Turning up the volume and raising the profile for Pittsburgh’s emerging arts scene

In late 2003, The Sprout Fund built on the success of its “100 Bands | 31 Nights | 1 City” series from the previous year. The goal was to expand this popular showcase model beyond music to new art forms, supporting the belief that a “vibrant, active artistic community” was essential for making Pittsburgh an attractive and healthy place to live, especially for young people.

The result was AMP (Art, Music, Performance), a three-month, multi-venue series in early 2004 designed to amplify the voices of emerging artists. The Sprout Fund partnered with three key cultural venues: Club Café for music, The Andy Warhol Museum for visual art, and the Brew House Association for performance art.

The program unfolded over three distinct months. In January, Club Café hosted local bands six days a week. In February, The Andy Warhol Museum hosted a juried exhibition of 12”x12” works by local visual artists. Finally, in March, the Brew House featured weekend performances from a wide array of local performers.

AMP successfully showcased nearly 300 musicians and visual and performing artists from the 13-county region. It generated a significant “media splash” and “buzz”, giving many artists their first opportunity to perform or exhibit in a high-profile venue. The series introduced new audiences to the depth of local talent and, in the case of the Warhol show, actively encouraged new collectors to buy local art. As one visitor was overheard saying, “I didn’t even know there were artists in Pittsburgh… and this stuff is actually good”.

Program In Brief