Workhorse Collaborative

If you're a social media manager or a one-stop-shop marketer, you're probably exhausted trying to keep up with all the changes at the intersection of social media and AI - i.e. the AI tags that have been rolled out and continue to change. So what's the deal with these? European regulations are requiring them, but companies also want to provide indicators to prevent audiences from feeling misled. Viral misinformation and manipulative media turn users off, and platforms want to get ahead of it. Below is a quick rundown of what to know about some of the top channels.

Big picture:

To consumers - These labels aren't perfect. They might be meant to flag slop, but even human-made images that use common AI-powered design tools like "background remove" can (on occasion) be flagged. However, these tags can help you look more objectively at content and separate authentic photography and design from computer-generated fiction.

To marketers - Though it's not a perfect system, transparency around AI is always a good thing. This is your sign to prioritize human-created work. Need a quick graphic but you're not a designer or photographer? Lean on stock photography and Canva templates (yes, even those are better than a ChatGPT monstrosity), cell phone photos, and whatever you have on hand. We're not saying AI can't have a place in your workflow or even design process, but audiences value authenticity more than ever. Your best attempt is better than that cluttered event flyer Copilot just spit out.

Important facts:

LinkedIn has instituted a new "seems like AI slop" button that users can click when they're suspicious of someone's content.

Meta now adds AI labels to ads if they use images created or significantly modified by generative AI features like Background Generation, Image Generation, and Add Animation. Minor AI edits won't trigger this label.

Be smart out there, and stay human! 🤖

[ID: Slide 1: The text heading reads "LinkedIn AI slop button" above an image of a phone screen showing a drop-down menu with the "Seems like AI slop" option circled. Slide 2: The text heading reads "Meta AI labels" above two phone screens showing Instagram and Facebook newsfeeds with posts that have the "Made with AI" label.]

And so we close out this year's 🏆 Fake Awards with a very special, deserving recipient. The award for Living the Mission goes to Frontline Dignity.

This nonprofit has embodied this category through every training, resource kit, and social media post. As ICE has continued to target Black and Brown community members across Western PA, Frontline DIGNITY has mobilized, trained, and organized thousands of volunteers. This has happened amidst an epidemic of fear and hopelessness that kept a lot of us stuck in our homes. From restaurant-specific trainings that prepare workers who are likely to be targeted to know-your-rights resources that help people advocate for themselves and each other, this org is living the work. Thank you.

Let's have another round of applause for this year's Fake Award winners! 👏 Because of you, our community is a kinder, more engaged, and more vibrant place to live. Check out the blog on our website for the full list of arts, culture, and nonprofit stars.

[ID: The heading reads "The 2026 Workhorse Awards" above a photo of a man and two women standing in front of a Frontline Dignity backdrop. The text below reads "Frontline Dignity. Award: Living the Mission".]

If you're going to play pickleball, play pickleball with style. 🏓 The Fake Award for World’s Most Fabulous Pickleball Court goes to...Geometry of Play by Sharmistha Ray!

Run, don’t walk, to The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust's Arts Landing to see the stunning new pickleball courts that grace this new public spot. If you’ve never worked behind the scenes on public art, let us highlight something: it not only needs to be engaging and beautiful, it also has to be functional. This could’ve been a standard pickleball court, but instead, we Pittsburghers get a gorgeous art piece. We are delighted. 🥒

More delight can be found at the blog on our website.

[ID: The heading reads "The 2026 Workhorse Awards" above a photo of the pickleball courts at Arts Landing. The text below reads "Geometry of Play, Sharmistha Ray. Award: World's Most Fabulous Pickleball Court".]

One of Emily’s greatest joys as an artistic director at Workhorse is getting to hand-pick and collaborate with the best artists, creatives, and marketers to meet each client’s unique needs. The Hoyt Arts Center rebrand was no exception!
From hand-crafted textures and authentic photography to mission-driven copy, she assembled an all-star team to support her on this project. A huge shout-out to just a few of the amazing humans she worked with to bring this new brand to life:

⭐Brand Photography: Nate Smallwood
⭐Hand-crafted Textures: Darrin Milliner
⭐Institutional Messaging Partner: Taia Pandolfi
⭐Project Management: Camille Rohrlich
⭐Design Support: Darya Karabi
⭐Concept Advisement: Mike Rubino
⭐Communications & Website RFP Support: Daniel Fleegle
⭐Website Copy: Meghan Swartz
⭐Environmental Scan & Data Analysis: Dr. Robin Steed

We also thoroughly enjoyed working closely with the board, leadership, and marketing team at the Hoyt (ED Kimberly Koller-Jones, Marketing Director Melissa Maiella, and Digital Specialist Sebastian Foxx) and being part of the early-stage web design process led by the Denmark-based firm Granyon!

[Image ID: Slide 1: Page titled "Photo Approach" displaying an aerial view of a historic estate, a child sculpting clay, a gallery with a red sculpture, and an older man painting with watercolors. Text reads: Our photos aren't just a record of the past; they're an invitation to be part of the Hoyt's future.

Slide 2: Page titled "Textures" showing five tactile material swatches in shades of teal and white, labeled as panel board, craft paper, dense paper, fabric, and fiber paper. Text reads: Bespoke textures capture the grit and grain of the studio. By hinting at the raw materials used in the artistic process, these elements help our brand remain grounded and tactile.

Slide 3: Page titled "Brand Voice & Messaging" reads: Messaging: The Hoyt Arts Center is your lifelong home for transformative arts and culture experiences. We bring art and history to life across two turn-of-the-century estates in scenic Lawrence County. From festivals and exhibitions to hands-on classes and free after-school programs, we create opportunities for people of all ages to connect and find joy through the arts.
Voice: Rooted in authentic pride for our region and driven by a mission to encourage our audience's creativity, our voice is genuine, inviting, and intentional. Our voice bridges the cultural history of our space with the current needs of our community.

Slide 4: A brand mockup presentation titled "In the Wild" featuring the Hoyt Arts Center logo applied to business cards, an envelope, a green notebook, a white t-shirt on a smiling girl, and a coffee mug.]

We're all about empowering workers, which is why we're bestowing the 🏆 Fake Award for Worker- and Community-First Business Model on Pittsburgh Progress.

If you’ve paid one iota of attention to the Post-Gazette’s headlines in recent years, you’ll know that many local journalists successfully carried out the longest strike in newspaper history, only to be unceremoniously laid off. The fruit of this saga is a new publication, the Pittsburgh Progress, which is the region’s first co-op newspaper. The business model means that worker-owners and community-owners have a stake in the way the Progress covers the news. Can’t wait to pitch some stories to their arts writers! 📰

More feel-good community stories at the blog on our website.

[ID: The heading reads "The 2026 Workhorse Awards" above a photo of protesters carrying colorful signs. The text below reads "Pittsburgh Progress. Awards: People-Powered Publication".]

And the 2026 Workhorse (Fake) Award 🏆 for Simple and Effective Pause-Worthy Meta Ad goes to...

Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra!

Normally, we reserve awards for under-celebrated orgs and individuals, but a social media ad from the PSO literally made Jackie stop her (doom)scroll. In just 30 seconds, this ad provided respite from the chaos of the feed and genuinely influenced Jackie, who is now looking at upcoming concerts. The beauty of this ad was its simplicity: a CTA to “Stop and listen,” with a calming picture of Heinz Hall and 30 seconds of actual music performed by our Grammy-Award-winning symphony. Bellissima.

Check out the blog on our website for more examples of marketing brilliance. 🤌💋

[ID: The heading reads "The 2026 Workhorse Awards" above an image of hand holding a phone displaying the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra's Instagram ad. The text below reads "Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. Award: Pause-Worthy Meta Ad".]

Although Saturday night’s fire festival and brand launch had to be canceled because of severe weather, nothing can dampen our excitement for our partners at Hoyt Arts Center (formerly Arts & Education at the Hoyt)!!

Over the past year and a half, we’ve had the great joy of working side by side with the Hoyt team on a comprehensive brand transformation. They needed a visual identity and voice that reflected everything the Hoyt has become… and everything still ahead. From focus groups and a countywide survey to putting the final touches on their institutional messaging and brand guide, we loved every step in the process.

A few highlights from the brand:
✒️The Icon: Inspired by the tools of the trade, hand-carved yet fluid, capturing the disciplined freedom of the maker.
🎨 Color Palette: Rooted in place and history, inspired by Lawrence County’s lush landscapes and the Hoyts’ historic turn-of-the-century estates.
Cutouts & Textures: Crisp cutouts, photo-centered designs, and handcrafted texture show off the depth and quality of the Hoyts’ programming while keeping it grounded and human.
💬 Strategic Messaging: An institutional voice built around the mission: "Your lifelong home for transformative arts and culture experiences".

A massive congratulations to the entire Hoyt leadership and staff for their vision and partnership. Give the Hoyt a follow to see what’s new and next for this 60+-year-old institution.

[Image ID:
Slide 1 Dark green graphic displaying a teal lowercase "h" logo above the white text "HOYT ARTS CENTER".
Slide 2 Teal lowercase "h" logo surrounded by artistic tools: a clay loop tool, fountain pen, scissors, and palette knife.
Slide 3 Brand mood board showing photos of the Hoyt Arts Center paired with color swatches: Panorama Teal, Cape Verde, Lime Twist, Byzantium, Wisteria, and Flame.
Slide 4 Three smartphone mockups displaying Hoyt Arts Center promotional social posts for a clay class, an Ikebana workshop, and a historical trivia graphic.]

Our rollout of the 2026 Workhorse (Fake) Awards continues! These are the nonprofit and arts folks we think deserve a special shoutout for their badassery this year.

🏆Award: Bangin’ Artist Infrastructure 🏅Winner: RADIANT HALL

Radiant Hall sources under- or disused warehouse spaces and transforms them into artist studios. Independent artists and creative entrepreneurs have thin margins and need very specific space to do what they do, so we love to see innovative solutions to keep them here in Pittsburgh. Thank you to this excellent team! We hope to see more investment by foundations and civic leaders in the arts to keep work like this moving.

Full rundown of this year's nonprofit and arts brilliance in the blog on our website.

[ID: The heading text reads "The 2026 Workhorse Awards" above a photo of a row of buildings in downtown Pittsburgh. The text on the image reads "New Downtown location now open! Affordable space is a critical piece of the local arts ecosystem." Underneath, the text reads "Radiant Hall. Award: Bangin' Artist Infrastructure".]

Last night, Jackie joined her fellow Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council board members to celebrate Senator Jay Costa's leadership in securing a $1MM increase to the state's Grants to the Arts line item, the first increase in 16 years. Despite Pennsylvania being one of the most arts-vibrant states in the nation, it remains one of the most underinvested, and advocacy efforts like these are critical to thriving arts ecosystems.

Pictured left to right: Arts Council COO Mia Hooper, board chair Nayli Russo, Carnegie Mellon School of Drama Professor and Playwright TJ Young, Jackie Baker, and Co-ED of Kelly Strayhorn Theater Melanie Paglia

[ID: A group of five colleagues smiling together at an indoor event featuring soft lighting. From left to right: Mia Hooper, Nayli Russo, TJ Young, Jackie Baker, and Melanie Paglia stand close together in front of framed artwork displayed on a dark background.]

This Labor Day, we'd like to get on our soapbox again and remind you that art is labor, and artists are laborers.

There's been a lot of talk of labor organization over the past few years, and the arts industry has been at the forefront. Sometimes we tend to forget that artists are in need of protections to safely, securely work and create.

Artists work just as hard as the rest of the American workforce (if not harder sometimes, due to lack of said protections). They deserve access to the benefits you would expect of any excellent job, including upward mobility and/or professional development, regular raises, clear job expectations, reasonable hours, time off, and retirement options. We know not all arts nonprofits can offer these packages right away, but they should certainly be working on bettering their best each year.

[ID: A collage of images of artists. The text reads "Art Is Labor".]