The SCALE Fellowship Program

Promoting the Advancement of Black Women in Music

The SCALE Fellowship provides individualized artist development, entrepreneurial skill-building curriculum, and intentional opportunities for Black women in music to connect, share, learn, grow, and collaborate. Each cohort will accept up to 8 participants for the 8-month residency program and provide Fellows with a financial award for acceptance into the program along with additional funds for: equipment, technology, business development, recording, branding, and legal support. SCALE supports Black women in music who are artist entrepreneurs in designing their business structures by facilitating the space to create work and perfect their craft. The program provides resources (knowledge, network, financial, space) as well as structural and strategic support which is needed to develop a sustainable career path and overcome the challenges that exist for Black artists in Pittsburgh and the nation.

About the Program

The SCALE Fellowship intends to:

  • Creates an affirmative space for Black women in music to connect
  • Provides financial support to Black women in music
  • Provides a platform to showcase Black women in music
  • Increases the entrepreneurial skill-set and business acumen of Black women in music
  • Supports the development of an equity-centered, inclusive and elevating local music ecosystem

This project stems from a collaboration of multiple partners with the intent of developing a comprehensive program that provides both immediate and ongoing support to the artists along with opportunities for growth and advancement. Our collective understands the importance and necessity of cross-sector, multilayered collaboration from individuals with both expertise and lived experience, including:

  • Those with proven experience in designing and implementing programs that support artist entrepreneurs 
  • Working artists & musicians that have a national and global platform
  • Creative industry professional service providers 
  • Producers & engineers
  • Songwriters and artist development managers
  • Technology expertise for virtual platforms

Program Experts, Panelists, Coaches, and Facilitators Include:

Leigh Solomon Pugliano; SCALE Program Director, Musician, Educator, Business Strategist, CEO of The Equity | Impact Center

David Pugliano; Entrepreneur, DJ, Producer

Jackie Walker; Entrepreneur, Attorney for the Creative Industry

Rachel Cargle; Founder The Great Unlearn and The Loveland Foundation

Eritza Laues; Grammy Award Winning Songwriter

James Brown; Program Director, YMCA Lighthouse

Brittany Blackwell; Black Women in Music Research Firm

Tanisha Jackson; Attorney, Writer, Music Historian

Jason McKoy, Artist, Entrepreneur, McKoy Creative

The SCALE Fellowship was developed by Straightforward Consulting in partnership with Barrels to Beethoven and Limelight Creative, SCALE is now a program of The Equity | Impact Center, a new nonprofit organization that addresses systemic inequity through broad social, cultural, and economic solutions and comprehensive, intentionally designed initiatives. 

The SCALE Fellowship 2022 cohort is supported in part through the Heinz Endowments, Advancing Black Arts Fund and Arts | Equity Reimagined Fund and is sponsored by Bacardi USA.

Support SCALE

The vision for this initiative is the formation of a holistic artist development and advancement program designed specifically for Black musicians, a co-creating space for musicians to work, learn, connect, and the creation of a collaborative framework to help enhance a music ecosystem in Pittsburgh that recognizes musicians, particularly Black musicians, as necessary assets of our cultural identity. Become a program Partner, Sponsor, or Donate to support SCALE Artists. Contact us for more details and information.