The Pittsburgh Foundation’s Voices of Youth Challenges Youth to Develop Public Art Projects

PITTSBURGH, April 21, 2009 – The Pittsburgh Foundation has announced the first phase of a three part series titled Voices of Youth, an on-line competition launched jointly with The Grable Foundation designed to encourage public involvement in community grantmaking initiatives.

Art in Public is the subject of the first competition, and the two winning projects will each receive grants of up to $25,000. Young people and those working with young people are encouraged to participate in creating proposals for developing art in public spaces using a website at

http://www.pghvoicesofyouth.org

, where ideas can be submitted as well as discussed in a public forum.

Pittsburgh artists and arts organizations are encouraged to work with area youth on submissions that demonstrate well designed, sustainable public art that expresses the voices of youth.  The closing date for entries is May 20, 2009.  

A local committee will then select a short list of approximately six finalists. The committee will include representatives of The Pittsburgh Foundation as well as members of The Grable Foundation’s Community Cabinet, a group of advisors who meet with the Foundation to discuss public policy and review grant making opportunities.  Beginning in early June, the finalists’ projects will be displayed on the website and the public will have the opportunity to vote for the proposed programs that they believe deserve funding.  The two winning projects will be announced following the conclusion of voting on June 24.

Later this year, after completion of the Art in Public competition, the next two Voices in Youth competitions will be launched, the first asking youth how to create public spaces that promote intergenerational contact, and the final part which questions how to get young people more involved in philanthropy.  

The competition series has been developed by The Pittsburgh Foundation and The Grable Foundation in partnership with Ashoka Changemakers, an initiative that focuses on social innovation. Changemakers provides solutions and resources to support organizations as they develop online community initiatives, including grant competitions.

“This is a new way of looking at how we, as the region’s community foundation, can strengthen our relationship with the broader community,” said Grant Oliphant, President and CEO at The Pittsburgh Foundation.  “Giving the public a voice in where the money goes we believe is an inspiring way to broaden and democratize the grantmaking process.”

"If Pittsburgh might one day become known around the world as much for its remarkable support for children as for its citywide renaissance and Super Bowl trophies, then we, as a community, must find ways to boost the voices of our youth and engage them where they learn, where they play, where they grow," said Gregg Behr, Executive Director of The Grable Foundation.  "It is our hope that this and future competitions further elevate our region's commitment to kids and to providing them with extraordinary opportunities."

The Pittsburgh Foundation is the 14th largest of more than 750 community foundations in the United States with approximately 1,200 individual endowment funds.

For further information, contact:
John Ellis
Vice President for Communications
412-394-2647    
Ellisj@pghfdn.org