Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre Receives $1 Million In Grant Funding
The support will help fund new ballet works including the new 2027 version of The Nutcracker, broadened artistic partnerships, and more.
Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre has announced that it is the recipient of $1 million in grant funding from the Mellon Foundation. The Mellon Foundation provided the arts funding grant in two parts: $500,000 in 2024 and the same amount this summer. The grants support the implementation of PBT Artistic Director Adam W. McKinney's artistic vision, and each covers two years of programming.
“We are extremely grateful for the support of the Mellon Foundation,” said Adam W. McKinney, PBT Artistic Director. “The funding has enabled PBT to invest deeply in new artistic development, expand the scope of our programming, and create spaces for exploration and collaboration that would not otherwise have been feasible. I am deeply thankful to them for believing in PBT and the arts in Pittsburgh.”
The Mellon Foundation support makes McKinney's artistic vision possible, resulting in new ballet works including the new 2027 version of The Nutcracker, broadened artistic partnerships, creative ways to attract new audiences and reinvigorate current subscribers through innovative programming, and increased accessibility and inclusive opportunities throughout Pittsburgh.
Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre begins its 2026-27 “Season of Wonder” today. PBT's 30 company artists have returned to the studio after a summer break to begin rehearsals for the free Ballet Under the Stars performance at Hartwood Acres on August 23. Season subscriptions are now available.
About Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre
Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre has been Pittsburgh's premier professional ballet company since 1969. Today, PBT is a nationally recognized ballet company of 30 professional dancers, a training institution for over 1,200 students of all ages, and an incubator for education and accessibility programs in classrooms, libraries, and community centers throughout the region. The company, under the leadership of artistic director Adam W. McKinney and executive director Nicholas Dragga, performs a wide-ranging repertoire of classical ballets, contemporary masterworks, and new commissions in nearly 50 performances annually.
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Man of La Mancha The Strand Theater (9/11-9/20) |
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The Dinner Detective Murder Mystery Dinner Show The Dinner Detective Pittsburgh (9/19-9/19) |
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Bruno Mars & DJ Pee.Wee Acrisure Stadium (8/29-8/29) |
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Nunsense The Strand Theater (3/12-3/21) |
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Zac Brown Band PPG Paints Arena (9/13-9/13) |
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Miracle on 34th Street the Musical The Strand Theater (11/13-11/22) |
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A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum The Strand Theater (4/30-5/09) |
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The Dinner Detective Murder Mystery Dinner Show The Dinner Detective Pittsburgh (8/15-8/15) |
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Hadestown (Non-Equity) Benedum Center for the Performing Arts (10/27-11/01) |