The SCALE Fellowship Program

SCALE Details

ADVANCING BLACK WOMEN IN MUSIC

The SCALE Fellowship was designed in 2019 by Leigh Solomon Pugliano 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 will accept up to 8 participants for the 8-month residency program and provide Fellows with a financial award for acceptance into the program along with additional funds for: equipment, technology, business development, recording, branding, and legal support. SCALE will support Black women in music in designing business strategies along with space to create, produce, and present their work. The program will provide resources (knowledge, network, financial) as well as the support needed to develop a sustainable career and overcome the challenges that exist for Black artists in Pittsburgh.

About the Program

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 tools and resources to Black women in music
support the development of an equity-centered, inclusive, and elevating music ecosystem for emerging artists

The SCALE Fellowship invests over $12,000+ into each artist accepted into the program:

$3,000 award to SCALE Fellows

$9,000+ of professional consulting, artist development, and mentoring & in business development & growth strategy (branding, legal, financial mgmt, marketing etc.)

This program 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, multilayered collaboration from individuals with both expertise and lived experience, including:

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

Program Experts, Panelists, Coaches, and Facilitators Include:

Leigh Solomon Pugliano; Musician, Educator, Entrepreneur - SCALE creator and program director

David Pugliano; Entrepreneur, DJ, Producer

Jacquelin Walker; Entrepreneur, Attorney for the Creative Industry

Eritza Laues; Grammy Award Winning Songwriter

Cannon Mapp: Producer, Songwriter, Vocal Producer

Tami LaTrell: Business Consultant & Advocate, Multiplatinum Songwriter

Brittany Blackwell; Black Women in Music Research Firm

Tanisha Jackson; Attorney, Writer, Music Historian

Jason McKoy; Artist, Entrepreneur, Founder @ McKoy Creative

Ayesha Scott; Singer, Songwriter, Event Producer, Bacardi USA

J. Daniel Barlow: Fashion Creative, Stylist, Set Design

The SCALE Fellowship is a program of the Equity | Impact Center in collaboration with Limelight Creative and support from the Hillman Foundation.