ALERT - April 3, 2012
Cultural Trust Chairman of the Board, Ken Melani enters counseling for anger management in an effort to circumvent charges.
Check out the two page criminal complaint against the Cultural Trust Chairman of the Board.
ALERT - March 29, 2012
The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust Chairman of the Board Ken Melani was charged for simple assault & defiant trespass related to a fight with his mistress's husband.
ALERT - March 9, 2012
Cultural Trust 990 year 2010 available for review.
ALERT - February 29, 2012
Pennsylvania Council on the Arts makes $21,240 Grant to Pittsburgh Cultural Trust for Three Rvers Arts Festival 4 stage event in Cultural District.
ALERT - January 30, 2012
Redevelopment Authority of Allegheny County (RAAC) Jan. 2012 $200,000 GRANT
ALERT - January 22, 2012
Stagehands Union Local No.3 plans on participating in the Cultural District's Gallery Crawl, Friday January 27, 2012. 800 Penn Avenue, 1st floor lobby, 5:00PM to 9PM. Coffee & cookies will be provided with some pictures and material on Stagehands Local 3 history.Come meet and talk to us! All are invited and encouraged to attend. Please feel free to pass along.
ALERT - January 13, 2012
August Wilson Center receives 9.2% RAD increase and 2 million more from URA.
It's encouraged for all to write their representatives, State senator Ferlo, The mayor. Here yet is Another TAXPAYER funded venue.
ALERT - December 5, 2011
Message from OCCUPY PITTSBURGH - "ARTS & CULTURE GROUP"
A Must Read - Lisa Miles CREATIVE FOLLY
Her writing shows that Big Non-profit, tax exempt cultural organizations are really big money real estate development companies. Those supposed to be for Arts and Culture are actually fooling the public, politicians and donors at the expense of artists, stagehands and other art workers.
ALERT - December 2, 2011
ALERT - Additional Stage for FIRST NIGHT
The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust First Night schedule of events has been released.
Another stage called the 91.3 FM WYEP Indoor Stage (121 Seventh St.)
has been announced by the Cultural Trust.
December 1, 2011
RAD Board Doles Out a Little Gravy
The Allegheny Regional Asset District approved 2012 Grants (RAD)
Pittsburgh Ballet receives 62.5% increase over last year - an inrease of $5,000 for operating, another $70,000 for capital for a total of $195,000 vs $120,000 for year 2011.
Pittsburgh Opera receives 38.5% increase over last year - an inrease of $50,000 for capital for a total of $180,000 vs $130,000 for year 2011.
Pittsburgh Cultural Trust receives 6.25% increase over last year - an inrease of $50,000 for operating for a total of $850,000 vs $800,000 for year 2011.
Pittsburgh CLO receives 5.9% increase over last year - an inrease of $7,000 for operating for a total of $125,000 vs $118,000 for year 2011.
ALERT - November 4, 2011
What They Don't Want YOU to Know.
It is here. It’s Information for you to peruse in order to gain knowledge on the business of the Arts. In many instances, it is information that is hidden and hard to find. In many cases it is the kind of information THEY don't want you to have. It is the kind of material that educates you and affords you to be better informed. It is information my Brothers and Sisters, and concerned citizens that will give you the power to make informed decisions.
You make the call – Do you think THEY really want you to be an informed worker or citizen? Or do you think THEY want you sheltered from the key decision making on financial matters of the organizations.
KNOWLEDGE IS POWER –sign on to www.PghArtsWatch.org
Continue to share and educate, tell a friend. Plan on attending the rally and occupying the Cultural District December 31st. Mark your calendar for 1st Night and support Stagehands and send a clear message!
EYES on the ARTS
ALERT - November 2, 2011
ALERT ALERT Your State TAX Dollars at Work for First Night
The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust Receives another grant from the PA state Department of Community and Economic Development Agency in the amount of $75,000 for First Night. This is an increase of $50,000 over the previous grant the Cultural Trust received for First Night.
What's wrong with this picture? The Cultural Trust gets State tax money in order to develop the local economy. The Cultural Trust has a work force in place and instead utilizes an independent contractor to perform stagehand work. The Trust circumvents paying the prevailing industry rates, benefits and conditions. So much for developing the local economy. It’s one thing to obtain money and another thing to breach the public trust by accepting governmental agency monies and then not paying a fair wage that enables employees to live a quality life that contributes back to the local economy.
ALERT - November 1, 2011
August Wilson Center
Town Hall Meeting
5:30 pm | Monday, November 7, 2011 | FREE
WE HEARD YOU........NOW, TELL US MORE!
August Wilson Center President & CEO André Kimo Stone Guess; Chair of The Center's Board of Directors, Aaron Walton and The Center's staff, are once again inviting everyone out to join in the second in a series of open discussions and dialogues about the vision and direction of The Center and the vital role community members, artists and other organizations play. We have implemented many of your suggestions from last year's Town Hall Meeting--come out to hear about the changes and tell us more!
Make Your Voice Heard!
This is YOUR Center, and in order for you to be At The Center of it All, we need to hear your feedback and reflection on the vision for the August Wilson Center.
Do you have questions or topics you want to submit to our leaders for discussion at the meeting? E-mail programming@AugustWilsonCenter.org.
Light refreshments will be served.
AND AFTER THE MEETING...
Please feel free to stick around for the FREE August Wilson Reading Round Table!
7 pm | November 7
Shoe Shop by Demetrius Paschel
Directed by Mark Clayton Southers
*This reading with feature the August Wilson Center Theatre Ensemble and guest local professional actors.
ALERT - October 18, 2011
*UPDATE*
An Alert issued October 10, 2011, concerning An article written by Marylynne Pitz and appearing in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette titled
"Best Seats in the House."
Since then EYES on the ARTS has learned from the Post-Gazette that there is no plan to run a correction or alter the story. The Post Gazette spoke to officials at the trust about our insistence that they run a correction.
Officials from the Trust stated "Mr. McMahon's figures included FICA taxes, administrative costs of running the trust, the process of initiating a call for stagehand labor and the overhead involved in running the Benedum, which includes opening and lighting the theater when stagehands do work there."
Now folks what if we were to tell the Post-Gazette that a Stagehand earns $104.00 for eight hours worked while conveniently leaving out deductions for Federal and State taxes, FICA, dues, and parking for the day. Come on, If we said that, the Post-Gazette would be all over it.
This is exactly the reason why EYES on the ARTS has been created. To look at and expose what has been going on with the non-profit arts organizations for so long with virtually no accountability to its donors, workers, and tax paying citizenry. Please visit www.PghArtsWatch.org for more information.
ALERT - October 17, 2011
Cultural Trust Goes GREEN with Money
The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust receives largest ever gift of money from the Dietrich Foundation. The gift of 5 million was announced on October 14, 2011. This should come as no surprise as to the release of this information at this time now that the Cultural Trust has wrapped up all of its bargaining agreements that were outstanding.
There should be plenty of money on hand now for the Cultural Trust to bring back the eleven staff members that have been on layoff since February 2009. There also should be money available to build that fountain on Penn Avenue where all that development was supposedly to happen. Who knows there has even been rumors of another type of Cell Phone Disco popping up in the district, this one having green lights, for all that MONEY!
Post-Gazette and McMahon inflate Stagehand wages. Sunday, October 9, 2011
ALERT - October 15, 2011
Cultural Trust Evolving in right ways for future success NOT
ALERT - October 10, 2011
An article written by Marylynne Pitz and appearing in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette titled
"Best Seats in the House" Kevin McMahon, President and CEO of the Cultural Trust said the organization can spend between $1,200 and $1,400 a day when it calls in four stagehands for eight hours to repair seats.
Upon doing the math it has been found that calling in four stagehands (since the Trust only has three at the Benedum) at the hourly rate and including benefits for eight hours the total wage is $741.44 and benefits total $237.26 for a total of $978.70 wages and benefits. A far cry from the $1,200 to 1,400 McMahon has said. Either the Post-Gazette has reported this wrong or McMahon needs to take a refresher course in math. More than likely this is just another attempt by the Trust to attack stagehands and continue a blatant disregard for it's own workforce.
This appears as just another recent incident where the Cultural Trust uses its own stagehands as a scapegoat for all the organizations financial woes. There is no doubt the stagehands see a total lack of respect and under attack by their own employer. The same workforce of talented stagehands that have been in place for over 24 years for the Cultural Trust. The same Stagehands who are an integral part of making the Cultural District a success and a premiere destination for entertainment. The same Stagehands that construct, build, and make the magic happen for the entertainment industry within the Pittsburgh Cultural district at the Benedum Center, Byham Theater, Heinz Hall, the O’Reilly Theater, The Cabaret Theater, Katz Plaza and others. The same Stagehands that are being ignored by the Cultural Trust as it continues to expand and operate such events as First Night Celebration, the Three Rivers Arts Festival, Jazz Festival, Cosmopolitan Pittsburgh and Gallery Crawls. The same organization that continues to give monumental salary increases to top management since 2001. (check for yourself)
One must ask is there anyone with a rational mind that can reign in on such lunacy.
ALERT - October 7, 2011
STOP GREED NOW
TREAT STAGEHANDS FAIRLY
Eyes on the Arts has issued a “Donor Alert” over the Cultural Trusts treatment of its own Stagehands. A new web site has been created (www.PghArtsWatch.org) for both workers and donors to peruse and become familiar on the financial matters of the Cultural Trust and its resident companies, the Pittsburgh, Ballet, Pittsburgh Opera, and Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera.
EYES on the ARTS is urging the Cultural Trust’s President and Board of Directors to issue reforms to the organization that provides greater transparency and accountability to Stagehands and donors. The Cultural Trust has amassed 120 million in total net assets. 87 million are unrestricted. In recent years the Cultural Trust has increased top executive salaries exponentially and now pays over $600,000 and $250,000 to its top staff.
The Cultural Trust now operates the First Night Celebration, the Three Rivers Arts Festival, Jazz Festival, Cosmopolitan Pittsburgh and Gallery Crawls and continues to ignore its own workforce of Stagehands that have been in place for over 24 years. The same Stagehands that construct, build, and make the magic happen for the entertainment industry within the Pittsburgh Cultural district at the Benedum Center, Byham Theater, Heinz Hall, the O’Reilly Theater, The Cabaret Theater, Katz Plaza and others. The same Stagehands who are an integral part of making the Cultural District a success and a premiere destination for entertainment.
The Cultural Trust’s continued actions and blatant disregard for the use of its own Stagehands for the Cultural Trust First Night Celebration is apparent to its workforce and can be seen as none other than an attack. Plan to send a clear message to the Cultural Trust this December 31st First Night and join in a show of support with Stagehands. More information will be made available as the event gets closer. Please sign up and join the mailing list at EYES on the ARTS - www.PghArtsWatch.org
ALERT - October 4, 2011
Dear Brothers, Sisters, Workers and Concerned Citizens:
Please take note that EYES on the ARTS is entering into a new and second phase by providing
“ALERTS”
Please sign up for the sites mailing list.
An Alert page has been developed to give timely and important notifications for fast facts and for fast and effective mobilization.
What YOU can do – Take Action by:
•
Signing up for email ALERTS.
Signing up for email ALERTS.•Educate a friend – email links for Eyes on the Arts www.PghArtsWatch.org
Educate a friend – email links for Eyes on the Arts www.PghArtsWatch.org•Support other organizations that work to Defend rights of Workers.
Support other organizations that work to Defend rights of Workers.•Become politically Active.
Become politically Active.•Contact your political leaders.
Contact your political leaders.Locate your Representative in the House of Representatives.
Locate your Representative in the Pennsylvania State assembly.
ALERT - September 28, 2011
They paved paradise and put up a parking lot.
The old Pittsburgh Opera building at Penn Avenue and 8th Street has been torn down and replaced with a parking lot. It is understood a fountain will be placed at the edge of Penn Ave.
There is still Cell Phone Disco though
(With Funding through a Foundation)
Although Layoffs Remain
ALERT - September 26, 2011
KNOW YOUR RIGHTS AS WORKERS:
* YOU can request from your employers - Employee Handbooks.
* YOU can request from your employers - Employment Policies.
- Whistleblower Policy
- Drug and Alcohol Policy
* YOU can request information from your union on Weingarten Rights.
