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Best Ways To Support Pittsburgh's Local Art Scene

By Janelle Sheetz

Once known for its industry, Pittsburgh is now evolving, with a thriving arts scene that offers everything from theater and dance to live music and art. The local art scene is only growing, with artists showcasing their work at annual festivals and in their own galleries. Here are some of the best ways to support art in Pittsburgh.

Abandoned Pittsburgh
203 E. 9th Ave.
Homestead, PA 15102
(412) 716-8283
www.abandonedpittsburgh.com

The Pittsburgh area is still inundated with reminders of its past as a steel city, with plenty of abandoned mills and other buildings to be found. Abandoned Pittsburgh, a photography project by Chuck Beard and art gallery located in Homestead, showcases these "forgotten places where a strange, haunting beauty still exists," all available for purchase. Fans can also buy frames and books of the art, plus other products like coffee, candles, soap, mugs, and more. Abandoned Pittsburgh also supports other creatives in Pittsburgh, having played host to book readings for local writers.

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Pittsburgh Glass Center
5472 Penn Ave.
Pittsburgh, PA 15206
(412) 365-2145
www.pittsburghglasscenter.org

Blown glass makes for some beautiful art, and the Pittsburgh Glass Center serves as a nonprofit public-access school, gallery, and glass studio. The Center not only uses workshops to show anyone how to make their own pieces, but they also often feature talks from artists and offer residencies to artists. Other events for artists include artist-only mixers, marketing workshops, and more.

Gallery Crawl
803 Liberty Ave.
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
(412) 456-6666
crawl.trustarts.org

Experience art with the Cultural District's quarterly Gallery Crawl, showcasing art over multiple venues across 14 blocks, including work from artists both local and national. And it's not just visual art -- crawls can include live music, performance art, dance, theater, and more, spread over dozens of locations. Crawls are free for anyone to attend, making it a great way to enjoy the local scene. Join the next one on April 27, starting at 5:30 p.m.

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Three Rivers Arts Festival
601 Commonwealth Place
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
(412) 456-6666
traf.trustarts.org

Held every summer, the Three Rivers Arts Festival is one of the city's best ways to experience the local art scene, featuring hundreds of artists and attracting half-a-million visitors. The Artist Market features everything from visual art to handmade jewelry, while visual artists can win awards for their work in the juried exhibition. The festival also features live music, performance art, food vendors, and more. This year's festival will be held June 1 through 10, with concerts, vendors, and exhibits to be announced later this spring.

Humanities Festival
803 Liberty Ave.
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
(412) 456-6666
www.trustarts.org

Pittsburgh often celebrates the arts, including the third Humanities Festival in the Cultural District, featuring the theme of Continuum: Past, Present, Future. The festival will feature events with musicians, politicians, writers, and more, such as interviews, intimate conversations, and performances. Most events will be held March 2 through 4, with a few happening in late February, such as PostSecret: The Show on Feb. 27.

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