b'PARTNERING TO BUILD COMMUNITYwhere Brown is a board member, and The Pittsburghcommunity outrage and charges of censorship. The Foundation under the umbrella of the Investing inbillboard is now one of Wormsleys works included in Professional Artists Program. Over the past seven years,the exhibition Manifest Destiny, on view in Detroit.the program has awarded $210,000 directly to workingWormsley used her award to provide for her family artists who have devoted significant time and trainingby establishing a trust for her young son. She is busy to building a career creating or interpreting works of art.with a series of projects, including an artwork in resi-Artists are truth tellers. They are particularly effec- dency opportunity to present There are Black People tive in challenging us to look at some of our communitysin the Future, a show at the Westmoreland Museum of Carol R. Brown,serious social problems, says Brown.American Art; and a book release for The People are the center, withShe cited the work of Alisha Wormsley, last yearsLight, which documents her experience with a series of 2012 awardeesEmerging Artist awardee who created the There Arepublic art installations and workshops in Homewood Toi DerricotteBlack People in The Future billboard project. That pieceunder the theme of cleansing and healing. and John Peawas taken down when the buildings landlord said sheBeyond the support that has been provided for at the ceremony naming thereceived complaints. The removal led to widespreadartists thus far, Wormsley hopes Pittsburgh funders programwill invest in economic stability and real equity for afterBrown.artists through programs such as Project Row House in Houston.If [funders] really want equity in the greater Pittsburgh area, then there will be more support for business and economic stability and programs for artists to acquire property and create businesses, she says. This years Creative Achievement Awards will be presented in December and, for the first time, the arts community will help shape the event. Arts program officers from the two foundations opened the nomination process to all artists and the public, and there has been an enthusiastic response with 99 nominations, 73 more than the staff-curated process last year. My hat is off to The Pittsburgh Foundation and The Heinz Endowments because theyve recognized for a long time the importance of asking artists directly what they need, hearing their anxieties and frustrations, and then responding, says Brown. Im just very grateful that the two foundations are continuing to do this. Kitty Julian is director of Communicationsat The Pittsburgh Foundation.18'