André Solomon
Manager, Community Knowledge
Focus: Justice & Inclusion
André Solomon (he/him) serves as the Manager for Community Knowledge with a focus on justice and liberatory practices. In this role, he oversees a portfolio of research, documentation, and learning projects, as well as co-leads the Creative Generation Summer Residency Program.
Originally from Methuen, Massachusetts and currently based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania by way of Syracuse, New York. His academic ventures earned him a Bachelor of Arts in Flute from Syracuse University and a Masters of Arts Management from Carnegie Mellon University concentrating on Community Engagement. With both degrees, André hopes to enforce social justice for the arts; a belief that the arts are not frivolous but a necessary component of human development. Being a person of color in the Arts world, both as an artist and arts manager, he desires to provide opportunities for people of the global majority to visualize representation; therefore, ownership to actualize their dreams
Here he amplifying the work of young creatives by producing new and honoring existing forms of knowledge and ways of knowing while dismantling systemic barriers to sharing and learning; and expanding definitions of and pathways to leadership, through unique learning communities. The work focuses on the application of justice and liberatory approaches and harnesses deep expertise in democratizing knowledge, documenting promising practices, and developing meaningful learning experiences to skillfully translate complex topics into knowledge products to enable field-building.
While in Pittsburgh, André has had the pleasure of co-directing Make Music PGH and working for the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council as the Manager of Programs aiding program development, supporting COVID-19 Working Groups, and implementing Diversity, Equity, Access, and Inclusion (DEAI) initiatives.
As a musician, André has kept a daily practice regime, maintained a social media presence, enrolled in lessons, participated in music ensembles (like Carnegie Mellon University’s Chamber and Flute Ensembles and City Flutes), and shared resources that pertain to the music community. Being classically trained and a dabbler in jazz, the music community in Pittsburgh has allowed him to explore his versatility as he has stepped into contemporary pieces from the late 20th and 21st centuries.
Location: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA