Knit the Bridge

Wrapping the Andy Warhol Bridge with colorful yarn, knitted by hundreds of area residents, creating the largest community “yarn bomb” of its kind in the United States.

Knit the Bridge

$8,000 » Fiberarts Guild of Pittsburgh, 2012 Seed Award project support

Knit The Bridge, a project of Fiberarts Guild of Pittsburgh in conjunction with Fiberart International 2013, brought together more than 1,600 people from all over Southwestern Pennsylvania to the downtown Andy Warhol Bridge in colorful quilts during the summer of 2013. The grassroots community “yarn bomb” was the largest of its kind in the United States, celebrating Pittsburgh’s exciting contemporary arts scene during the Fiberart International exhibition with more than 580 knit panels covering the iconic bridge. From retirees in Cranberry to professors in Shaler to teen boys in the North Side, Knit the Bridge united the region regardless of age, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, neighborhood or even knitting ability, creating a fun, bright and beautiful project organized by the Fiberarts Guild of Pittsburgh and project manager Amanda Gross.

Art Olympic Theatre

Artists competing to make winning pieces within a specific period of time. Equal parts gallery opening, sporting event, and theatrical performance!

Art Olympic Theatre

$10,000 » The Tom Museum, 2007 Seed Award project support

Art Olympic Theatre, a project of The Tom Museum, invited local and visiting artists to compete in a variety of themes and artistic mediums and make winning pieces of art within a specific period of time. Equal parts gallery opening, sporting event, and theatrical performance, each event helped make art more accessible to a wider community through a uniquely engaging program.

Art Lending Collection

Enabling those with library cards to check out works of art by regional and international artists for home enjoyment.

Art Lending Collection

$10,000 » Braddock Carnegie Library Association, 2013 Seed Award project support

The Art Lending Collection, a project of Braddock Carnegie Library Association, made it possible to check-out works by regional and international artists, just like books for home enjoyment, at the Braddock Carnegie Library.

100 Bands, 31 Nights, 1 City

Highlighting the rich, diverse, but often underappreciated musical culture of Pittsburgh in one eclectic month.

100 Bands, 31 Nights, 1 City

$10,000 » Club Café, 2002 Seed Award project support

100 Bands, 31 Nights, 1 City, a project of Club Café, galvanized the local music scene by presenting 100 area bands during the 31 nights of January. The concert series highlighted the rich, diverse, but often underappreciated musical culture of Pittsburgh in one eclectic month.

Puppets for Pittsburgh

Lending puppets to area nonprofit organizations to add energy to their public events throughout the region.

Puppets for Pittsburgh

$5,000, 2006 Seed Award project support

Puppets for Pittsburgh was a free service that lent puppets to area nonprofit organizations to add energy to their public events. Created by Cheryl Capezzuti and other young artists, these giant puppets were revealed at events throughout the region.

Take Me Out

Examining issues of race, sexual identity, and cultural icons in the context of Major League Baseball.

Take Me Out

$10,000 » barebones productions, 2008 Seed Award project support

Take Me Out, a project of barebones productions, was a Tony Award winning play that examined issues of race, sexual identity, and cultural icons in the context of Major League Baseball. Barebones productions partnered with the Three Rivers Arts Festival to produce the play in a large downtown building on 7th Avenue.

VIA Music & New Media Festival

Showcasing local and international audio and visual artists through a year-round event series and week-long Music & New Media Festival.

VIA Music & New Media Festival

$9,900, 2010 Seed Award project support

VIA Music & New Media Festival was a year-round event series and week-long Music & New Media Festival showcasing local and international audio and visual artists.

Community Supported Art (CSA PGH)

Creating “shares” of art from local artists to be purchased by art patrons across the city, similar to boxes of produce from local farms as part of an agricultural CSA.

Community Supported Art (CSA PGH)

$6,000, 2012 Seed Award project support

Community Supported Art (CSA PGH) created “shares” of art from local artists to be purchased by art patrons across the city, similar to the boxes of produce from local farms as part of an agricultural CSA.

ALLOY Pittsburgh

Providing a laboratory for 15 emerging artists from the Pittsburgh region to create site-based projects that investigate the creative reuse of a post-industrial site.

ALLOY Pittsburgh

$8,000 » Kipp Gallery at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, 2012 Seed Award project support

ALLOY Pittsburgh, a project of Kipp Gallery at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, was a visual and performing arts initiative developed for the Carrie Furnace National Historic Landmark. The program was a laboratory where 15 emerging artists from the Pittsburgh region created site-based projects that investigate the creative reuse of a post-industrial site. The completed artworks were simultaneously presented in a one of a kind art event to be held at the Carrie Furnaces National Historic Landmark in the fall of 2013. The project promoted the work of emerging and underrepresented artists from the Pittsburgh region and encouraged interaction between the artists and the surrounding communities of Braddock, Homestead, Swissvale and Rankin. In addition to interactive public tours and the event reception, the project engaged the local community through public discussions and lectures throughout the summer and fall of 2013.

Three Rivers Bike Racks

Working to address the dearth of amenities for cyclists in the city by installing artistically designed bike racks in highly visible commercial areas.

Three Rivers Bike Racks

$9,000 » Bike Pittsburgh, 2003 Seed Award project support

Public Art Bike Racks, a project of Bike Pittsburgh, worked to address the dearth of amenities for cyclists in the city. Through the project, Bike Pittsburgh installed artistically designed bike racks in highly visible, commercial areas.

Commute-by-Bike Zine

With Pittsburgh as its setting, the comic book takes the reader on a fun, exciting journey that teaches the basics of bicycle commuting.

Commute-by-Bike Zine

$10,000 » Bike Pittsburgh, 2008 Seed Award project support

Commute-by-Bike Zine, a project of Bike Pittsburgh, was a workshop created by Bike Pittsburgh to provide people with valuable information about bicycle commuting. Bike Pittsburgh also created a zine to accompany the workshop and reinforce its content. With Pittsburgh as its setting, the book took each reader on a fun, exciting journey that taught the basics of bicycle commuting.

BikeFest

Establishing an organizational framework for hosting community events, activities, and promotions to celebrate bicycling.

BikeFest

$8,500 » BikePGH, 2005 Seed Award project support

BikeFest, a project of BikePGH and Free Ride! Recycled Bike Program, established an organizational framework for hosting community events, activities, and promotions to celebrate bicycling as a fun, healthy, and environmentally friendly way to get around town.

Pittsburgh Art in Transit

Adorning city buses with art to solicit support for area transit while also providing a public venue for artists to display their work.

Pittsburgh Art in Transit

$10,000 » Pittsburgh Arts In Transit, 2005 Seed Award project support

Pittsburgh Art in Transit, a project of Pittsburgh Arts In Transit, was a shared gesture of artistic and financial support extended by local artists to the Port Authority of Allegheny County. Artists supported public transit by purchasing paid advertising space on city buses and in return received a traveling public venue to display their work.

Car Free Streets Event

Closing streets to cars so bicycles, pedestrians, and other alternative modes of transportation could safely access them during Pedal Pittsburgh.

Car Free Streets Event

$5,000 » Lanterne Rouge LLC, 2011 Seed Award project support

Car Free Streets Event at Pedal Pittsburgh, a project of Lanterne Rouge LLC, was a closed streets ride for recreational cyclists. Called a “ciclovia,” this new event was featured during the 2012 Pedal Pittsburgh ride. By expanding to embrace the racing and non-racing community, the ciclovia created an outlet to share a passion for cycling with others in the region, from elite racers to recreational cyclists, adults and youth. This festive event was a prime opportunity to showcase local Pittsburgh businesses who supported an active and healthy lifestyle. This event was in keeping with the goal of a non-competitive bicycle ride that was open to activity on a car-free course for bicycles, pedestrians, and all to enjoy. Lanterne Rouge worked diligently with Bike Pittsburgh to create a car-free family portion of Pedal Pittsburgh in 2012 that created a base for a 2013 Open Streets Event.

3 Rivers on 2 Wheels

Guiding readers through 10 cycling excursions that stretch throughout various city neighborhoods.

3 Rivers on 2 Wheels

$8,500 » Lou Fineberg, 2002 Seed Award project support

3 Rivers on 2 Wheels was an original city guide that facilitated the exploration of Pittsburgh by bicycle. It detailed ten cycling excursions that stretched throughout various neighborhoods in the city. Unique for its portable format, consideration of youth riders and, award winning photography, the book was a striking testament to the accessibility and diversity of Pittsburgh’s communities.

Conflict Kitchen

Serving cuisine from countries with which the United States was currently in conflict as a way to create greater awareness of the culture in question.

Conflict Kitchen

$7,000, 2009 Seed Award project support

Conflict Kitchen was a public project that made and served cuisine from countries with which the United States was currently in conflict. The food was served from a take-out style storefront adjacent to the Waffle Shop and Shadow Lounge in East Liberty. The project served as a means of distributing and communicating information that would lead to a greater awareness of the culture in question.

Run Baby, Run

Giving young adults in Pittsburgh the basic tools to run for office, including info on finding open positions, forming committees, creating budgets, and working with the media.

Run Baby, Run

$8,730, 2003 Seed Award project support

Run Baby, Run gave young adults in Pittsburgh the chance to seek political office. Through a series of nonpartisan educational workshops, young people were given the basic tools to run for office, including information on finding open positions, forming committees, creating budgets, and working with the media.

CivicCards

Providing an interactive way to learn about government leaders as well as key features of Pittsburgh institutions and history.

CivicCards

$9,400, 2005 Seed Award project support

CivicCards promoted interest in those who served in city, county, and state government. Collectible and memorable, the cards provided an interactive way to learn about government leaders, as well as key features of Pittsburgh institutions and history. A total of 8,500 sets of 60 cards were distributed first to young professionals and students, and then made available to all citizens in Allegheny County.

Switchboard Stories

Collecting stories of collective action to enrich the Global Switchboard’s dialogue with current members, neighborhood residents, the foundation community, and policy makers around the question, “why should I care about global engagement in Pittsburgh?”

Switchboard Stories

$10,000 » Amizade Global Service-Learning, 2014 Seed Award project support

Switchboard Stories, a project of Amizade Global Service-Learning, responded to the demand for storytelling within the community of practice associated with global engagement. Beginning in January 2015, the project collected and promoted a core set of 20 stories, 10 of which focused on members of The Global Switchboard and 10 of which highlighted Sprout-supported Global Switchboard Community of Practice projects. The stories were evidence that the Switchboard was more than a co-working space, and helped to demonstrate the Switchboard’s preparedness for collective action. Through the collection of stories Amizade raised the visibility of their work, garnered greater support, and equipped their community of practice with a body of evidence of their collective impact.

Be Well! Healthcare Options for the Uninsured

Compiling information on local social services and health care organizations in a zine-format guide to health insurance alternatives for young adults without coverage.

Be Well! Healthcare Options for the Uninsured

$8,000, 2006 Seed Award project support

Be Well! Healthcare Options for the Uninsured was a zine-format guide to health insurance alternatives for young adults without coverage. The guide compiled information on local social services and health care organizations and included testimonials from local citizens who had utilized these services without insurance.

Camino

Exposing the booming business of private immigrant detention centers and illuminating questions of survival and connectedness through a play about undocumented immigrants.

Camino

$7,500 » Hiawatha Project, 2011 Seed Award project support

Camino, a Hiawatha Project original play, was a play about borders, boundaries, and undocumented immigrants in 21st-century Pittsburgh. Set in an imagined near future infused with GPS maps, lost migrating birds, and star-crossed lovers, Camino was inspired by two young Latino immigrants in Pittsburgh whose lives were torn asunder by the American immigrant deportation system. The play exposed the booming business of private immigrant detention centers in the United States and in doing so, illuminated questions of survival and connectedness. The performance was written and directed by Anya Martin and featured an ensemble cast of established and emerging Pittsburgh actors. Camino was the debut performance of Hiawatha Project, an innovative new theater company at that time.

Handmade Arcade

Going beyond the traditional art fair by exposing the community to nontraditional, do-it-yourself crafters, musicians, and zine publishers.

Handmade Arcade

$5,830 » Cool Hand Crafts, 2004 Seed Award project support

Handmade Arcade, a project of Cool Hand Crafts, went beyond the traditional art fair by exposing the community to nontraditional do-it-yourself crafting. Bringing together offbeat crafters, musicians, and zine publishers, the Handmade Arcade promoted and encouraged a little known aspect of Pittsburgh’s creative community.

Creative Reuse

Collecting unsual byproducts and surplus items to sell to the public and host hands-on creativity and making events.

Creative Reuse

$7,500 » Creative Reuse Pittsburgh, 2007 Seed Award project support

Creative Reuse Pittsburgh was a project to collect byproducts and surplus from regional manufacturers and other businesses and then sold the materials to the public. The organization provided new options for handling commercial waste materials, created opportunities to learn about and contribute to environmental stewardship, and offered hands-on public creativity events to infuse new energy into Pittsburgh’s communities and organizations.

Pittsburgh Canning Exchange

Creating a network where interested people can learn about local food, sustainability, and canning and trade canned goods, recipes, and techniques.

Pittsburgh Canning Exchange

$6,500 » Idea Foundry, 2013 Seed Award project support

The Pittsburgh Canning Exchange, a project of Idea Foundry, was a community-building initiative to create a network for interested people to learn about local food, sustainability and canning, and to trade canned goods, recipes and techniques with others.

Tireless Fridays

Encouraging all Pittsburghers to take part in the fate of the city’s rivers by cleaning up some of the most neglected and abused riversides.

Tireless Fridays

$8,905 » PA CleanWays of Allegheny County, 2004 Seed Award project support

Tireless Fridays, a project of PA CleanWays of Allegheny County, encouraged all Pittsburghers to take part in the fate of the city’s rivers by bringing together a community of concerned residents to help clean up some of the most neglected and abused riversides. Designed to create awareness among Pittsburgh’s young professional population about illegal dumping and littering, Tireless Fridays organized after-work volunteer opportunities throughout the summer to clean up illegal dumpsites within or near the city center.

Worms for a Better World

Using an urban worm farm and community engagement to teach about sustainable waste management and composting.

Worms for a Better World

$10,000 » PRC and Construction Junction, 2007 Seed Award project support

Worms for a Better World, a project of the Pennsylvania Resources Council and Construction Junction, was a vermicomposting initiative and community engagement project that used the food waste from the East End Food Co-Op to educate the public about sustainability. Inside Construction Junction (just up the street from the Co-Op), the PRC operated a large urban worm farm, a 4’ x 8’ x 4’ bin where worms compost the organic waste, reproduce and multiply, breaking down the waste while creating fertilizer with their castings and producing more worms to be used in similar projects elsewhere in the city. The worm farm also acted as a learning space, where community members could attend workshops and demonstrations about sustainable vermicomposting and how it can be implemented at home.

Burgh Bees

Promoting honeybees as a vital part of Pittsburgh’s urban agriculture community through an open beekeeping group.

Burgh Bees

$8,000 » Burgh Bees, 2009 Seed Award project support

Burgh Bees, a project of Burgh Bees, was an open beekeeping group that promoted honeybees as a vital part of Pittsburgh’s urban agriculture community.

Ohio River Lifeboat

Encouraging ecological consciousness through a series of Harvest Dinners highlighting the social and ecological history of the Ohio River.

Ohio River Lifeboat

$4,528 » Ohio River LifeBoat Project, 2005 Seed Award project support

Harvest Dinners: The Ohio River Lifeboat Project, a project of Ohio River LifeBoat Project, was a mobile educational display that encouraged ecological consciousness as it traveled up and down the Ohio River. Constructed of reclaimed and sustainable building materials, the lifeboat hosted a series of Harvest Dinners to highlight the social and ecological history of the Ohio River through sharing of stories, experiences, and observations.

Knotweed Project

Shedding light on the environmental impact, history, and opportunities presented by Japanese Knotweed, an invasive species that has take over 8% of stream banks in Allegheny County.

Knotweed Project

$6,000 » 3 Rivers 2nd Nature & GroundZero Action Network, 2004 Seed Award project support

Knotweed Project, a project of 3 Rivers 2nd Nature and GroundZero Action Network, shed light on the environmental impact, history, and opportunities presented by Japanese Knotweed, an invasive species introduced in the 19th century that had grown to take over 8% of stream banks in Allegheny County.

Basic Mechanics and Biofuels for Women

Providing beginners’ auto mechanics and alternative fuels workshop for women, with hands-on training to help convert vehicles to biofuels.

Basic Mechanics and Biofuels for Women

$5,000, 2007 Seed Award project support

Basic Mechanics and Biofuels for Women was a beginners’ auto mechanics and alternative fuels workshop for women in Pittsburgh. Participants received a basic, hands-on overview of the processes involved and built the foundations of a working mechanical knowledge.

East of Liberty

Capturing the revitalization of the East Liberty neighborhood of Pittsburgh, specifically the demolition of the East Mall apartment complex and the displacement of its former residents.

East of Liberty

$6,000 » East Liberty Development, 2005 Seed Award project support

East of Liberty: A Story of Good Intentions, a project of East Liberty Development, was a documentary by Chris Ivey that captured the revitalization of the East Liberty neighborhood of Pittsburgh. The film was inspired by the great changes and developments in the urban landscape, specifically the demolition of the East Mall apartment complex and the displacement of its former residents.

Street with a View

Staging freeze-frame scenarios on Sampsonia Way on the Northside while Google technicians captured images for Google Maps’ Street View.

Street with a View

$2,620, 2008 Seed Award project support

Street with a View was a collaboration between artists Robin Hewlett and Ben Kinsley, and the Google Inc. Street View team. The artists staged a series of freeze-frame scenarios on Sampsonia Way, in the North Side, and Google technicians captured images of the street with the tableaux in place. The images were uploaded and integrated into the web-based Street View mapping platform.

Hill District Marketpieces

Celebrating the renowned cultural and culinary history of the Hill District through interior and exterior artworks for the Shop n’ Save supermarket in the Hill District.

Hill District Marketpieces

$8,500 » Hill House Association, 2011 Seed Award project support

Hill District Marketpieces, a project of Hill House Association, celebrated the renowned cultural and culinary history of the Hill District. Commissioned by the Hill House Association and the Hill House Economic Development Corporation, artist Leslie Ansley created interior and exterior artworks for the highly anticipated Shop n’ Save supermarket in the Hill District. The store invited a new creative shopping experience for the community as it featured images of the Hill District, its residents past and present, and its food stories.

Transformazium

Connecting residents of Braddock with local organizations, and organizations with each other to encourage information and service sharing in the neighborhood.

Transformazium

$5,000 » Transformazium, 2010 Seed Award project support

Transformazium 15104 Communication Network, a project of Transformazium, connected residents of Braddock with local organizations, and organizations with each other, to encourage and support information and service sharing and collaboratively strengthen the neighborhood. Aboard Transformazium’s Vehicle for Communication, Neighborhood Conversation Starters traveled regular and occasionally spontaneous routes through Braddock, delivering information, publications, and resources about local issues and events.

HOMEWOOD Artist Residency

Inviting national and international contemporary artists who represented the diversity of Homewood to take residence in rehabilitated houses as combined living and studio spaces.

HOMEWOOD Artist Residency

$10,000 » The Andy Warhol Museum, 2010 Seed Award project support

HOMEWOOD Artist Residency, a project of The Andy Warhol Museum, invited national and international contemporary artists who represented the diversity of Homewood to take residence in rehabilitated houses and split the homes into living and studio spaces. Artists created projects that reflected the overarching history and culture of Homewood, including a large-scale installation in the Greater Pittsburgh Coliseum that blended the memories and voices of Homewood’s residents into a physical work of art. The project supported artists of color, brought diversity to the contemporary arts community in Pittsburgh, and engaged a community with limited access to the visual arts.

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.

Accordion Pool Party

Utilizing a decommissioned public pool to demonstrate how forgotten public spaces can be used for social and artistic events.

Accordion Pool Party

$4,000, 2009 Seed Award project support

Accordion Pool Party was a concert and dance event that took place in the decommissioned Leslie Park Pool in Lawrenceville. The event piloted the concept of utilizing forgotten public spaces for social and artistic events in Pittsburgh. Participating partners included Pittsburgh Citiparks, Councilman Patrick Dowd, the Boys and Girls Club, accordion players, ethnic dancers and choreographers, architects, designers, and volunteers.

Dragon Boat Racing

Encouraging locals to enjoy the rivers through the competition, fitness, and camaraderie of this 3,000-year-old Chinese rowing tradition.

Dragon Boat Racing

$10,000 » Three Rivers Rowing Association, 2002 Seed Award project support

Dragon Boat Racing, a project of the Three Rivers Rowing Association, brought a 3,000-year-old Chinese rowing tradition to Pittsburgh. The program strengthened the bridge between Pittsburgh and its sister city, Wuhan, China by providing an opportunity for participants to enjoy Pittsburgh’s rivers while encouraging competition, fitness, and camaraderie.

Rhyme Calisthenics

Providing a venue for current and future hip-hop artists to sharpen their improvisational performance skills and expand their artistic subject matter.

Rhyme Calisthenics

$6,800, 2008 Seed Award project support

Rhyme Calisthenics was an ongoing event series that provided a venue for current and future hip-hop artists to sharpen their improvisational performance skills and expand their artistic subject matter. The main attraction of the series was a six-foot game show wheel with 12 different emcee challenges that tested improvisational, rhythmic, and thematic skills.

Vaudeville Carnivale

Highlighting contemporary approaches to Old World theater inspired by vaudeville, burlesque, gypsy carnivals, variety shows, and circuses.

Vaudeville Carnivale

$3,100 » Zafira Dance Company, 2007 Seed Award project support

Vaudeville Carnivale, a project of Zafira Dance Company, showcased Pittsburgh performing artists at the Kelly-Strayhorn Theater in a festival-like atmosphere to highlight contemporary approaches to Old World theater. The Zafira Dance Company, a troupe inspired by vaudeville, burlesque, variety shows, and circuses, transformed the lobby and auditorium of the Kelly-Strayhorn Theatre into a gypsy carnival atmosphere with food, vendors, and performances.

Evenings in Quarantine

Highlighting some of Pittsburgh’s most iconic locations and celebrating the keystone creature of Pittsburgh’s cultural heritage, the zombie, through a hybrid stage and film production.

Evenings in Quarantine

$4,000, 2010 Seed Award project support

Evenings in Quarantine: The Zombie Opera was a hybrid theatrical stage and film production by artistic directors Bonnie Bogovich and Elizabeth Rishel. A full-length video projection served as the moving, interactive backdrop for a horror opera that highlighted some of Pittsburgh’s most iconic locations and celebrated the keystone creature of Pittsburgh’s cultural heritage, the zombie. The story followed three college friends as they navigated their way through the infected streets of Pittsburgh and took stock of their priorities, as they grappled with the living dead and with each other.

Everyday Art Assignments

Connecting artists and encouraging community members to work on their own independent crafts using an online platform.

Everyday Art Assignments

$8,000 » Studio Capezzuti, 2003 Seed Award project support

Everyday Art Assignments, a project led by Pittsburgh artist Cheryl Capezzutti, educated the community and promoted local artists. Using an online platform, the project connected budding artists 24 hours a day and encouraged community members to work on their own independent crafts, as well as to seek out established local artists.