Summer Gallery Crawl in Cultural District Features Art, Music, Theater

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Today's date: June 28, 2012
Media Contact:  Diana Roth, 412-471-8717 / roth@trustarts.org

The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust announces

Gallery Crawl in the Cultural District

Downtown Pittsburgh

Friday, July 13, 2012, 5:30 - 9:00 p.m.

Pittsburgh, PA- The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust’s Summer Gallery Crawl in the Cultural District takes place on Friday, July 13, 2012, from 5:30 – 9:00 p.m.  The Gallery Crawl is an urban showcase featuring a wide variety of thought provoking art exhibitions, live bands, DJs, dance, theater, and more.  Everything from the traditional to the avant garde is on display for art lovers of all ages.

Headliners for the Summer Gallery Crawl are the Occidental Brothers Dance Band from Chicago.  Blending Afrobeat and traditional African guitar style, this band is sure to have people dancing long in to the night.  In addition, DJ Nate da Phat Barber will play during the band breaks, and continue his DJ set after the Crawl so the party can continue in to the night.

Gallery Crawl events are free and open to the public. For more information and a map of the Gallery Crawl events, visit www.trust.arts.org or call 412-456-6666.   The summer Gallery Crawl in the Cultural District is sponsored by First Commonwealth, with support from Kreider Printing.  Media sponsors are Pittsburgh City Paper, WYEP 91.3FM and Table Magazine.

The following is a line-up of Gallery Crawl highlights and happenings on Friday, July 13, 2012:


Wood Street Galleries
601 Wood Street
Light, Matter, Memory
Nicky Assmann, Diane Landry, Yoko Seyama and Macular
Four spectacular installations using light to explore materiality and memory.

SPACE
812 Liberty Avenue
Jerry Irwin, Photographer
Guest Curator: Dennis Morgan
Jerry Irwin’s photography career includes images of Bikers, Mennonites, Skydivers and Pennsylvania, published in leading magazines including National Geographic, Life, and Sports Illustrated.

Music by DJ Jordan K & djdjw of Friday Nite Club

WYEP Music Station
WYEP Live Remote Broadcast outside of SPACE gallery, 812 Liberty Avenue

Tito and Exchange Way
Cell Phone Disco
A surface that visualizes the electromagnetic field of an active mobile phone. Several thousand lights illuminate when you make or receive a phone call in the vicinity of the installation.

Shaw Galleries
805 Liberty Avenue
When Worlds Collide
An exhibit exploring digital assemblage in 21st-century photography.
 
Trust Arts Education Center
805-807 Liberty Avenue
Peirce Studio (Lower Level):
Performances by Alumni Theater Company and STAYCEE PEARL dance project. 6pm, 7pm, and 8pm.
The mission of the Alumni Theater Company (ATC) is to create work that represents the perspective of young artists growing up in an urban environment. ATC will present a preview of its upcoming production of RENT (July 27-29, New Hazlett Theater)

STAYCEE PEARL dance project (SPdp) presents a fun and interesting collection of short works and excerpts created over two years of dance making. SPdp exists to interpret and mirror culture and community through dance and dance centered multi-media experiences.

Harris Theater
809 Liberty Avenue
Harris Theater Short Films
Pittsburgh Filmmakers presents locally made short films shown on a loop throughout the evening and a photography exhibit in the Tiny Harris Gallery.

Catholic Charities Susan Zubik Welcome Center
212 Ninth Street
Digital Craftsmen
Exploring the influence of digital media on the world of youth art education.
Students at the Manchester Craftsmen's Guild utilize computers in their studios, as many of the world's traditional crafts have been forever changed by the advent of the digital age. However, the spirit of the craftsman remains the same.

 937 Liberty Avenue
 3rd floor: Pittsburgh Playwrights Theater (lobby)
Yabe One
An exhibit of 28 original oil paintings depicting African Americans, dating back to 1895, from the collection of Mark Clayton Southers.

943 Liberty Avenue
Path: Installation by Elin Hansdottir
A special maze-like installation incorporating light and space. Held over from “Long are the Days, Short are the Nights,” an exhibit at Wood Street Galleries.

947 Liberty Avenue
cityLIVE! Courtyard Series film screening: Please Vote for Me. 8:30pm.
The first cityLIVE! Courtyard Series documentary screening. Snacks will be served!
In Wuhan, a city in central China, director Weijun Chen documents an experiment in democracy at the Evergreen Primary School when a third grade class holds an election to select a Class Monitor.

August Wilson Center for African American Culture
980 Liberty Avenue
Richmond Barthé: His Life in Art
Featuring  a collection of nearly fifty sculptures from the first modern African American sculptor to garner substantial critical success nationally and internationally.

971 Liberty Avenue, 2nd floor Gallery.  (This location is not universally accessible.)
 New Works
An exhibition by Ryan Woodring. Plus live music!

Neighborhood Legal Services Association
928 Penn Avenue
What Do Lawyers Do?
An examination, both serious and light hearted, of the role lawyers play in American society.  Do lawyers help us obtain justice?  Are briefcases mandatory?  What does audi alteram partemmean?  Plus cookies!

Urban Pathways 6-12 Gallery
914 Penn Avenue
Moving UP!      
Summer is sizzling with UPCS student artwork from Manchester Craftsman’s Guild and salsa dance lessons from 6:15pm to 7pm and 8:15pm to 9pm from Holly of Pittsburgh Dance Company. Step UP to it!

Future Tenant
819 Penn Avenue
 The Image Obsessed: Documentationings from Under the Starless and Bible Black Roof of 312 Barnesby Michael Benedetti.

Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council
810 Penn Avenue, Suite 200
Art on the Walls
Digital and mixed media artist, Gwyn Rohrer, focuses her work on the feminine and female struggles through the use of the human body, landscapes, sewing, embroidery, and fabric patterns.

Bend Yoga
808 Penn Avenue, 2nd floor
Hoop-Dance Yoga Class. 6pm to 6:30pm, 7pm to 7:30pm, 8pm to 8:30pm.
Come dance with a blend yoga, dance, and hoola-hooping into one unforgettable experience. Watch or participate, it's up to you! Local artists' work will also be displayed.

709 Penn Gallery
709 Penn Avenue
Brian Brown: New Paintings
The artist proudly affirms that there is no required reading for any work appearing in this exhibition.

707 Penn Gallery
707 Penn Avenue
Commission for Treasonous Strategies
Shaun Slifer and Tesar Freeman

Katz Plaza, Theater Square
7th Street and Penn Avenue
Live Music by Occidental Brothers Dance Band International. 6:15pm to 9pm.
Hailing from Chicago, OBDBI's high-energy AFROBEAT rhythms have made them favorites of music critics and devotees around the world.

With DJ Nate da Phat Barber at 5:30pm and spinning until after the Crawl.  The After Crawl DJ Set at Katz features Nate da Phat Barber with special guest, Sean Jones.

First Commonwealth Hospitality Spot: Stop by for cool drinks and hot prizes.

Highmark First Night® Ice: Free icy treats when you say “Highmark First Night Ice Is Nice.”

Backstage Bar
655 Penn Avenue
Live Music by Broken Fences. 5:30pm to 7:30pm.

Verve Wellness
142 Sixth Street, Third Floor
kNOT Dance
Hang out with Pittsburgh's original aerial dance theatre company for some high flying fun. Performances at 8pm & 9pm.

Braddock’s American Brasserie & Renaissance Hotel
107 Sixth Street
Braddock's Live Performance
Live music by Carol Blaze.

Painting Studio in the Renaissance Pittsburgh Hotel Lobby
Discover your inner artist as the hotel lobby transforms into a painting studio! Participate in a group painting class with the owners of Paint Monkey and watch Andy Warhol's "Flowers" come to life.

PROJECT POP UP: DOWNTOWN LOCATIONS
Project Pop Up: Night Market
917-919 Liberty Avenue
Project Pop Up: Night Market will bring together some of Pittsburgh’s most creative independent vendors, artists, and chefs, to an outdoor Downtown parking lot, from 8pm to 1am.

Awesome Books
929 Liberty Avenue
Part of Project PopUp: Downtown
An independent bookstore offering new and used books of high quality.

The Steel Curtain
1035 Penn Avenue
Part of Project PopUp: Downtown
The greatest defensive line of all time comes alive in this installation.

131 Seventh Street
Part of Project PopUp: Downtown
Society for the Advancement of Miniature Curiosa
A gallery, toy theater parlor, performance space, and workshop that seeks to spark the resurgence of curiosity and wonderment in Downtown Pittsburgh.

Symbiotic Collusion

A modern music initiative presenting visual and musical art concepts through installation, education, and performance.

Boutique 208
208 Sixth Street
Part of Project PopUp: Downtown
A retail boutique featuring handmade wares from local artisans.

Robot Repairs
210 Sixth Street
Part of Project PopUp: Downtown
Is your robot experiencing technical difficulties? Consider visiting this place for a potential fix.

Dream Cream Ice Cream Parlor
539 Liberty Avenue
Part of Project PopUp: Downtown
More than just a great place for a scoop. A portion of designated flavor sales will be contributed to causes in exchange for community service of the recipient, aka “the dreamer.”

ALL INFORMATION AND LOCATIONS SUBJECT TO CHANGE!  Visit www.trustarts.org for updated and more detailed information.

All official Gallery Crawl locations will be marked with a Cultural District Stop sidewalk sign.

TEXT “CRAWL” TO SMASH (76274) to receive special exclusive offers and more!

**All locations are wheelchair accessible unless otherwise noted


AFTER THE CRAWL

Cosmopolitan Pittsburgh 2012
presented by The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust
Date: Friday, July 13, 2012
Tme: 9:00 p.m. to Midnight
Location: 119 Sixth Street, downtown Pittsburgh
Tickets:  $40-$125

Come by plane, train or automobile to the bash of the summer complete with food, drinks, live bands and dancing.

For information, visit www.trustarts.org/cosmo or call 412-456-6666.  Cosmopolitan Pittsburgh is sponsored by UPMC.
 
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Posted on behalf of Dreamweaver Marketing Associates.  Joyce Kane is the owner of Cybertary Pittsburgh, a Virtual Administrative support company, providing virtual office support, personal and executive assistance, creative design services and light bookkeeping.  Cybertary works with businesses and busy individuals to help them work 'on' their business rather than 'in' their business.  www.Cybertary.com/Pittsburgh

Generosity of WQED Members Lauded

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
June 21, 2012

CONTACT:  George Hazimanolis
412-622-1366
ghazimanolis@wqed.org


WQED MEMBERS RAISE OVER $25,000 FOR CLASSICAL MUSIC AND 25,000 POUNDS OF FOOD FOR GREATER PITTSBURGH COMMUNITY FOOD BANK

PITTSBURGH—On Thursday, June 14 at 3 p.m. Classical WQED-FM 89.3 members helped WQED successfully complete its three-day drive early by raising more than $25,000 for its annual radio operations. In addition, each membership dollar pledged was matched by a pound of food (up to 8,500 pounds per day) Tuesday, June 12 through Thursday, June 14 by a different sponsor daily. These sponsors included UPS,  Parks Moving and Storage and First Commonwealth Bank. Due to the overwhelming response from WQED-FM’s members and the generous sponsorship of the above underwriters, a 25,500 pound donation of food was made to the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank.

The Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank currently serves 120,000 people per month in eleven counties in Classical WQED-FM 89.3’s listening area. In 2012, the Food Bank projects that it will distribute more than 24 million pounds of food and groceries. Currently, the Food Bank has to purchase about 40% of the food it distributes.

To make a contribution to the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank visit pittsburghfoodbank.org or contact the Development Office at 412-460-3663 ext. 282.

WQED Pittsburgh has a proud history of honors, including 128 National and Mid-Atlantic Emmy® Awards, an Academy Award, and many, many others, including two Emmy® Awards for Station Excellence. WQED was founded in 1954 as the nation’s first community-supported broadcaster. The people of WQED create, produce and distribute quality programs, products and services to engage, inform, educate and entertain the public within their community and around the world. WQED Pittsburgh is one of the first broadcasters in the country to be fully high- definition (HD) in its studio and field production capabilities. It is the parent company of WQED-TV (PBS); WQED: The Neighborhood Channel; WQED: The Create Channel; WQED Showcase; Classical WQED-FM 89.3/Pittsburgh; Classical WQEJ-FM 89.7/Johnstown; the Pittsburgh Concert Channel at WQED-HD2 (89.3-2FM) and online at www.wqed.org/fm; local and national television and radio productions; WQED Interactive (www.wqed.org) and The WQED Education Department.

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Posted on behalf of Dreamweaver Marketing Associates.  Joyce Kane is the owner of Cybertary Pittsburgh, a Virtual Administrative support company, providing virtual office support, personal and executive assistance, creative design services and light bookkeeping.  Cybertary works with businesses and busy individuals to help them work 'on' their business rather than 'in' their business.  www.Cybertary.com/Pittsburgh

ANATOMICA Features Andre Gingras in US Premiere

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


Today's date:
February 13, 2012

Contact:
Veronica Corpuz
(412) 471-6082
corpuz@trustarts.org

Diana Roth
(412) 471-8717
roth@trustarts.org

Dance Works Rotterdam / André Gingras in the U.S. premiere of ANATOMICA

Saturday, February 18, 2012, at 8:00 p.m., Byham Theater, 101 Sixth Street

Pittsburgh Dance Council proudly presents Dance Works Rotterdam/André Gingras in the U.S. premiere of ANATOMICA on Saturday, February 18, 2012, at the Byham Theater, at 8:00 p.m. This performance is also part of The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust’s Distinctively Dutch Festival.*

Tickets ($19-$45) may be purchased at the Box Office at Theater Square, online at www.trustarts.org, or by calling (412) 456-6666. First Commonwealth is the proud season sponsor of Pittsburgh Dance Council, and 90.5 Essential Public Radio is the media sponsor.

The company, which was formally known as Werkcentrum Dans, was founded in 1975 by Käthy Gosschalk. However, when André Gingras became the new artistic director in 2010, he changed the name to Dance Works Rotterdam/André Gingras. The company stands as one of the oldest dance companies in the Netherlands, and for that reason, has played an important role in the evolution of dance as a beneficial component of contemporary culture. Many distinguished Dutch dance artists started their career with Dance Works Rotterdam.

André Gingras was born in Canada and studied theater, dance and English literature in Toronto, Montréal and New York City. He became the artistic director of Dance Works Rotterdam in March 2010. Prior to Dance Works Rotterdam, Gingras worked extensively in dance and theater and became well known internationally. Gingras’ exploration of movement arises from his studies of physical activities such as martial arts and free running. His choreography displays an energetic and raw dance form that combines visual and digital arts and immerses the audience in a creative dialogue based on contemporary issues.

In the ANATOMICA series, André Gingras was inspired by the allure, risk and consequences of the human body on display. Anatomica#3 is his first work in what will ultimately be a triptych. In Anatomica#3, which premiered on February 23, 2007, at the Theatre Royal Brighton, Gingras examines the manifestation and creativity of the astounding human body. He also investigates the objectification and virtuosity of the body. In his newest work for this series, Anatomica#1, Gingras exercises a contemporary dance language integrated with free running, while all paired with his trademark intense partnering. His objective in Anatomica#1 is to answer the question: Why is there a drive towards display? “ANATOMICA is a spectacle to watch and an absolute must-see" (Cultuurbewust.nl). “A terrific splurge of vibrant physicality and joie de vivre that sets out to showcase what an amazing miracle the body represents” (The Times of London).

* The Distinctively Dutch Festival is presented by The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, in collaboration with the Kingdom of the Netherlands. From February through May, 2012, throughout downtown Pittsburgh’s Cultural District, the Festival will feature a range of contemporary work that is reflective of today’s Dutch culture, including dance, jazz, visual art, film, theater, children’s theater and literature. The Festival is part of the Cultural Trust’s mission to present a wide variety of art forms, as well as companies and artists who represent our world’s rich cultural heritages. The Cultural Trust seeks to present artists of the highest quality and caliber in each discipline, particularly artists who would not normally have an opportunity to be seen in Pittsburgh or the United States. For more information, visit www.trustarts.org/dutchfestival.

Posted on behalf of Dreamweaver Marketing Associates.  Joyce Kane is the owner of Cybertary Pittsburgh, a Virtual Administrative support company, providing virtual office support, personal and executive assistance, creative design services and light bookkeeping.  Cybertary works with businesses and busy individuals to help them work 'on' their business rather than 'in' their business.  www.Cybertary.com/Pittsburgh

Armitage Gone! Dance in Three Theories Premieres at the Byham

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


Today's date:
February 1, 2012

Contact:
Veronica Corpuz
(412) 471-6082
corpuz@trustarts.org

Diana Roth
(412) 471-8717
roth@trustarts.org

Electronic images are available upon request.

Pittsburgh Dance Council presents Armitage Gone! Dance in Three Theories

Saturday, March 3, 2012, at 8:00 p.m., Byham Theater, 101 Sixth Street

PittsburghDance Council proudly presents Armitage Gone! Dance in the Pittsburgh premiere of Three Theories at the Byham Theater on Saturday, March 3, 2012, at 8:00 p.m.

Tickets ($19-$45) may be purchased at the Box Office at Theater Square, online at www.trustarts.org, or by calling (412) 456-6666. First Commonwealth is the proud season sponsor of Pittsburgh Dance Council, and 90.5 Essential Public Radio is the media sponsor.

Armitage Gone! Dance was created in 2005 upon Karole Armitage’s return from her 15-year stay in Europe. The company endorses innovation and is dedicated to refining the boundaries and perceptions of contemporary dance. Extending on classical and modern styles from the Balanchine and Cunningham tradition, Armitage permeates experimental thinking into the geometric balance, speed, rhythm and beauty of dance steps. Armitage derives inspiration from sources such as Japanese aesthetics, pop culture and new media, physics, fashion, and from her dancers of distinct cultural and dance backgrounds. Armitage Gone! Dance is noted for its collaborations with creators in the visual arts, science, and music, including artists Jeff Koons and David Salle, as well as string-theory physicist Brian Greene.

Three Theories (2010) is an evening-length work, inspired by renowned physicist Brian Greene’s best-selling book, The Elegant Universe. The performance itself is enriched with scientific discoveries and divided into three distinct sections – each defined by its own dance structure and musical language. Three Theories is performed by Leonides Arpon, Kristina Bethel-Blunt, Megumi Eda, William Isaac, Luke Manley, Bennyroyce Royon, Abbey Roesner, Marlon Taylor-Wiles, Emily Wagner, Mei-hua Wang, and Masayo Yamaguchi.

The series choreography begins with a prelude inspired by the Big Bang Theory, set to an excerpt from Chatham’s Two Gongs. The first section, titled Relativity, derives from Einstein’s hypothesis that gravity is the warping of the space-time fabric. Armitage advances her analysis of bending and twisting the horizontal and vertical lines of classical ballet in this dance. Relativity is a soothing dance, echoing Einstein’s recognition of the universe as a place of central order.

The second section, Quantum, is charged by Quantum Mechanics’ explanation of the volatility of the universe on the particle, or micro, level. As a result, Armitage created four ambiguous, rapid, off-kilter duets, set to Chatham’s driving initial score for 100 massed guitars precisely tuned to produce micro-tones. The choreographic structure for this section is inspired by Quantum Mechanics’ inception of “sum-over-paths,” which derives from a single dance phrase that is manipulated in a variation of ways.

The last section, String, draws from the string theory, which presumes that the fundamental matter of the universe is essentially a microscopic vibrating string, in which its vibrations are caused by the volume of the folded, intricate geometry surrounding it. “Legs twang like twisted arrows; hips pivot; feet slap sporadically on the floor…Armitage’s choreography is constantly morphing and moving into another mood, another feel (Dance Europe).”

Artistic director Karole Armitage, also known as the “punk ballerina,” began her professional career in 1973 as a member of the Ballet du Grand Théâtre de Genève, Switzerland. The company was devoted to the works of George Balanchine, which stems the majority of Armitage’s inspiration. In 1976, Armitage’s career blossomed with leading roles in Merce Cunningham’s landmark works. She stayed with Cunningham for five years, and since then – through her unique knowledge of the aesthetic values of Balanchine and Cunningham – Armitage has created her own place in the modern world of dance. In 1978, Armitage created her first piece, followed by her iconic Drastic-Classicism in 1981.

Karole Armitage has won several awards in various countries for her outstanding work, including the Grand Prix Roscigno Danza, Officier dans L’ordre des Arts et des Lettres, Chevalier dans L’ordre des Arts et des Lettres, and the Guggenheim Fellowship for Choreography. Her unique style has set her apart from others. “The ‘Armitage style’ is distinguished by its virtuosity and its urgency. She pushes the frontiers that traditionally separate dance, theater, music, and visual arts (Arte Magazine).”

Each year the Pittsburgh Dance Council, a division of The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, showcases a world-class season of dance. As the largest presenter of international performances in the city, the Dance Council continues to help make our Cultural District one of the country’s leading arts and entertainment centers.

Posted on behalf of Joanne Quinn-Smith by Joyce Kane.  Joyce is the Owner of Cybertary Pittsburgh, a Virtual Administrative support company, providing virtual office support, personal and executive assistance, creative design services and light bookkeeping.  Cybertary works with businesses and busy individuals to help them work 'on' their business rather than 'in' their business.  www.Cybertary.com/Pittsburgh

Paul Taylor Dance Company at the Byham

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


Today's date: October 3, 2011

Contact: Tara Safar, safar@pgharts.org



Paul Taylor Dance Company

October 22, 2011 - Byham Theater

Pittsburgh Dance Council proudly presents Paul Taylor Dance Company at the Byham Theater, on Saturday, October 22, 2011, at 8:00 p.m. The dance program will include: Mercuric Tidings (1982), music: Schubert / excerpts from Symphonies 1&2, costumes: Santo Loquasto, lighting: Jennifer Tipton; Three Dubious Memories (2010), music: Peter Elyakim Taussig / Five Enigmas (movements 1,3,4,5), costumes: Santo Loquasto, lighting: Jennifer Tipton; and Piazzolla Caldera (1997), music: Astor Piazzolla and Jerzy Peterburshsky / El Sol Sueno, Concierto Para Quinteto / Celos / Escualo, costumes: Santo Loquasto, lighting: Jennifer Tipton.

Tickets ($19-$50) may be purchased at the Box Office at Theater Square, online at www.pgharts.org, or by calling (412) 456-6666. First Commonwealth is the proud season sponsor of Pittsburgh Dance Council, and 90.5 Essential Public Radio is the media sponsor.

Mr. Paul Taylor was born in 1930 and grew up in Washington, DC. In the late 1940s, he began studying painting at Syracuse University until he discovered dance, which prompted his transfer to The Juilliard School in New York City. At the age of 23, Taylor, along with five other colleagues, gave his first choreographed public performance at the Henry Street Settlement in Manhattan on Sunday, May 30, 1954. After the debut of Taylor’s successfully choreographed performance, he became the youngest member of the pantheon that created American modern dance. Since retiring as a performer in 1974, he has devoted himself to creating major choreographed works including: Esplanade, Arden Court, Last Look, Musical Offering, Company B, and Promethean Fire, to name a few. According to Time Magazine, "Paul Taylor is the reigning master of modern dance" (Time Magazine).” Taylor continues to be one of modern dance’s most celebrated artists.

Paul Taylor Dance Company has performed for 56 years in more than 520 cities in 62 countries, as well as represented the United States at arts festivals in more than 40 countries worldwide. In honor of India’s celebration of the nation’s 50th anniversary in 1997, the Company toured throughout India. Taylor’s company continued to tour throughout the world, and in 1999 was honored as the Best International Dance Event by Chile’s Art Critics' Circle. Within its goal to reach new audiences, the Company toured the People's Republic of China in the summer of 2001 and performed in six cities, presenting American modern dance for the first time to audiences in four of those cities toured. The New York Times addresses the Company as, "One of the most exciting, innovative, and delightful dance companies in the entire world (New York Times).”

Taylor has received numerous accolades for his outstanding work: (1967) 16th Annual Capezio Dance Award; the Dance Magazine Award, MacArthur "Genius" Award, Algur H. Meadows Award, Manchester Evening News Award, Association of Performing Arts Presenters Award of Merit, and the Americans for the Arts Lifetime Achievement Award. Vanity Fair magazine refers to him as "the greatest choreographer in the world.” "Paul Taylor Dance Company is perhaps the most beloved and respected modern dance company in the world, famous for Mr. Taylor's wit, its sunny expansiveness, its all-American optimism and its occasional forays into darkness and gloom (Dallas Morning News).”
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Pittsburgh Cultural Trust's Gallery Crawl Celebrates RADical DAYS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


Today's date: September 7, 2011

Contact: Name, Company, Phone, Email



The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust’s Gallery Crawl in the Cultural District celebrates RADical DAYS

Friday, September 30, 2011

The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust’s Fall Gallery Crawl in the Cultural District takes place on Friday, September 30, 2011, from 5:30 - 9 p.m. This dynamic arts open house, celebrating Allegheny Regional Asset District’s RADical Days, showcases a variety of participating venues with cutting-edge art exhibitions, live bands, DJs, performances and hands-on activities.

The Gallery Crawl events are free and open to the public. For more information and a map of the Gallery Crawl events, visit pgharts.org or call 412-456-6666. The Gallery Crawl in the Cultural District is sponsored by First Commonwealth with media support from City Paper and 91.3fm WYEP.

The following is a line-up of Gallery Crawl highlights and happenings:

Wood Street Galleries

601 Wood Street

Parallel Universe

New installations that invite viewer participation by Lawrence Malstaf, Arnold Dreyblatt, Laurent Mignonneau and Christa Sommerer. This exhibition investigates duel technologies that run parallel and never overlap but share a common vision.

Special performance of Shrink, by Lawrence Malstaff at 7:00pm and 8:00pm.



SPACE

812 Liberty Avenue

EXTRACTION

In this highly interactive exhibit, twenty local, national and international artists exhibit 17 artworks. The gallery will be filled with over 20,000 free pieces of art, created with the intent that viewers will interact with the artwork by "extracting" a piece, placing the gallery in a constant state of flux, change, and loss.



In this highly interactive exhibit, 20 artists make artworks each containing 1000+ pieces. Viewers will be encouraged to alter the artwork, therefore the gallery will be in a constant state of flux, change, and loss. Guest Curated by Jill Larson.



Music by Broccofeather (Jonathan Chamberlain)



WYEP Music Station

WYEP Live Remote Broadcast outside of SPACE



Tito and Exchange Way

Cell Phone Disco

A surface that visualizes the electromagnetic field of an active mobile phone. Several thousand lights illuminate when you make or receive a phone call in the vicinity of the installation.



Shaw Galleries

805 Liberty Avenue

MASK: A Celebration of Ethnographic Arts

An exhibit featuring over two-dozen hand-carved indigenous masks from Mexico, Guatemala, Indonesia and the Ivory Coast of Africa.



Trust Arts Education Center

805-807 Liberty Avenue

Peirce Studio (Lower Level):

Black Violin with Drums 7:30pm to 8:20pm

Two classically trained musicians and their DJ create the ultimate synergy between classical and hip-hop music.



4th floor:

Art Out of the Box Final Exhibition

A one-night-only showcase of the works and documentation from the summer 2011 Art Out of the Box Mobile Studio Project. Please visit artboxpittsburgh.com for more information about the project.



Harris Theater

809 Liberty Avenue

Harris Theater Short Films and Photography Show

Pittsburgh Filmmakers presents locally made short films shown on a loop throughout the evening, and the photo show "Latnemirepxe (latent exposure)" by David Burtt Harris



929 Liberty Avenue

Shake it & Make it with Handmade Arcade!

Stations will be set up for visitors to make and take their own crafty creations:

+ Greetings from Pittsburgh! - Handmade Postcards

+ Say you – Say Me! - Personalized Pin-back Buttons

+ ReFab & ReFunk ! – Junk Flowers and Mini Sculptures



937 Liberty Avenue

2nd floor: CANstruction

View entries to the national CANstruction competition designed by teams from local architecture/engineering firms. Cans to be donated to the Pittsburgh food bank at the end of the exhibit. Bring a can to “vote” for your favorite!



943 Liberty Avenue

Path: Installation by Elin Hansdottir

A special maze-like installation incorporating light and space. Held over from “Long are the Days, Short are the Nights,” an exhibit at Wood Street Galleries.



August Wilson Center for African American Culture

980 Liberty Avenue

MLK Community Mural Project - Art over Generations

This new exhibit chronicles some of the recent work by the MLK - Moving the Lives of Kids - Community Mural Project, a program where the production of public art is used to strengthen communities through youth and families.



Also on view: Romare Bearden, the Last Years: Photography by Frank Stewart, selections from the Charles "Teenie" Harris collection, and the permanent exhibit, REMIX.



CAPA Gallery

111 Ninth Street

Summer Studies

An exhibition featuring new work produced during the summer by Pittsburgh CAPA high school students.



Urban Pathways K-5 College Charter School

925 Penn Avenue

Urban Pathways K-5 College Charter School Open House

Grand Opening CELEBRATION: Guided tours on the half-hour; Printmaking Workshop; BBQ fundraiser.



Live Music by: Sounds of Steel



Urban Pathways 6-12 Gallery

914 Penn Avenue

NEVER AGAIN

Photo and essay exhibition documenting three Urban Pathways educators’ recent experience traveling through Holocaust sites in Poland, including Treblinka, Majdanek and Auschwitz concentration camps.



Future Tenant

819 Penn Avenue

Your Place at the Banquet

Focusing on issues of food security in a direct, experiential, and confrontational manner, this show will challenge the audience to examine the fragile structure of the world's food security system and to locate their hierarchical position within it. Curated by Rose Clancy.



Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council

810 Penn Avenue, Suite 200



Art on the Walls

Celebrate the opening of this bi-annual exhibition for selected Pittsburgh artists.



L’enfant Lofts at 806 Penn

806 Penn Avenue

Looped

Tom Mosser has been developing his "Loop Technique" since childhood. He alternates using both hands when creating Loop works which focus on circular motions with an emphasis on vertical lines and strokes.



709 Penn Gallery

709 Penn Avenue

Universal Expressions: Movement in Multiple Dimensions

Painting and Sculptures by Thomas Bigatel and Peter Johnson



707 Penn Gallery

707 Penn Avenue

Progression

Veteran artist Harish Saluja’s latest series of abstract expressionist paintings explore his interest in Indian music Raga paintings and Hindu deities.



Katz Plaza

7th St. and Penn Avenue

First Commonwealth Hospitality Spot: Enjoy refreshments and giveaways courtesy of First Commonwealth, and look for the First Commonwealth Blitz throughout the District!

Live Music by Clinton Clegg and the Backstabbing Good People



Backstage Bar

655 Penn Avenue

Live music by The Wreckids. 5:30pm to 7:30pm.



Arthur Murray Dance Studio**

136 Sixth Street (above Melange Bistro) NOT UNIVERSALLY ACCESSIBLE

Free Dance Lessons and Demos: Tango at 7:30pm. Swing at 8:00pm. Merengue at 8:30pm.



Verve Wellness

142 Sixth Street, Third Floor

kNOT Dance Company

Rolling performances by kNOT Dance Company, previewing part of its new work, "Destroy.”



ALL INFORMATION AND LOCATIONS SUBJECT TO CHANGE! Visit www.trustarts.org for updated and more detailed information

Lead Sponsor: First Commonwealth, Other Sponsors: City Paper, WYEP 91.3 FM, Kreider Printing, Table Magazine



All official Gallery Crawl locations will be marked with a Cultural District Stop sidewalk sign.



**All locations are wheelchair accessible unless otherwise noted



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Pittsburgh Blues Festival Line-Up Announced

Line-Up for 17th Annual Pittsburgh Blues Festival Announced


Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank has completed the 2011 musical line-up for the Pittsburgh Blues Festival, presented by First Commonwealth. The 17th Annual Festival is scheduled for July 22-24, 2011, once again at Hartwood Acres.


Since Saturday night’s headliner, the Tedeschi Trucks Band, was announced April 14th, their tour has been garnering rave reviews at every stop. Also playing on Saturday will be the 2011 Blues Caravan “Girls With Guitars” tour, this year composed of hot new blues talents Dani Wilder, Samantha Fish and Cassie Taylor. Lionel Young is known for a “blues boogie-woogie” sound made unique by his virtuoso blues violin. John Nemeth, Blues Festival Guide’s 2011 cover artist, is another blues up-and-comer, who one critic says is “Hands down the toughest young harp player I’ve ever heard.”

On Sunday the Blues Festival welcomes the legendary Tommy Castro, making a return appearance at the Blues Festival fresh from winning 2010 Blues Music Awards for Band of the Year, Best Contemporary Blues Artist, Best Contemporary Blues Album (Hard Believer), and being named B.B. King Entertainer of the Year. One more act on Sunday is in final negotiation and will be posted on the website as soon as possible.

Finally, the one and only Johnny Winter will close the Festival on Sunday night. Since his first self-titled album in 1969, Winter has made “blues rock music for the angels.” He has just finished his newest studio CD, is touring in Japan and headlining Blues Festivals from coast to coast.

The Blues Festival also retains its free* Friday opening night. This year’s theme is “Girl’s Night Out,” featuring Janiva Magness, Kelly Richey, and a collection of some of Pittsburgh’s favorite women of the blues. Magness was just nominated for 4 awards at the 2011 Blues Music Awards, including Best Album, which was also Living Blues magazine’s #1 title on the chart of blues albums of the year. Richey is a songwriter and powerful, provocative guitar player whose music is “a thrilling mix of blues-powered rock.”

Pittsburgh Blues Festival also features a host of local blues talent, an active and creative KidZone, and food and merchandise vendors. Fans used to attending the regular Hartwood Sunday night free concerts with their coolers are asked to remember that the Pittsburgh Blues Festival is a fundraiser for Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, and all proceeds go to providing food assistance for those in need.

Pittsburgh Blues Festival takes place July 22-24 at Hartwood Acres. Visit the Blues website at www.pghblues.comfor ticket information; tickets are on sale now.

Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank is indebted to Blues Festival sponsors First Commonwealth, David A Tepper Family Foundation, Allegheny County, FedEx Ground, Direct Energy, Del Monte Foods, Children’s Hospital, UPMC Health Plan, Giant Eagle, Bay Valley Foods, WDVE, WPXI-11, Comcast, Chemistry Communications, Sodexo, Armstrong Cable, Moondog’s, White Diamond Vodka, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, and WYEP.

* Friday, July 22 admission to the Pittsburgh Blues Festival is free with the donation of a bag of non-perishable groceries for the Food Bank. ###

David Dorfman Dance at the Byham Theater

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


Media Contact:

Veronica Corpuz
(412) 471-6082
corpuz@pgharts.org

Diana Roth
(412) 471-8717
roth@pgharts.org

Pittsburgh Dance Council presents

David Dorfman Dance

Saturday, April 30, 2011, at 8:00 p.m.

Byham Theater, 101 Sixth Street

Pittsburgh, PA: The Pittsburgh Dance Council, a division of The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, is proud to present David Dorfman Dance, at the Byham Theater, on Saturday, April 30, 2011, at 8:00 p.m. David Dorman Dance will perform the Pittsburgh premiere, Prophets of Funk/Dance to the Music, a dance celebration that honors the music of prophetic love by Sly and the Family Stone, one of the first racially and gender-integrated bands (late ‘60’s – mid ‘70’s) in America.

The piece celebrates, through powerful music, the struggles and celebration of everyday people, lifting the spirit and going off the idea that “in the face of the funk of life, there are still hopes and aspirations that reside in all of us.” Prophets of Funk/Dance to the Music premiered on February 4, 2011 at Connecticut College andwasconceived and directed by David Dorfman, choreography and text by David Dorfman Dance, sound design by Samuel Crawford, music by Sly and the Family Stone, lighting design by David Weiner in association with Dans Sheehan, media design by Jacob Pinholster, costumes by Amanda Bujak and dramaturgy by Alex Timbers.

Tickets ($19-$45) may be purchased at the Box Office at Theater Square, 655 Penn Avenue, online at www.pgharts.org, or by calling (412) 456-6666. First Commonwealth is the proud season sponsor of Pittsburgh Dance Council, and WDUQ 90.5 FM is the media sponsor.

About David Dorfman Dance

Founded in 1985, the 26 year old company has performed in New York City and throughout North and South America, Great Britain and Europe. During these years, the dance company has received eight New York Dance and Performance (“Bessie”) Awards.

David Dorfman Dance has the vision to create innovative, inclusive, radically humanistic and movement-based performances. The company is also committed to exploring enlivening topics and questions that generate critical dialogues and debates amongst its audiences. Through this unique interpretation, David Dorfman Dance is recognized as “one of the nation’s leading modern dance companies” (The New York Times).

About David Dorfman

Founder and performer, David Dorfman is a Chicago native. Dorfman received a BS in Business Administration from Washington University in St. Louis, and an MFA in Dance from Connecticut College, where he joined the faculty in 2004 and is currently Professor of Dance and Department Chair.

Dorfman has received many awards for his works, including the 2005 Guggenheim Foundation Fellowship, fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts, New York Foundation for the Arts fellowship, an American Choreographer’s Award, the first Paul Taylor Fellowship from The Yard, and a New York Dance and Performance (“Bessie”) Award for David Dorfman Dance’s community-based project Familiar Movements. Through his choreography, David Dorfman seeks to “get the whole world dancing.”

Each year the Pittsburgh Dance Council, a division of The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, showcases a world-class season of dance. As the largest presenter of international performances in the city, the Dance Council continues to help make our Cultural District one of the country’s leading arts and entertainment centers.

The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust is a non-profit organization whose mission is the cultural and economic development of Pittsburgh’s 14-block Cultural District through public and private support. The Trust presents and encourages diverse performing and visual arts programs within the District, and is an impetus for additional development in downtown Pittsburgh. In addition to the Pittsburgh Dance Council, The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust presents the PNC Broadway Across America-Pittsburgh series, Trust Presents, Pittsburgh International Children’s Theater and Children’s Festival, CD Live, JazzLive, First Night Pittsburgh, Gallery Crawl, and Three Rivers Arts Festival, among other Cultural District and arts events. The Trust owns Theater Square and the Cabaret at Theater Square; James E. Rohr Building & Arts Education Center; the Benedum Center for the Performing Arts; Byham, O’Reilly, and Harris Theaters; visual arts galleries: Wood Street Galleries, at 601 Wood Street; SPACE, at 812 Liberty Avenue and 937 Liberty: a multipurpose performance and exhibit space, among other downtown arts facilities.
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