Recently, in my early and roaring twenties, I have bumped many-a-shoulder with and become comfortable around the minds behind and in front of the Pittsburgh Party and Entertainment scene. Sure, Pittsburgh is small, and you seem to start seeing the same community gather at specific genre events, but there are numerous scenes and parties to pick and choose from. Though there still seems to be something rather similar with most entertainment-focused local businesses: they’re mostly run by men. Sure there are some exceptions here and there, but Pittsburgh’s parties are definitely noticeably conjured by male dominate forces. And I’m sure if you take a second and think about the vibes you encounter at said local events – you can feel the difference. This is where Carly Smittle saw an opportunity to add to this city’s RnR time with some much needed female energy. Carly explains:
“I’ve been spending time in other cities where women are celebrated in the night scene, and seeing how it really shines through. You see a whole other level of community and creativity when a group of women get together. There’s not a lot of events going on here in the city, then the men pretty much have a monopoly- the majority of DJs and performers are men, with a woman thrown in there every once and a while, maybe!”
{Photo by: Amber Ohiokpehai}
Feline Entertainment started in 2017 with a mission to bring together forward thinking women identified in the Pittsburgh area to
create evolved entertainment experiences. When Carly met Grace Hines, a Pittsburgh based woman DJ that grew up in the city around musicians and DJs, she saw someone who had the social skills that Carly herself lacked, and together they saw how they could balance each other’s strengths and run a business. As their team grows and evolves, they hope to empower and support each other through combining ideas, strengths, and resources to expand their lady power platform together. Their focus is not about just creating a unique party experience, but also their impact within this community and human rights. They are creating platforms for women in different communities with the goal of donating to causes that matter to them. They believe in the importance of providing mentorship and they give encouragement to the youth by offering opportunity for full creative control to make their visions come true. Everyone has a voice in Feline entertainment and together they have compiled a team of performers, artists, entrepreneurs, and a media team to create a total powerhouse.
{Photo by: Amber Ohiokpehai IG: @Amber.Oh}
“My hope is that we continue on our rapid expansion and that our crowd continues to grow. The more known Feline Entertainment becomes, the more of a platform we have," Carly says.
Being recognized and known within the community is one of the most important parts of being successful in any town. And we see that its possible for women in cities like San Francisco, Denver, Colorado, and Washington D.C., where not only are women’s earnings much higher, but more businesses are ran and owned by women, as told by CNBC. Us yinzers can absolutely see the success that these cities acquire, and it is important for us to learn from our fellow Americans so that we can grow!
Hopefully we can gain speed filling the Pittsburgh entertainment gender gap as well as Feline Entertainment, who have within the past year evolved into a full production team providing consultation, media marketing, promotion, lighting, and even an event execution team. Carly hopes to continue striving forward, expanding Feline Entertainment’s network of women, and supporting each other with their combined forces. When asked how Feline Entertainment chooses their team Carly explained, “Our team seems to choose us. We started having a women’s meeting late every Wednesday where we would discuss what we are working on and what our strongest skill sets are and how can we make this work for all of us. Then, when it really comes down to it, it’s who delivers. We spend so many hours creating our events that we get pretty close, we all become family. If you want to work your ass off with a bunch of amazing women, Feline Entertainment welcomes you.”
I personally look forward to more events ran by woman-identifying people in the future. Like I was saying earlier about the male
energy and vibe that’s attached to most events here in Pittsburgh – just imagine that energy mixing with some soft, sexy, vibrant female energy; imagine how we could benefit from that.
Keep an eye out for Feline Entertainment’s next big event with Headliner Rico Nasty @ FREEK SHOW - Between two stages and multipul installation rooms, this event will showcase the talents of women in many curiosities. Expect to see acrobatics, fire breathing, stilts, contortions, clowns, dancers, more than 15 music performers, fashion shows, and everything in between. I’ll see you there July 14th!!! Visit FREEKSHOWFestival.com for more information! {Flyer by: me! Harley Skibicki IG: @harley.skibicki}