Pittsburgh Cultural Trust continues online programs, reopening plans

When will patrons be able to return to Pittsburgh’s Cultural District for live music, theater and other entertainment?

While the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust does not have a date to resume in-person programs, it is “working with national tours and presenters to realign all 2020 season programs into the 2021 calendar year.”

In the meantime, the Trust continues to offer many online programs, most for free. These include:

• Harris Theater @ Home, presenting independent, international and documentary films.

• Liberty Magic @ Home, with entertainment by magicians from around the country.

• Creative Connections and Creative Curriculums, with virtual learning tools and resources designed by Trust Arts Education teaching artists for educators and students of all ages.

• Inside the Scene, highlighting Pittsburgh’s growing music community through performances and interviews in a virtual happy hour setting.

• BNY Mellon Presents JazzLive @ Home, featuring interviews with some of the region’s top jazz musicians.

“We have seen particularly strong engagement online through offerings around our signature programs and events,” says Scott Shiller, Trust vice president of artistic planning. “For example, the virtual iteration of the Dollar Bank Three Rivers Arts Festival attracted more than 120,000 visitors who participated in performance livestreams and the online Artist Market.”

In advance of returning to live programming, “We will be reaching out to those with tickets to affected events and our valued season subscribers in coming weeks,” says President and CEO J. Kevin McMahon. “We are working closely with local officials, as well as health and safety experts, to create a safe environment when we are permitted to welcome (patrons) back.”

A Sept. 10 virtual fundraiser and celebration of the arts also is planned. “To The World We Dream About” will feature the stars of “Hadestown,” Tony Award winner André De Shields and Tony Award nominee Eva Noblezada.

“The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, along with the entire arts community of Pittsburgh, faces a critical situation,” McMahon says. “The uncharted waters of this pandemic have forced Cultural District organizations to cancel more than 3,000 events since mid-March, leaving us with more than a million unsold tickets and a large financial gap to bridge.

“In coming weeks, the Trust will be launching a campaign to raise funds and provide this much-needed relief as we prepare for financial stability upon our return,” he says.

Details: 412-456-6666 or trustarts.org