Today we’d like to introduce you to Casey Droege

Hi Casey, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.

CDCP is an artist-run, woman-owned, disability-owned business created in 2016. I built the business from my own arts practice. It was a way to house ongoing programs focusing on public interactions with artists. It organically grew to include art consulting services as well. Over the years we’ve had gallery spaces, plus created and sold a concept store called Small Mall. In 2022, I rebranded the art consulting wing as The Art Supply Co., where we connect clients with living, local artists to help create dynamic, art-forward spaces.
As someone who was raised by three self-employed artists, I’ve always focused on building the arts economy. We make it our priority to do this by creating economic opportunities for artists, arts workers, arts organizations, and everyone involved in the arts ecosystem.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?

Building a business is like working on a rubik’s cube that automatically resets when you’re 80% done. There is the constant of change and surviving the pandemic was no easy feat. Luckily, I was raised by self-employed artists so I watched them work through these puzzles daily and drum up the energy to keep going, even when it feels like you can’t anymore.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?

I founded Casey Droege Cultural Productions (CDCP) in 2016 with the big idea of supporting the arts community by creating financial opportunities for artists and arts workers. The business has two arms, one which is community focused arts programming and the other offering commercial art consulting services.
Our community oriented arm offers distinctive and accessible art experiences to artists, art enthusiasts, and the general public through public programming. CDCP’s initial programs included SIX x ATE, CSA PGH, and PGH Photo Fair. Since then, the organization has expanded to include an arts concept shop (which was sold in 2021), a residency program, and collaborations with other art organizations, neighborhoods, and the city of Pittsburgh.

Despite the challenges brought on by the pandemic, I was able to pivot and adjust CDCP’s plans. In 2022, CDCP embraced change and rebranded its commercial art consulting wing as The Art Supply Co. (TASC), which connects real estate developers, architects, and interior designers with local living artists helping them integrate art into their projects and create unique and dynamic spaces. This work in the private sector and diversification of clientele ensured that CDCP and TASC remained resilient.

As a woman and disability-owned business operating in male-dominated development and construction sectors, The Art Supply Co. is a rarity. However, we recognize that our unique perspective can give us a competitive edge in projects and help our clients connect with the community. The primary aim is to ensure that artists and arts workers are paid, and we do so by encouraging our clients to work with their arts community as much as possible. This also ensures that the local community of each project is genuinely represented throughout the process. Whether they are commissioning murals, hosting community workshops, or creating public programs, CDCP and The Art Supply Co. strive to help clients and the public build up the arts economy, connect authentically with their communities, and effect positive change.

This year we will meet a huge goal – paying out $1 million to artists and arts workers in our region, a noteworthy impact on the local economy and something I’m extremely proud of.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?

The arts play a critical role in society, serving as a means of expression, storytelling, and cultural preservation while also making significant contributions to communities’ economic growth. For example, in 2021 the National Endowment for the Arts reported that Arts and Culture programming has added 28 billion to Pennsylvania’s state economy. Despite this, the arts sector has long been plagued by low wages, limited compensation, and job insecurity, particularly for individual artists, curators, art handlers, and all the other gig workers in the field. While philanthropic support has been instrumental in providing some relief, it alone is not enough to address this persistent challenge. We encourage everyone to consider how art impacts their lives and how they might support their local arts ecosystem.

Contact Info:

• Website: caseydroege.com and theartsupply.co
• Instagram: @caseydroegeculturalproductions and @theartsupplyco
• Facebook: @caseydroegeculturalproductions and @theartsupplyco

Image Credits

Sean Carroll
Johanna Lasner
Ben Filio
Peter Leeman