The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust Announces GALLERY CRAWL IN THE CULTURAL DISTRICT: VIRTUAL EDITION

Beginning March 26, three Gallery Crawl Stops enter the virtual realm to celebrate members of the Pittsburgh arts community, their work, and hope for the future of the Cultural District

Since 2004, the Gallery Crawl in the Cultural District, a production of the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, has been a free, one-night-only, multi-venue showcase of Pittsburgh's dynamic art and entertainment scene. Tens of thousands of visitors have explored this quarterly "open house," featuring local and international artists in exhibitions, performances, and screenings inside of galleries, storefronts, and restaurants throughout the Cultural District.

This spring, we welcome you to a new take on the familiar Crawl experience as the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust presents the Gallery Crawl in the Cultural District: Virtual Edition in March, April, and May of 2021. Drawing upon the familiar idea of the Crawl's 'Stops,' moments in time throughout the spring will offer virtual opportunities to explore exceptional new work from a diverse group of Pittsburgh-based artists and community leaders. These virtual Crawl Stops offer several vantage points from which to explore artists' work, including behind-the-scenes interviews, live discussions, and online exhibitions.

The focus of the spring 2021 Gallery Crawl in the Cultural District: Virtual Edition is on elevating local artists' voices from the Pittsburgh community - particularly artists who identify as Black, Indigenous, or people of color - demonstrating how amazing art has come out of the pandemic. The first Stop, opening on March 26th, features a deep dive behind the scenes of the public art piece, 202021: a new constellation. Curated by Tereneh Idia, this piece is available to view in person throughout the Cultural District and features 12 Black, Pittsburgh-based artists. The second stop, available in mid and late April, will take you behind the scenes with members of the Pittsburgh arts community and will provide opportunities to purchase the artists' work. The third and final stop in May will feature the #notwhite collective's We Are The Global Majority, which is currently on display in its first phase as window clings on SPACE. The in-person exhibit opens June 4 inside the gallery, so the Gallery Crawl Virtual Stop in May offers the opportunity to get to know the Collective's members and artists, along with their vision and mission.

"It has been more than a year since we have experienced a Gallery Crawl in the Cultural District, and we have been hard at work, as has our Pittsburgh arts community," says Terri Bell, Vice President, Strategic Partnerships and Community Engagement for the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust. "The pandemic has hit our local arts community very hard and we are excited to celebrate the resiliency and creativity this community continues to show."

Crawl Stop #1

202021: a new constellation

Available at TrustArts.org/Crawl beginning March 26, 2021

The first Crawl Stop offers a new, three-part virtual exploration of 202021: a new constellation, which is a public art installation also on view in-person in the Cultural District, curated by Tereneh Idia. The installation celebrates the work of 12 Black, Pittsburgh-based artists.

Many believe that constellations are created by the stars, planets, and other objects of light in the cosmos. However, some Indigenous communities of the Americas like the Incan Empire found constellations in the dark spaces between the light.

202021: a new constellation is a body of work by Black, Pittsburgh-based artists. The art, the space between and the act of you moving to view the art, creates a new celestial body; a ground constellation; a space for celebration of Black creativity and people.

You will see images of women moving through the city acting as tour guides, images of celebration in a crowd or with a couple. 202021: a new constellation is an exploration of a new way to tell time, textiles of comfort and culture - joyous, defiant, happy, and contemplative images of Black women.

Enjoy this new constellation being formed at the end of 2020 and into 2021 - a space we create in Pittsburgh in celebration of Blackness and Black Pittsburgh.

Virtual Exhibition (March 26)

Featuring new photography of each work at its installation site, audio commentary from some participating artists, and an easy-to-navigate online layout, the new virtual exhibition brings the downtown installation to you. Tereneh Idia describes the exhibit and provides the meaning behind '202021' in the piece's title.

Time-Lapsed Video Walkthrough (March 26)

Curator Tereneh Idia says of 202021: a new constellation, "The art, the space between and the act of you moving to view the art, creates a new celestial body; a ground constellation; a space for celebration of Black creativity and people." In addition to the new online exhibition, this time-lapsed video mimics the experience of moving from one location to another throughout the Cultural District to view the work.

Lunchtime Conversation (April 9)

Artist talk in conjunction with the exhibit with Tereneh and other featured artists. Taking place on April 9 at 12 p.m. EST.

Crawl Stop #2

Local Artist Spotlight

Available at TrustArts.org/Crawl beginning April 16, 2021 and April 30, 2021 (more information to be released at later date)

Experience two livestreamed events with new, behind-the-scenes visits, live discussions, performances, and opportunities to purchase work from talented Pittsburgh-based artists. For updated information on participating artists visit the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust Facebook page.

Crawl Stop #3

#notwhite Collective

Available at TrustArts.org/Crawl beginning May 14, 2021 (more information to be released at later date)

Learn more about the #notwhite collective, its members, and the art they create as we gear up for the first in-person gallery exhibit since the start of the pandemic. We Are The Global Majority opens at SPACE on June 4, 2021.

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