“Arts Vibrancy” Report Places Pittsburgh Among Top 40 U.S. Cities

The Arts and Culture Scene in Pittsburgh, PA: A Top Rank in the U.S.

According to a recent national report, Pittsburgh has reclaimed its spot among the 40 best U.S. cities for arts and culture. The Arts Vibrancy Index, in its eighth iteration, lists Pittsburgh in the top 5% of all U.S. cities for arts and ranks it 15th among U.S. cities with a population of over 1 million.

Pittsburgh’s Artistic Excellence: A Welcoming Pat on the Back

While SMU Data Arts, the Southern Methodist University entity behind the Index, emphasizes that these rankings are relative, it still feels like an accolade for everyone involved in Pittsburgh’s arts scene, from the grandest museums to the smallest theater companies. “Pittsburgh is incredibly rich in terms of the arts and culture landscape,” says Jennifer Benoit-Bryan, Research Director at SMU DataArts. Read the full report here.

Pittsburgh: A Hub for Arts Professionals

The Index uses tax and census data from 2022 to rank the cities based on factors such as the number of artists and arts organizations, arts jobs, and public and private arts spending. Pittsburgh stands out for its high number of arts jobs. “Where Pittsburgh truly excels is in the number of arts and culture employees per capita – it’s the best in Pennsylvania and ranks 15th among 947 communities in the U.S.,” says Benoit-Bryan.

Pittsburgh’s Commitment to Arts Spending

Pittsburgh also shines when it comes to arts spending, which includes both revenue earned and contributed by arts groups, expenses incurred by arts organizations, and total compensation paid by nonprofit arts groups to staff and artists. The city ranks 23rd in the U.S. out of all 947 communities surveyed for this, and 45th in total government support for the arts.

Pittsburgh among Large-City Leaders in Arts

After a hiatus in 2018 due to the pandemic, Pittsburgh has reappeared among the top 40 in the latest Index. Cities outpacing Pittsburgh on the large-cities list include Philadelphia (fifth), Frederick-Gaithersburg-Rockville, Md. (seventh), and Cleveland (12th). Canton-Massilon, Ohio, located just two hours west of Pittsburgh, ranks eighth among “medium communities.”

The Arts Vibrancy Index: A Tool for Artists and Arts Organizations

The Index is meant to help artists and arts groups make informed decisions about where to relocate or tour. “We hope that it’s a tool for arts and culture organizations in asking for more funding and leveraging more funding,” says Benoit-Bryan. Check out the interactive map with county-by-county information here.