Contact:	  Stephanie	  Sun,	
  Marketing	  Manager	  ssun@contemporarycraft.org	
  412.261.7003	  x29	  www.contemporarycraft.org	  	  	  FOR	  IMMEDIATE	  RELEASE	  	  Contemporary	  Craft	  Works	  Toward	  More	  Diverse	  Museum	  Field	  Doretha	  Murray	  Selected	
  as	  the	  second	  Emerging	  Black	  Arts	  Leaders	  Apprentice	  	
  Doretha	
  Murray	  and	  her	
  painting,	  “Roots	  of	  Guidance	  and	  Pain”|	  Photo:	  Vanessa	  Murray	  

	  

	  
PITTSBURGH,	
  PA	
  –	  November	  17,	  2017	  –	  There	
  is	  a	  troubling	
  underrepresentation	  of	  people	  of	  color	
  in	  the	  museum	  field	  with	  only	  4%	  of	  museum	  curators,	
  conservators,	  and	  educators	  identifying	  as	  African-­‐American.1	  The	  creation	  of	  the	  Emerging	  Black	  Arts	  Leader	  Apprenticeship	  program	  at	  Contemporary	
  Craft	  (CC)	  is	  a	  direct	  response	  to	  promote	  diversity	  in	  museum	  employment	
  and	  to	  provide	  a	  career	  entry	  point	
  for	  people	  of	  color	  interested	
  in	  working	  in	  the	  arts.	  CC’s	  apprenticeship	
  program	  addresses	  the	  staggering	  disparity	
  by	  awarding	  a	  paid	  10-­‐month	
  position	
  to	  a	  talented	  emerging	
  arts	  leader	  of	  color.	  	  “We	  are	  committed	  to	  providing	  employment	  and	  mentoring	
  opportunities	  for	
  young	  individuals	  of	  color,”	  says	  CC	  Executive	  Director	  Janet	  McCall.	  “By	  ensuring	  these	  emerging	  arts	  managers	  are	  prepared	  to	  successfully	  enter	  the	  leadership	  pipeline,	  we	  are	  promoting	
  a	  future	  where	
  the	  demographics	  of	  museum	  employees	  more	  closely	
  match	  with	  the	  vibrant	  diversity	
  of	
  our	  society	  as	  a	  whole.”	  	
  Doretha	  Murray,	
  an	  artist	
  and	  Native	  of	  Pittsburgh,	
  is	  selected	
  as	  CC’s	  second	  Emerging	  Black	  Arts	  Leaders	  Apprentice	  for	  2017	  -­‐	  18.	  This	  position	  builds	
  upon	
  established	  goals	
  to	  enhance	  the	  development	  of	  future	  arts	  leaders	  of	  color	
  through	  mentoring	  from	  CC’s	  staff	  and	  artists,	  professional	  skill	
  development,	  and	  networking	  opportunities	  within	  the	  regional	  arts	
  community.	
  Murray	  will	  be	  embedded	  within	  the	  day-­‐to-­‐day	
  studio	  operations	  and	  artistic	  programming	  at	  CC	  throughout	  her	  apprenticeship.	  	
  -­‐	  more	
  -­‐	  	  2017	   – 18 Emerging Black Arts Leader Apprenticeship, 2	
  “I	  wanted	  to	  participate	  in	  the	  Emerging	  Black	  Arts	  Leader	  Apprenticeship,	  because	  it	  would	  be	  a	  great	
  opportunity	  for	  me	  to	  move	  further	  towards	  my	  dreams.”	  Says	
  Murray,	
  “I	  am	  excited	
  about	  the	  new	  doors	  that	  have	  already	  opened	  up	  during	
  my	  short	  time	  with	  CC	  and	  where	  those	  new	  connections	
  will	  take	  me	  as	  an	  artist	  and	
  as	  a	  leader.”	  Through	  on-­‐the-­‐job	
  training	  in	  a	  professional	  arts	  organization,	  Murray	  will	
  gain	  the	  hands-­‐on	  experiences	
  working	  directly	  with	  artists,	  maintaining	  an	  active	  studio,	  and	
  obtain	  artistic	  and	  business	  skills	  required	
  to	  succeed	  in	  a	  highly	  competitive	  field.	  	
  	  
1	  

Mellon	  Foundation	  Releases	  the	  First	  Comprehensive	  Survey	  of	  Diversity	  in	  American	  Art	  Museums.	  (2015,	  July	  29).	  Retrieved	  November	
  03,	  2017,	  from	  https://mellon.org/resources/news/articles/Diversity-­‐American-­‐Art-­‐Museums/	  	  ABOUT	  DORETHA	  MURRAY	  Doretha	  Murray	  is	  a	  recent	
  Alfred	  University	  graduate,	  who	  attended	  the	  Creative	  and	  Performing	  Arts	  High	  School	  in	  Pittsburgh.	  She	  has	  experience	  working	  for	  nonprofit	  organization	  in	  working	  with	
  youth	  and	  in	  community	  outreach.	  Murray’s	
  long-­‐term	  goal	  is	  to	  one	  day	  own	  her	
  own	  gallery	  to	  hold	  exhibitions	  featuring	  local	
  and	  international	  artists.	
  To	  Murray,	  the	  arts	  are	  outlets	  that	  help	  to	  give	  people	  a	  voice,	
  especially	
  those	
  who	  have	  felt	  silenced.	  Therefore,	
  she	  also	
  hopes	  to	  start	  a	  non-­‐profit	  organization	  that	  focuses	  on	  youth	  education	  and	  mentorship	  through	  the	  arts,	
  especially	  making	  art	  available	  to	  children	  who	  otherwise	  may	  not	  have	  regular	
  access	  to	  it.	  	  	  ABOUT	
  OPPORTUNITY	  FUND	  CC’s	  Emerging	  Black	  Arts	  Leaders	  Apprenticeship	  program	  is	  generously	  supported	  by	  the	  Opportunity	  Fund.	  The	  Opportunity	  Fund	  awards	  grants	
  to	
  organizations	  and	
  initiatives	  that	  advance	  the	  arts,	  and	  social	  and	
  economic	  justice.	  At	  least	  75%	  of	
  its	  grants	
  are	  awarded	  to	  projects	  that	  benefit	  the	  Greater	  Pittsburgh	  Community.	  	  	  ABOUT	  CONTEMPORARY	  CRAFT	  Presenting	
  contemporary	  art	  in	
  craft	  media	  by	  regional,	  national,	
  and	  international	  artists	
  since	  1971,	  CC	  offers	  cutting	
  edge	  exhibitions	  focusing	
  on	  multicultural	  diversity	  and	  non-­‐mainstream	  art,	  as	  well	  as	  a	  range	  of	  studio	  workshops,	  community	  outreach	  programs,	  and	  a	  retail	  store.	  Through	
  its	  mission	  of	  engaging	
  the	  public	  in	  creative	  experiences	  through	  contemporary	  craft,	  CC	  offers	  meaningful	  art	  opportunities	  for	  145,000	
  people	
  a	  year	  through	  four	  core	
  values:	  providing	  vital	  support	  for	
  artists,	
  filling	  critical	
  gaps	  in	  public	  education;	  sharing	  cross	  cultural	  perspectives;	
  and	  using	  art	  to	  build	  community.	
  	  	  CC	  is	  located	  at	  2100	  Smallman	
  Street	  in	  the	  Strip	  District	  of	  Pittsburgh,	
  PA.	  Hours	  are	  Monday	  through	  Saturday,	
  10	
  AM	  to	  5	  PM.	  Exhibition	  and	  informal,	  hands-­‐on	  art	  activities	  in	  the	  Drop-­‐In	  Studio	  are	  always	  free	
  to	  the	  public.	  Contemporary	  Craft	  is	  committed	
  to	  making	
  its	  exhibitions,	  programs,	  and	  services	  accessible	
  to	  the	  public.	  For	
  questions	  related	  to	  accessible	  accommodations,	  please	  contact	  us.	  For	  more	  information,	  visit	  http://www.contemporarycraft.org	  or	  call	  412.261.7003.	  	  #	  #	  #