. It's simply another form of communication and bringing people together. I wish people would stop viewing art as an elitist subject. Because art serves to reflect social matters and society- it's there to help us understand each other better. Some art work is just crap and a complete mockery, with no message to pass on.

Thank you all for the references and opinions
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Old 07-20-2008, 01:40 PM
 
2,488 posts, read 2,913,551 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Katiana View Post
I think she wants to meet artists to hang out with. Not being an artist myself, I have no idea how to go about doing that.

There is kind of a dichotomy in Pittsburgh, with the blue collar community not terribly interested in the arts, and an arts community that is, from what I hear, quite active. I don't mean to offend anyone with my blue collar comment, I'm just saying that's how I remember it from growing up there. Going to a symphony, art museum, something like that was considered very "hoity-toity".
This is a very stereotypical comment, and this is why Pittsburgh has trouble shedding it image.

First off, Pittsburgh is a growing artist city. This city is known for its love for the arts, art museums, art galleries, etc.

Second, I grew up blue collar, my brother is an artist, and I have enjoyed art museums, and art galleries ever since I was a little kid.

You always have your unintelligent people that think art is for those "hoity-toity" people. But intelligence and what social class you are in are two different things.
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Old 07-20-2008, 01:44 PM
 
Location: Crafton via San Francisco
3,463 posts, read 4,622,952 times
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I visited Pittsburgh in 2006 and met an artist, a gallery owner, and someone who worked for an arts organization. they all loved living there and felt it was a good place for artists.

I'm planning to move there from CA in a few years when my kids are on their own. I want a lower cost of living with a strong and vibrant arts community.

You should also check out the Society for Contemporary Craft on Smallman. And the FiberArt International triennial exhibition website, fiberartspgh.org.
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Old 07-20-2008, 01:47 PM
 
2,488 posts, read 2,913,551 times
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Originally Posted by juliegt View Post
I visited Pittsburgh in 2006 and met an artist, a gallery owner, and someone who worked for an arts organization. they all loved living there and felt it was a good place for artists.

I'm planning to move there from CA in a few years when my kids are on their own. I want a lower cost of living with a strong and vibrant arts community.

You should also check out the Society for Contemporary Craft on Smallman. And the FiberArt International triennial exhibition website, fiberartspgh.org.
Neighborhoods like the Mexican War Street, Lawrenceville, and the South Side flats are buzzing with artist and art galleries.
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Old 07-20-2008, 01:58 PM
 
2,751 posts, read 5,348,340 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Canarian View Post
Ex Pit, no offense taken. I understand it's not exactly clear. Like Katiana said, if I do end up moving down to Pitt I'd like to talk to people who are involved in the arts and eventually get involved myself. I'm not strictly limiting myself to that. But because art has been a big part of my life for a long time now it's something I need to still be prevalent in my social activities. I am not a huge sports fan, and I am aware that people in Pittsburgh are very passionate about their Steelers and football....I just want to get acquainted with various kinds of people.
I'm sure some of you have moved or are now living in different places, and have experienced that need to be able to interact with people who have similar interests and views. It's a big part of what makes you feel welcome and comfortable. I can imagine that all this talk about arts and culture is coming off as fairly stuck up, but I assure you all that I'm not. I respect everyone's interests. Interestingly enough some of the best pieces of art work are from people who come from the blue collar, working class families. I find it ironic that people of wealth should enjoy it above all. Art should not be regarded as a rich man's hobby. It's simply another form of communication and bringing people together. I wish people would stop viewing art as an elitist subject. Because art serves to reflect social matters and society- it's there to help us understand each other better. Some art work is just crap and a complete mockery, with no message to pass on.

Thank you all for the references and opinions
Yeah, I have, moved away from Pittsburgh that is, several times. I live in Los Angeles now, and no two cities could be more unalike. On the surface or from afar, L.A. could be categorized as friendlier to the arts, as more conducive to the artistic life; but skim the surface of any issue, and that's what you'll get, a surface understanding.

Art comes out of the wreckage, a weed that grows spindly, starved of any reliable water source, bending towards the one crack of light, always; even those raised with money and privilege and a sense of entitlement must throw off their cloaks of security and strip down bare, if they're ever going to produce anything worthwhile.

Gotta say I don't know what you mean when you say that, "people of wealth should (not) enjoy it above all"... "art" is one of the last indulgences available to all; unless you're talking about having the wherewithal to hang your very own Picasso or Monet, or good prints thereof on your study wall. As I think I said, visual arts are my personal least favorite, and so it follows they're the ones I know least about; but if you like music or literature, as I do, there's no better bargain for your money than a CD or a novel that will give you years of entertainment.

Anyway, you seem like a very sweet, authentic young woman, and I'm sure you will make the tough decisions as they come up. If you want to make art you will, and given that dedication you will not be in it alone. Others who have made those tough decisions, who do it everyday of their lives whether they have it in them that day or not, whether their efforts are celebrated or not, (just look again at Picasso's "Old Guitarist" if you forgot), will accompany you.
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Old 07-21-2008, 02:33 AM
 
23 posts, read 36,473 times
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What I meant by "people of wealth should not enjoy it above all" which I admit might of been worded better- was that I feel that art should not only be enjoyed and appreciated by those with money. I agree it should be enjoyed and available to all!

I've been looking into the links some of you have provided. There appears to be a good number of very interesting events going on. Thanks again!

I believe that people generally perceive larger cities to be more cosmopolitan and therefore more cultural and where arts are more readily available. I'll have to admit I had my prejudices of Pittsburgh as well, coming from that same belief. But it's become evident to me that there is art everywhere if you truly look. I suppose my fear is the transition from a larger city to a smaller one. Having lived in Canada and Europe my whole life I've been used to different environments. Pittsburgh for me is something different from what I've ever experienced. Just hoping that if I make the move I'll be able to fit in ok...
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Old 07-22-2008, 08:45 AM
 
20,273 posts, read 32,877,652 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Canarian View Post
I suppose my fear is the transition from a larger city to a smaller one. Having lived in Canada and Europe my whole life I've been used to different environments. Pittsburgh for me is something different from what I've ever experienced. Just hoping that if I make the move I'll be able to fit in ok...
I think one of the most important things to understand about Pittsburgh is that it can't really be characterized in any overall sense when it comes to social and cultural matters, in part because the very large number of distinct neighborhoods with distinct personalities indirectly helps like-minded people find each other and form communities of common interest. So I think you could well feel out of place if you ended up in the wrong neighborhood (wrong for you of course--it may be just fine for people with different interests), but in one of the right neighborhoods I think you would find many people with similar interests.
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Old 07-23-2008, 03:07 AM
 
Location: Hell with the lid off, baby!
2,193 posts, read 5,783,758 times
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Here's how you meet artists in Pittsburgh. You find things like this, Pop City - Sound + Vision: Life on Mars features Barry McGee, Japanther and PAPER RAD (http://www.popcitymedia.com/popfilter/mars0723.aspx - broken link), and go. I plan on being there Thursday evening
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Old 07-23-2008, 11:40 AM
 
23 posts, read 36,473 times
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Thanks Dugdogmaster.....alas it isn't quite as easy for me to hop on down all the way from Ontario. Though I wish it was. Would make matters a lot easier for me to adjust and get acquainted with the area. Sounds very interesting though. Hope it's good
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