CDCP is excited to partner with the City of Pittsburgh on their Art in Parks project. The program is well underway with eight artists and collectives creating public art in the city’s five Allegheny Regional Asset District (RAD) parks: Emerald View, Frick, Highland, Riverview, and Schenley.
To complement this program, five Pittsburgh-based storytellers will document the project as it unfolds, building distinct narratives around each park and the creation and impact of public art. The CDCP team is overseeing program management and documentation, including collaborating closely with the artists and storytellers.
We’re thrilled to announce the five local individuals selected to tell the stories of these parks, the public art, and how the communities involved share in the experience.
Sandra Bacchi is a Brazilian multimedia artist, based in Pittsburgh. Bacchi will shoot a short documentary video to tell the story of Emerald View Park.
Sophia Fang is a queer, Chinese-American interdisciplinary artist building vibrancy in both Pittsburgh and Seattle. Fang will paint a series of watercolors illustrating the story of Frick Park.
Mark Kramer is a narrative journalist, essayist, and writing instructor based in Pittsburgh. Kramer will tell the story of Riverview Park through a series of short essays.
Alyssa Velazquez is a cultural historian specializing in gender, performance, and women’s studies. Velazquez will design a downloadable zine to share the story of Highland Park.
Sakena Washington is a creative writer and digital content creator based in Pittsburgh, PA. Washington will write a narrative essay to tell the story of Schenley Park.
Each storyteller will work with the artists and surrounding communities between September 2021 and May 2022 to create a unique digital piece (in the form of text, photo, video, drawing, etc.) that tells their story. Stories will be accessible to the public in the summer of 2022.
For more information about the Art in Parks program, visit https://engage.pittsburghpa.gov/art-parks.
This program is made possible by the RADical ImPAct Grant, which was launched in celebration of the Allegheny Regional Asset District’s 25th anniversary with the intention of funding bold, forward-looking, creative projects that will have a radical impact on the region. The public art projects will be designed and installed on a staggered schedule through the summer of 2022.