Cultural District features free amalgam of shows

Gallery Crawl

Cultural District

Tonight

5:30 – 9 p.m.

All events free

(412) 456-6666… Gallery Crawl

Cultural District

Tonight

5:30 – 9 p.m.

All events free

(412) 456-6666

In the tradition of student-friendly pub crawls run by local bar owners, tonight’s Gallery Crawl through the Cultural District is sure to thrill art lovers of all shapes and sizes. The event, sponsored by Pittsburgh’s Cultural Trust, is the most expansive and inclusive exhibition of art in the Pittsburgh area in recent memory.

Offering an array of events to satisfy the entire spectrum of art enthusiasts in the Pittsburgh area, the Cultural Trust hopes to draw in new and novice art fans who are less familiar with the art scene in Pittsburgh. With several musical acts, as well as some eclectic exhibits including performance art pieces and culinary projects, this crawl is sure to bring out any locals with an artistic curiosity.

The exhibit receiving the most press this week is titled “Art for August.” This event, taking place at the 707 Penn Gallery, features a collection of pieces by local artists inspired by and dedicated to the life and work of Pittsburgh’s own August Wilson.

Local musician Gene Stovall supports this tribute to the award-winning playwright. Stovall plays in the band Eviction Notice, featured in this year’s Fall Fest on Bigelow Boulevard.

The event marks an opportunity for Pittsburghers to experience the Cultural District and the many galleries there. The Wood Street Galleries is displaying an exhibit titled “Can We Fall in Love with a Machine?” Numerous artists explore what it means to be a human in today’s technological world.

SPACE, another popular gallery, hosts “License: Works by T. Foley.” This piece from the acclaimed video artist shows at 812 Liberty Ave. and is accompanied by music from Miguel’s Mariachi Fiesta.

The Gallery Crawl is a quarterly event, free to the public and a most popular event among art lovers for its open, diverse atmosphere. Diversity among the exhibits and the unique features of each gallery are key elements of the appeal.

At the close of the event, there will be various after-parties where more musical acts will entertain guests. The Wood Street Galleries welcome DJ Kelly Carter, and Yin Yang will be playing a set in Cabaret at Theatre Square. This young jazz quintet has received great notoriety for its local jazz sound.

The Gallery Crawl through the Cultural District is a great opportunity to check out Pittsburgh’s embrace of different modes of performance. In the last few years, many special-interest groups have cropped up for the purpose of seeking out the finest in art, performance and raw talent and bringing it to the people of the Steel City. Groups like BuskPittsburgh and FLUX are making sure that the city that brought the world Andy Warhol continues to offer young artists a chance to be seen.

The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust is working within this vein to bring patrons down to the Cultural District, an area containing many of the finest music and performance spaces the city has to offer. The PCT has many successful projects to its credit, such as the restoration of the former Stanley Theatre into the now massively successful Benedum Center. They project that the event will draw foot traffic to an area of the city that is on the rise.

The Gallery Crawl is a chance for you to see some of the great talents this city has to offer. And, best of all, it’s free.