Gallery Crawl in the Cultural District
By Olivia Miller
Downtown Pittsburgh will be teeming with activity this Friday April 28th as the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust hosts their quarterly Gallery Crawl in the Cultural District. Between exploring art galleries showcasing the latest evocative pieces from local artists, listening to great live music, and getting the opportunity to participate in the art yourself, prepare for a night unlike anything you’ve experienced before in Pittsburgh.
The night kicks off at 5:30 as the doors of the gallery spaces open. Be sure to check out:
In spite of me, here you are by Steve Alexis: This multimedia showcase at the 707 Gallery explores themes of grief, uncertainty, and identity
And The Lord Spoke by David Pesci: This curated photo collected showing on the second floor of 937 Liberty examines the divisive issues that have pulled humanity apart over the last 8 years and the possibility for human connection and love to remedy the divide.
Vantage Points by United Vantage Artists: This London-based artist collective brings two of their most poignant works dealing with perception to the Wood Street Galleries.
Big Print Show by Quesen x Kinsel: Showing on the second floor of the Quesen Art Studio, this Pittsburgh-based duo’s prints examines identity and self discovery over a 15 year span.
An Exhibition of Printmaking and Textiles by Pittsburgh Creative and Performing Arts School: The young talented students at Pittsburgh CAPA will showcase their latest creative textile and printmaking projects.
Love, MuseumLab by AfterSchool by MuseumLab: Love, Pittsburgh transforms into a gallery to showcase works from local students inspired by the environment’s flora and fauna.
Urban Pathways 6-12 Gallery: The students of Urban Pathways 6-12 Charter School showcase their artistic and musical talent on their campus through art showcases and steelpan performances.
Fashion is Art by Kate & Ellie Howard: The works of the dynamic mother and daughter duo Kate and Ellie Howard will be showcased at Fresh Nostalgia Boutique.
A Night of Art at the AWAAC: The historic, iconic August Wilson African American Cultural Center will open its doors for an all inclusive look at their newest exhibitions.
Exploration of COLOR 2.0: A Retrospective of Works by Jo-Anne Bates: Jo-Anne Bates brings her reflective pieces to 820 Liberty Avenue detailing aspects of her life story such as racial injustice and creativity (be sure to visit at 6pm and 8pm to hear live jazz by musician Dwayne Dolphin)
Along with art galleries, the gallery crawl also allows patrons to experience some of the finest entertainment attractions in the Cultural District. Outside of Liberty Magic, where Harry Houdini once performed a strait jacket escape trick, magicians will be performing close-up magic tricks to astound onlookers. The Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership is sponsoring a night market in Market Square featuring local small businesses and food vendors. If you’re in the mood for a laugh, Arcade Comedy will run 30 minute long improv comedy shows all night long.
Though the majority of the galleries and attractions close at 10pm, the night hardly stops then. Swing by the SPACE gallery for their energetic silent disco featuring three of the top DJs in the area to dance your heart out into the early hours of the morning. If techno music isn’t your thing and you’d rather relax with a slow jam and a drink, head to Con Alma to hear jazz from Tony Grey and his band.
For a complete list of events and their times, visit the Cultural Trust’s Gallery Crawl website here. If you can’t make this crawl, fear not; the next Gallery Crawl will take place on July 28th.
