For artists aiming to grow their small businesses, training and guidance can be as important as creative skills. PantherlabWorks, a program within the University of Pittsburgh’s Institute for Entrepreneurial Excellence, provides free consulting services to creators and gig artists who want to expand their businesses and commercialize their products.
Launched with support from a U.S. Economic Development Administration grant, PantherlabWorks’ pilot program saw high demand; its initial workshop series filled up in about three hours. Since then, the program has run four times, offering sessions tailored both to younger entrepreneurs looking to scale up and retirees seeking supplemental income through their artistic talents.
The most recent round of workshops was funded by a grant from the Richard King Mellon Foundation. This allowed PantherlabWorks to assist more than 100 artists across seven counties in Western Pennsylvania: Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Greene, Indiana, Washington and Westmoreland.
A notable trend emerged during this session: many participants came from river towns. Victoria Hassett, Director of PantherlabWorks, noted this pattern but said its cause remains unclear. “There’s a long history of entrepreneurs in river towns becoming makers and artists,” Hassett says. “I’m not sure if that is related to our heritage in this region, with economic downturns and people in river towns being more negatively impacted, or if there’s something deeper, with artists being attracted to the beauty of water.”
PantherlabWorks’ workshops cover topics such as growth investment strategies, product development processes, market research techniques and business planning fundamentals. Participants also receive practical advice on banking and insurance.
In addition to training opportunities, artists who complete PantherlabWorks programs become eligible for state-funded Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator (CEA) grants. These $2,000 grants are available for creators whose gross revenue is under $200,000. In the most recent cycle, 19 creators trained by PantherlabWorks applied for and received CEA funds.
Artists interested in learning more about business training opportunities can contact PantherlabWorks at 412-648-1544 or plw [at] innovation.pitt.edu.
