This week in Talk, The Pitt News speaks with Annabelle Clippinger, director of Pitt Arts… This week in Talk, The Pitt News speaks with Annabelle Clippinger, director of Pitt Arts about art, Pittsburgh and clogging workshops.

The Pitt News: How long have you been working with Pitt Arts and what keeps you hanging around?

Annabelle Clippinger: I have been with Pitt Arts for 2 1/2 years, but I have been trying to make a difference in the lives of young adults, on campus and off, for the 13 years that I have been teaching at the university level. I have made a commitment to higher education, which is premiere in my life. Pitt Arts is here to serve you – to make experiences at the University of Pittsburgh wonderful.

TPN: What do you think is the best offer for Pitt students?

AC: The free programs are the most important for students. We offer transportation, catering and performances with tickets that can cost upwards of $50. Think of [the cost of] parking on your own, going out to eat and then going to a performance. There is also a socio-educational experience. Students can mingle while they have a bite to eat.

TPN: What can students do with Pitt Arts that they can’t do elsewhere?

AC: Students get a chance to meet with singers, dancers and musicians but also form a very reciprocal relationship – to breakdown barriers between artists and students. There are also hands-on activities where students learn through demos or workshops, for instance, on clogging or Indian dance. Then, there are also question and answer sessions with the artists.

TPN: How do you choose the events that Pitt Arts attends?

AC: That is the hardest part – narrowing down offers. We do ask students what they like to attend, but there is an unlimited amount of events and a limited amount of space on the calendar.

TPN: What is the most challenging aspect of the Pitt Arts program?

AC: It is disturbing when there are no-shows to our programs. Students need to let us know if they will not be able to make an event by noon of the same day. There are waiting lists and it is heartbreaking to deny people the opportunity to attend an event because someone didn’t show up. We have a two-strike policy to combat this problem. Two no-shows and you are taken off the Pitt Arts list.

TPN: What do you think about the cultural scene in Pittsburgh and is Pittsburgh a hard place for exposure?

AC: Pittsburgh is a cultural Mecca. Really. The reputation, the “steel city” image is being replaced by the “knowledge town” image. There is a desire to recast the “smoky city” of Pittsburgh as a city with a great future, and it is. It is an exciting center and city for arts. But we need to keep young talent here, not only to reinvigorate the city as a whole, but also to keep the arts alive. Ultimately, through Pitt Arts programs, we want students to become lifelong independent arts participants, and hopefully stay right here in Pittsburgh to become key players in this city’s outstanding future.

Editor’s note: With Pitt ID, there is free admission to the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Phipps Conservatory and the Andy Warhol Museum. Sign up for Pitt Arts by e-mailing [email protected] or by calling (412) 624-4498.