The SCALE Fellowship Program

Advancing Black Women in Music

About the Program | Why SCALE? | Alumni SCALE Fellows

About the Program

The SCALE Fellowship was designed by Leigh Solomon Pugliano in 2019 to provide individualized artist development, entrepreneurial skill-building curriculum, and intentional opportunities for Black women in music to connect, share, learn, grow, and collaborate. Each cohort accepts up to 8 participants for the 10-month residency program and provides Fellows with a financial award along with additional funds for: equipment, technology, business development, recording, branding, and legal support. SCALE supports Black women in music in designing business strategies along with space to create, produce, and present their work. The program provides resources and support needed to develop a sustainable career and overcome the challenges that exist for Black artists.

The SCALE Fellowship intends to:

  • Create an affirmative space for Black women in music to connect
  • Provide financial support to Black women in music
  • Provide a platform to showcase Black women in music
  • Provide entrepreneurial skill-building tool and resources to Black women in music
  • Support the development of an equity-centered, inclusive, and elevating ecosystem for emerging artists.

Why SCALE?

The SCALE Fellowship stems from a collaboration of multiple partners intending to develop 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, multi-layered collaboration from individuals with both expertise and lived experience, including:

  • working artists & musicians that have a national and global platform
  • creative industry professional service providers 
  • those with proven experience in designing and implementing programs that support artist entrepreneurs 
  • producers & engineers
  • songwriters and artist development managers.

Learn more about the program in our “Why SCALE” video!

The SCALE Fellowship is a program of the Equity | Impact Center in collaboration with Limelight Creative and support from the Hillman Foundation and Advancing Black Arts, a program of Heinz Endowments and the Pittsburgh Foundation.

Applications for the 2023 SCALE Fellowship are closed. Meet the 2023 SCALE Fellows!

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