Pop des Fleurs

Bringing unexpected brightness and joy in the middle of winter through pop-up flower gardens made from repurposed, durable materials.

Pop des Fleurs

$1,000 » Fiberarts Guild of Pittsburgh, 2015 Grand Ideas project support

Pop des Fleurs, a project of Fiberarts Guild of Pittsburgh, was a large-scale outdoor installation in Arsenal Park in Lawrenceville. The installation of handmade colorful flowers made from repurposed materials brought unexpected brightness and joy in the middle of winter through pop-up flower gardens. Skill sharing workshops, led by the Fiberarts Guild of Pittsburgh, educated community participants about various techniques to create durable, beautiful flowers. The installation served as a grassroots-level preview event for the Fiberarts International Conference of 2016.

Pizza Poems PGH

Using the universally accepted medium of pizza to help students share their thoughts and actively engage with their community.

Pizza Poems PGH

$1,000 » New Sun Rising, 2015 Grand Ideas project support

Pizza Poems PGH, a project fiscally sponsored by New Sun Rising, was a celebration of poetry and pizza that took place in April for National Poetry Month. Students from Visual Arts 2: Public Art at Pittsburgh Milliones University Prep (UPrep) in the Hill District, as well as students from the after-school art club at Westinghouse, wrote poems inspired by, or in celebration of, one of the most beloved foods – PIZZA. They then made artwork that was inspired by their completed poems and both the poems/art were screen-printed onto pizza boxes that were used to distribute pizzas in April. Through this project, youth were actively engaged with their community and promoted poetry and art through the accessible medium of pizza.

The Skinny Building

Utilizing one of the shallowest commercial buildings in the world as a unique venue for alternative art and the promotion of other cultural events.

The Skinny Building

$900 » Ground Zero, 2001 Grand Ideas project support

The Skinny Building, a project of Ground Zero, was an architectural oddity in the heart of the Fifth and Forbes corridor downtown. At 5 feet wide and 60 feet long, The Skinny Building was one of the shallowest commercial buildings in the world. The once vacant structure served as a unique venue for alternative art and the promotion of other cultural events.

Love Poem for Water

Inviting audience members to consider the significance of water in their lives, bodies, and communities as they listen to Vanessa German’s monologues on her own encounters with the essential liquid.

Love Poem for Water

$1,000, 2011 Grand Ideas project support

Love Poem for Water, a project by Vanessa German, was an audience-interactive multimedia performance built around the spoken word opera. German, a multidisciplinary artist, wrote and performed the intense, soul-filled twelve-minute piece which made the audience part of the performance as “water” in the form of long, flowing, blue cloth cascaded off of the stage and into the hands of audience members, activating light, sound, and texture. Viewers were invited to consider the place and significance of water in their lives, bodies, and communities as they listened to German’s monologues on her encounters with mankind’s most essential liquid.

Pittsburgh Beautification Project

Erecting colorful Andy Warhol paintings over the empty windows and doors of abandoned buildings in the city’s blighted areas.

Pittsburgh Beautification Project

$1,000, 2009 Grand Ideas project support

Pittsburgh Beautification Project, a project by Bob Ziller, upgraded the visual quality of Pittsburgh’s blighted areas by placing Andy Warhol-inspired paintings over boarded-up windows in the city’s abandoned buildings. Light chipboard plywood was painted and cut to the dimensions of the windows at each beautification site, where colorful, hand-painted versions of Warhol’s iconic Flowers paintings were then installed onto the plywood already covering the windows of each property. The project received media attention from all over the United States, being featured in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post.

Pittsburgh Women MAKE it.

Highlighting the work and stories of 12 community-selected women makers and artists through a blog and printed publication.

Pittsburgh Women MAKE it.

$1,000 » New Sun Rising, 2016 Grand Ideas project support

Pittsburgh Women MAKE it., a project led by Rachel Saul Rearick and fiscally sponsored by New Sun Rising, highlighted women makers and artists, sharing their work and stories through a blog and printed publication. The 12 featured women came from a variety of artistic backgrounds and were selected by community voting. A social mixer additionally served as a way for the participants to meet each other along with other people connected to the local arts industry.

The Fantasy Black Draft

Hosting a pseudo-sports draft event to engage the community in discussion around the effect of progress on Pittsburgh’s Black population.

The Fantasy Black Draft

$1,000 » 7th Movement Development, LLC, 2015 Grand Ideas project support

The Fantasy Black Draft, a project of 7th Movement Development, was a live pseudo-sports draft event during which fifty Black Pittsburghers who have left to live in other cities were invited to consider returning to Pittsburgh by a diverse set of ten Pittsburgh stakeholders and leaders. Utilizing the dramaturgy of a football sports draft, The Fantasy Black Draft invited the Pittsburgh public to nominate Black former Pittsburghers who had left Pittsburgh to return and contribute to Pittsburgh’s progress via the technology, education, medical, financial development and public policy sectors based on their professional experience. The Fantasy Black Draft was a precursor to a larger project entitled The Black Draft, during which five Black former Pittsburghers were drafted to return to Pittsburgh and five Black current Pittsburghers were drafted to stay in Pittsburgh.

ACJ Medical Neglect Documentation Project

Using the power of storytelling to highlight individuals who had experienced medical neglect in the Allegheny County Jail.

ACJ Medical Neglect Documentation Project

$1,000 » New Sun Rising, 2015 Grand Ideas project support

ACJ Medical Neglect Documentation Project, a project fiscally sponsored by New Sun Rising, was the creation of a story-telling and fact-finding documentary highlighting individuals that had directly experienced medical neglect in the Allegheny County Jail (ACJ). Using the power of story-telling through both written and filmed documentation, trained interviewers collected documentation of the Human Rights violations that had occurred in the ACJ, ultimately compiling this information into a written report and 30-minute documentary. The project put a face and voice to people who were often segregated by society at large by providing the opportunity to share the lifelong consequences of unjust physical and mental health treatment in jail.

Support Mass Transit Bumper Stickers

Calling attention to the essential service provided by Port Authority Transit and the threats to its sustainability.

Support Mass Transit Bumper Stickers

$1,000 » Kate Trimble, 2003 Grand Ideas project support

Support Mass Transit Bumper Stickers responded to the reduced funding to Port Authority and its first service cuts. The project distributed thousands of Support Mass Transit Bumper Stickers to call attention to the essential services provided by Port Authority and the threats to its sustainability.

76<100

Raising awareness of wage inequality and celebrating working women through a retail pop-up featuring wares from female artists and businesses, selling items to women at 76% of the cost charged to men.

76<100

$1,000 » Elana Schlenker, 2015 Grand Ideas project support

76<100, an independent project from Elana Schlenker, was a retail pop-up that only sold wares from female artists and women-led businesses in order to raise awareness of wage inequality based on US Dept of Labor statistics showing the median earnings of full time female workers was 76% of that of males. This project sparked conversation around this issue, while creating a positive space that celebrated and empowered working women.

Climate Change Crankie

Starting conversations about Pittsburgh’s industrial history, its environmental legacy, and the community’s role in making improvements for the future.

Climate Change Crankie

$1,000 » New Sun Rising, 2016 Grand Ideas project support

Pittsburgh Climate Change Crankie, a project from Independent Project Manager Katy DeMent and fiscally sponsored by New Sun Rising, was a manually powered paper panoramic illustration that told the story of Pittsburgh’s environmental evolution. The crankie showed man’s impact on Pittsburgh’s environment through the history of one small house over time followed by illustrations of how we can make choices to mitigate the effects of climate change in the community. This project bridged to conversations about Pittsburgh’s industrial history, its environmental legacy, and the community’s role in making improvements for the future through performances accompanied by hands-on art activities for all ages.

Art + Feminism Wikipedia Edit-a-thon

Bringing together diverse communities to create and improve Wikipedia articles related to women in the arts.

Art + Feminism Wikipedia Edit-a-thon

$1,000 » New Sun Rising, 2015 Grand Ideas project support

Art + Feminism Wikipedia Edit-a-thon, a project fiscally sponsored by New Sun Rising, was an inclusive one-day event that brought together diverse communities to create and improve Wikipedia articles related to women in the arts. Facilitators and library staff were available to help set up accounts for participants and gather resources as the community worked together to correct the gender imbalance on Wikipedia. In addition to the central event location at Frick Fine Arts Library, there were pre-event trainings at CAPA high school for the arts and the Carnegie Library of Homestead.

One Cold Hand

Exploring the concept of loss and recovery while collecting lost gloves all over Pittsburgh and even reuniting some with their rightful owners.

One Cold Hand

$1,000, 2007 Grand Ideas project support

One Cold Hand, a project by Jenn Gooch, connected the Pittsburgh community by focusing on one common, but unfortunate, event–the loss of a glove. Centered around the website Onecoldhand.com, the project magnified and explored the concept of loss, while also collecting and saving gloves lost throughout the city in the chance that they may be found again, creating a representative emblem of hope and community. Over the course of a winter, One Cold Hand collected 450 gloves and returned more than a dozen to their owners. The project was covered in over 145 media outlets worldwide through the Associated Press, including the New York Times and BBC Radio London, and locally in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Tribune Review, and on KDKA television news.

QTPi(e)

Creating an interactive celebration of math, food, and community on Pi Day by delivering 31 pies via bicycle to homes in Pittsburgh with the mathematical constant pi (3.14) in their address.

QTPi(e)

$900, 2010 Grand Ideas project support

QTPi(e), a project by Quelcy T. Kogel, was an artistic, interactive celebration of math, food and community on Pi Day, March 14th, 2010. For the project, Kogel delivered 31 pies via bicycle to homes in Pittsburgh that included mathematical constant pi (3.14) in their address. The pie packaging included hand-printed maps that compared conventional and local pie ingredients and, of course, referenced pi. The packages were photographed at their delivery locations for a gallery show that displayed the photos, maps, and pie samples alongside information about local dining. The project later partnered with the former Waffle Shop in East Liberty and Sprout’s own Hothouse to share more with the public about delicious, locally-sourced food.

Urban Hike

Exploring the unique character of Pittsburgh through hikes that served as history lessons, adventures, and meditative reconnections that engaged residents with the topography of the city.

Urban Hike

$1,000, 2004 Grand Ideas project support

Urban Hike organized walking tours of Pittsburgh neighborhoods on and off the beaten path. Each hike included great views of the city, exposure to interesting architecture and interactions with various community stakeholders. Exploring the unique character of each neighborhood, the hikes served as history lessons, adventures, and meditative reconnections with the city, engaging residents with the very topography of the city itself.

City of Champions Million Steps Challenge

Challenging participants to make healthier lifestyle choices by counting every step at this large-scale community fitness event.

City of Champions Million Steps Challenge

$1,000, 2011 Grand Ideas project support

City of Champions Million Steps Challenge was a large-scale public fitness event that challenged participants to accelerate a healthier lifestyle by counting every step as they engaged in a variety of energetic and fun-filled activities. The goal was to collectively total one million steps at this event while motivating participants to continue to make healthier choices in their personal fitness goals. Participants engaged in a variety of fitness activities and tracked the number of steps they took during this event on September 10, 2011 at the YMCA Homewood.

Co-opoly Untournament

Introducing players to cooperative economic opportunity principles by playing Co-opoly, a board game, in “UnTournaments” held in public locations.

Co-opoly Untournament

$1,000 » New Sun Rising, 2015 Grand Ideas project support

Co-opoly Untournament, a project lead by Pittsburgh Chamber of Cooperatives and fiscally sponsored by New Sun Rising, was a series of informal workshops that encouraged participants to play Co-opoly, the cooperate version of “Monopoly”. The board game introduced players to cooperative principles and the economic opportunity that cooperatives present. Prior to and in between “UnTournaments” game sets were left at public locations along with information on the Pittsburgh Chamber of Cooperatives, the background on cooperatives, and the Cooperate Pittsburgh Directory to help generate interest in local cooperatives and future “UnTournament” gatherings.

Stepping Stanzas

Promoting the use of public steps and celebrated the city’s heritage, diversity, and distinctive geography through music and performance.

Stepping Stanzas

$1,000 » South Side Slopes Neighborhood Association, 2015 Grand Ideas project support

Stepping Stanzas, a pilot project fiscally sponsored by South Side Slopes Neighborhood Association, was a performance arts series intended that promoted the use of Pittsburgh’s public steps and celebrated the city’s rich heritage, diversity, and distinctive geography. Steppin’ Stanzas events took place on city steps to offer a new way for residents to experience the landscape of their neighborhood. The launch event was in association with South Side Slopes Neighborhood Association’s Annual Step Trek, where the Steppin’ Stanzas co-founders/resident artists Paola Corso and Andrew Edwards along with several guest artists presented short works on South Side city steps throughout the event.

Steel City Folk School

Bringing people with a wide variety of interests together to share their passions, learn new skills, and catalyze an informal community of learning in Pittsburgh.

Steel City Folk School

$1,000 » Waldorf School of Pittsburgh, 2015 Grand Ideas project support

Steel City Folk School Pop-up, a project of Waldorf School of Pittsburgh, brought a folk school ethos to Pittsburgh using a pop-up adult folk school model, focusing on 2 traditions: craft and social justice. The project was a demonstration day event on the Waldorf School of Pittsburgh’s campus featuring example classes, activities for children so parents could attend, a communal meal, evaluation, and a concluding celebration.

Beatty Street Bicycle Co-Op

Promoting bicycling as an affordable, healthy, and green mode of transportation while educating riders with repair and maintenance skills.

Beatty Street Bicycle Co-Op

$1,000 » PULSE, 2015 Grand Ideas project support

Beatty Street Bicycle Co-Op, a project of Pittsburgh Urban Leadership Service Experience (PULSE), was a “do-it-yourself” educational workshop in a small garage space in Highland Park where residents were given the space to learn about bicycle repair and fix their own bicycles. This bicycle co-op was modeled after Free Ride in Pittsburgh and Chain Reaction in Goshen, Indiana. It served a hyper-local audience of East Liberty, Garfield, and Highland Park residents, promoting bicycling as an affordable, healthy, and green mode of transportation and educating riders with repair and maintenance skills.

Olympic Curling Open House

Introducing the city to the accessible, ancient ice sport in an exciting and welcoming setting while highlighting opportunities to play the Olympic sport locally.

Olympic Curling Open House

$1,000 » Pittsburgh Curling Club, 2014 Grand Ideas project support

Olympic Curling Open House, a project of Pittsburgh Curling Club, shared the sport and spirit of curling with the city of Pittsburgh in celebration of the upcoming 2014 Winter Olympics. Introducing the city to the accessible, ancient ice sport in an exciting and welcoming setting, the PCC highlighted the sport and the local community that offers opportunities to play the Olympic sport in Pittsburgh.

Gender-Neutral Learn-to-Sew

Hosting a series of monthly sewing nights to learn basic skills, proper threading and tensioning, and the history of the sewing machine.

Gender-Neutral Learn-to-Sew

$1,000 » Jennifer Gooch, 2014 Grand Ideas project support

Gender-Neutral Learn-to-Sew, a project of Jennifer Gooch, hosted a series of monthly gender neutral sewing nights at her WERK studio in Lawrenceville. Neighbors joined together to learn about basic mechanisms, proper threading and tensioning, and even a little bit of history of the sewing machine.

The Blacksmith Shop at Returning Home Farm

Using the DIY appeal of blacksmithing to engage people in ongoing conversations around issues of community, local production and commerce, and eco-friendly living.

The Blacksmith Shop at Returning Home Farm

$1,000 » New Sun Rising, 2015 Grand Ideas project support

The Blacksmith Shop at Returning Home Farm, a project fiscally sponsored by New Sun Rising, was a community-based initiative that engaged residents of Penn Hills and surrounding areas in learning about and experiencing traditional, eco-friendly ways of life. The Blacksmith Shop used the DIY appeal of blacksmithing to engage people in ongoing conversations around issues of community, local production and commerce, and eco-friendly living. By offering introductory classes as well as “open shop” times when local blacksmiths and learners can gather, The Blacksmith Shop enabled those interested in blacksmithing to work on projects together and share knowledge in a community setting.

LISTEN UP! Neighborhood Debate Classic

Promoting critical exchange to analyze problems and solutions so residents can use these skillsets to address issues in their own communities.

LISTEN UP! Neighborhood Debate Classic

$1,000 » Minor Victories, 2016 Grand Ideas project support

LISTEN UP! Pittsburgh Neighborhood Debate Classic, a project of Minor Victories, was a debate competition that promoted critical exchange and analysis of thoughts in economically disadvantaged communities in Pittsburgh. The debate competitions empowered members of these communities through the agency and critical thinking needed to analyze problems and solutions in debates so that residents could use these skillsets to address issues in their own communities. Each neighborhood hosted a local tournament, with the winning team representing each neighborhood in a tournament that determined the grand champion team.