Gainey dismisses entire Pittsburgh’s arts council

Pittsburgh’s art commission, a seven-member volunteer body, is appointed by the mayor, and Mayor Ed Gainey has apparently decided it’s time for new blood.

All five current members were dismissed last Friday by phone, WESA reported. The Department of City Planning followed up with a letter explaining that their terms had expired in January when Mr. Gainey took office.

“Was being critical of city run projects instrumental in this termination without any meeting with the mayor or his team?” wrote now-former commissioner Sarika Goulatia in an Instagram post, in which she attached the letter.

“Or is it just what every newly elected mayor does?”

The mayor’s office did not respond to a request for comment.

The commission, all appointed by former mayor Bill Peduto, meets to review urban design, architectural and landscape features, weighing in on topics ranging from plaza renovations to parks to public art installations to removing statues members of the public found controversial, like the statue of Christopher Columbus now covered in Schenley Park.

The commission’s dismissal comes two days after its November meeting. Mr. Gainey had not met with the commission to date.