Pittsburgh, PA  –  Tuesday, October 8, 2024  – 

Whenever the city of Pittsburgh is declared as one of America’s ‘most livable,’ we must invariably ask: For whom? This thought-provoking question motivates us to foster dialogue and fruitful collaborations that enrich the lives of everyone in our city and region.

Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “Our goal is to create a beloved community, and this will require a qualitative change in our souls as well as a quantitative change in our lives.”

In the spirit of Dr. King’s legacy, we are inviting you and members of our communities to submit creative works- be it visual art, writing, or performance – that inspire and expand our consciousness of our future communities in which we all thrive. We encourage you to express yourselves boldly and authentically, and use your art to inspire, challenge, and educate others.

This initiative will culminate during a series of showcases and performances in early 2025. Select works will be displayed with full artist attribution in social media and at locations around the city and region in collaboration with the Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, the University of Pittsburgh, 1Hood Media, the August Wilson African American Cultural Center and other community partners. We are thrilled to offer several awards for artists to demonstrate “A Just Pittsburgh”. All entries are eligible for award distinctions to acknowledge outstanding contributions to the showcase in the following categories: 

• Writing for the Page: Short Story, Poetry, Personal Essay, Flash Fiction
• Visual Art: 2D, 3D, Painting, Photography, Sculpture, Fiber Art, Graphic Design
• Performance: Music, Dance, Slam Poetry, Spoken Word
• Video & Interdisciplinary: Works that cross categories, Mixed Media, Digital Art
• Youth Arts (17 and younger, by close date): All categories including:
• Writing for the Page
• Visual Art
• Performance
• Video & Interdisciplinary

DEADLINE 10/20/2024

Join us in this collaborative endeavor to create a dialogue, foster partnerships, and build a more equitable Pittsburgh. We can’t wait to see the incredible work that you and members of your communities all produce and to showcase yours and their voices, perspectives, and talents to the world.  We look forward to the change we can foster together to envision a more just Pittsburgh.

Artists use this link for submissions and to find details about submission criteria, qualifications and awards.

Please check Pitt’s websites for frequent updates.

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