ADVANCI CREATIVITY T H E P I T T S B U R G H F O U N D AT I O N 4 F O R U M S ARIKA GOULATIA’S morale was at an all-time low. The artist was questioning everything: her ideology, her goals — even whether the emotional and finan- cial sacrifices she had made for her artwork were worth it. When Goulatia found out she had won the 2017 Carol R. Brown Creative Achievement Award for emerging artists, which includes $15,000, her mood shifted to elation and gratitude for the validation from the artists who chose her from among the many nominees. The award gave her the strength to continue her sculptures, paintings, large-scale installations and other work. “As artists, we are rarely compen- sated for our work,” says Goulatia, who was born and raised in India and moved to Pittsburgh in 2002. “Perseverance, hard work, dedication and a true belief in my art keeps me going. The award demonstrates that my community embraces and supports my endeavors.” Making a living as an artist is notori- ously difficult. The Pittsburgh Foundation is one of only a few organizations THE CAROL R. BROWN CREATIVE ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS AND ADVANCING BLACK ARTS ARE LEADERS IN BUILDING AND SUPPORTING DIVERSITY SPARKING CREATIVITYANDDIVERSI INPITTSBURGH’SARTSSCENE