Pittsburgh Creative Corps Activates Public Space With FLOW: Rhythms on the Rivers
Public programming series continues through September 2022
Pittsburgh, PA – The Pittsburgh Creative Corps, a partnership between the Office for Public Art (OPA) and Riverlife, has announced new in-person programs that will take place at various locations throughout Pittsburgh.
FLOW: Rhythms on the Rivers will feature Write the Rivers tours led by Pittsburgh-based writer Sherrie Flick, and a musical performance series titled Rumbón de la Calle hosted by Pittsburgh Creative Corps artist-in-residence Christiane Dolores.
Write the Rivers invites participants outside to explore city neighborhoods and write creatively. Each tour will be held in a different neighborhood of Pittsburgh and focus on a different stretch of one of the three rivers. Tours will take place from 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM, with the Friday, July 22, 2022 tour held in Hazelwood; Wednesday, August 10, 2022 in the South Side; and Friday, September 9, 2022 in the North Side. Registration for each tour is $5.00 per person; advanced registration is required. Space is limited to fifteen attendees per tour. For the full schedule of the Write the Rivers tours, please visit: https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/write-the-rivers-tours-with-writer-sherrie-flick-607779.
Rumbón de la Calle is a series of musical performances featuring Pittsburgh-based, world renowned percussionists and drummers of the African diaspora emulating the community gatherings of their respective countries. The performances feature artists Elie Kihonia, Hugo Cruz, Noel Quintana, Kelley E Parker, and Geña, among others. Performances will be held from 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM on the last Sunday of each month: July 24, 2022; August 28, 2022; and September 25, 2022. The performances will be held at Allegheny Landing in the upper terrace of the park. Each performance is free to attend; advanced registration is encouraged. For more information and to register, please visit: https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/rumbon-de-la-calle-608049.
The Corps will also be hosting two artist exhibits in the Pittsburgh Creative Corps Gallery, a retrofitted shipping container located in the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust’s pop-up park, the Backyard at 8th & Penn. Dream of a Black Planet, with artist Shori Sims, will exhibit from Friday, July 15, 2022 to Saturday, August 6, 2022. Sims will hold an artist talk on Friday, July 15, 2022 from 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM. Literally So Hot with artist Rosabel Rosalind will exhibit from Friday, September 2, 2022 to Saturday, September 24, 2022. Rosalind will hold an artist talk on Friday, September 9, 2022 from 5:30 – 7:30 PM. Each artist talk is free to attend; advanced registration is encouraged. For more information on each artist and to register for the talks, please visit: https://opapgh.org/events/.
“The 2022 summer season has already featured engaging movement workshops with outstanding Pittsburgh-based performers and teaching artists at Allegheny Landing. With the second half of our season before us, we are thrilled to feature the voices and talents of writer Sherrie Flick and artist Christiane Dolores with events from now through September.” said Rachel Klipa, OPA’s program manager of Public Programming. “These unique events will activate places along our rivers and invite the public to explore and experience the riverfronts through visual, performing, and literary art practices.”
Riverlife is the nonprofit organization behind the recently released Completing the Loop report, a 10-year vision plan to link, enhance, and expand Pittsburgh’s 15-miles of riverfront parks, trails, and public open spaces. The organization is currently leading the community-driven restoration of Allegheny Landing and its boat dock.
Later this summer, the Pittsburgh Creative Corps will hold two additional events with artists in residence that will activate public spaces at various locations along the riverfronts. Programs will include an immersive art experience aboard a river boat, and a community dance party. Visit pittsburghcreativecorps.org for more information or sign-up for the OPA mailing list by visiting opapgh.org.
###
About the Pittsburgh Creative Corps
The Pittsburgh Creative Corps was developed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and designed to engage arts and culture to help rebuild the city’s relationship to its public and civic spaces, and to reconnect community members to each other. The Pittsburgh Creative Corps is supported by an advisory group of arts and culture leaders from the region who participate in project development and inform decision making. Learn more at pittsburghcreativecorps.org.
About the Office for Public Art
The Office for Public Art envisions a region in which the creative practices of artists are fully engaged to collaboratively shape the public realm and catalyze community-led change. OPA builds capacity for this work through civically engaged public art, artist resources, public programming, and technical assistance. Learn more at opapgh.org.
About Riverlife
Since 1999, Riverlife has worked to create, activate, and celebrate Pittsburgh’s riverfronts. A nonprofit leader in building a community vision for Pittsburgh’s riverfronts, Riverlife has overseen a $132 million investment in the city’s waterfront transformation, catalyzing $4.2 billion in related economic development, arts and culture, and ecological sustainability on or adjacent to the city’s riverbanks. We center our work on the belief that the riverfronts belong to everyone, and world-class riverfront experiences can be created for all using community-driven, equitable development and high-quality,regenerative design. For more information, visit riverlifepgh.org.
