Here in America’s maker foundry, opportunities abound for makers to connect with their peers, sell their products, and expand their community.
For Makers
Opportunities for Makers
How to Join PG&H
PG&H is a directory of many of the Pittsburgh region’s best makers that works to tell their stories, showcase their products, and promote their growth. As a programmatic partnership between Bridgeway Capital’s Creative Business Accelerator and the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership (PDP), PG&H highlights the growth and vitality of the Pittsburgh area’s maker ecosystem. If you are a creative entrepreneur who is interested in joining PG&H, please click on the button below to email Katie Johnson, Associate Director of the Creative Business Accelerator, who can assist you with next steps.
Creative Entrepreneurship Accelerator Grant
Rolling Applications through 2022
Administered by The Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council (GPAC) for the PA Council on the Arts, the Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator (CEA) grant program provides creative entrepreneurs from Allegheny, Beaver, Greene, and Washington counties with business consulting and up to $2,000 in critical financial resources to grow. Fifty-one percent of the funds available for distribution in this program will be reserved for Black, indigenous, persons of color (BIPOC), or individuals residing in communities identified by the Small Business Administration’s low-income communities map. The Creative Business Accelerator (CBA) at Bridgeway Capital is a referral partner for this grant opportunity. Please click the link below to view the application and learn more about the program.
First Leap
Applications open Friday, January 7th, 2022
Whether you identify as an artist, maker, designer, or craftsperson, creative entrepreneurs often possess sophisticated skills when it comes to making. But the business skills needed to turn a passion into a livelihood often remain underdeveloped.
Through an application process, the Creative Business Accelerator (CBA) and Chatham’s Center for Women’s Entrepreneurship (CWE) will select 12 emerging creative entrepreneurs and guide them through an intensive, yet supportive, 7-week program. Participants will leave with increased confidence and an actionable business plan outlined in a class presentation and the Live Plan online tool. This business plan can be used to apply for the Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator Grant offered by the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council.
First Leap Information Session
Thursday, January 20th, 2022 | 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Interested in First Leap but want to learn more? Join us for an informational session with the Creative Business Accelerator (CBA) and Chatham’s Center for Women’s Entrepreneurship (CWE). This session will cover the timeline for First Leap, as well as the program content and outcomes. We will also be joined by past participants who will be on hand to discuss their experience with First Leap. Both the CBA and CWE can answer questions about First Leap and discuss how the business plan that participants develop makes them eligible for the $2,000 Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator Grant offered by the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council.
Business Planning Bootcamp for Creatives
Monday, February 7th | 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Can’t commit to a 7-week program? Check out our upcoming webinar instead. Creative entrepreneurs can join this free webinar to participate in an intensive unpacking of business planning essentials. Those already with guiding documentation can use the webinar to make sure their plan is relevant and refined. Those new to the process will learn more about the key elements that make business planning helpful in translating good ideas into next steps.
PG&H Pop-Ups + Events
The PG&H flagship store in downtown Pittsburgh is excited to announce that the store will return to hosting Maker Pop-Up opportunities. With increased foot traffic downtown, there is an opportunity for makers to create a pop-up sale either inside or outside the shop, or propose an event to connect with customers and create visibility for your business. For more details and to inquire about participating in a Pop-Up fill out the form linked below.
PG&H Retail Residency
The PG&H Retail Residency is a four-month engagement designed to support makers and creative businesses in the greater Pittsburgh area seeking to enter the retail setting for the first time or grow existing retail presence. The residency provides tailored resources to meet business owners’ experience level and retail needs with everything from one-on-one coaching to behind the scene access to the PG&H store. Applications for the next cohort TBD.
ORIGINS @ PG&H Store
ORIGINS is a multifaceted effort driven by Bridgeway Capital’s Creative Business Accelerator to foster personal pathways for Black creatives to maximize business success, creative growth, and community impact. The initiative also advances Black voices and aesthetics in the regional arts and cultural economy and ecosystem.
We invite you to the PG&H Concept Store in Downtown Pittsburgh to experience and buy wares from artists, designers, makers, and craftspeople in ORIGINS. From woven wearables to ceramic wares, The PG&H Concept Store will feature a rotating selection of work from emerging Black creatives supported and celebrated through ORIGINS.