Dreams of Hope is Pittsburgh’s only arts-focused organization for queer and allied youth.

Recognizing the need for creative outlets for youth in Pittsburgh, and for positive queer role models and messages in society, Susan Haugh (any pronouns), founded the organization in 2003. Through the power of the arts, Dreams of Hope provides the region’s queer and allied youth a welcoming environment to grow in confidence, express themselves, develop as leaders, and learn to create positive change in their communities.

In 2023, the power of young people, intersectional experiences, art and education, accessibility, mentorship, community, and queer joy remain vital parts of our work creating ecosystems in which queer youth can flourish.

We are proud of the work we have done and the spaces we have created for not just young queer people, but for queer folks of all ages. Seasoned artists of many disciplines have worked with hundreds of LGBTQ+ youth as teaching artists, instructors, mentors, and facilitators since our founding. Our programs and events have been a place for young people to convene and connect with each other as their unapologetically unique selves.

We have immense gratitude for those who have been supporting us throughout these last 20 years. We would love for you to consider celebrating with us by making a financial contribution to help us sustain our work.