On June 1, the Richard King Mellon Foundation announced a $10 million grant to Arts Landing.
The grant will cover the remaining construction costs of the $31 million project in Downtown Pittsburgh. The capstone grant will also be used for operations, maintenance, and programming costs. The grant is one of the largest philanthropic gifts to the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust in its history.
“The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust is profoundly grateful to the Richard King Mellon Foundation for this capstone contribution that helps ensure our shared vision for Arts Landing becomes a reality for our community,” said Kendra Whitlock Ingram, President & CEO of the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust. “This is a defining moment for the Cultural District and Downtown Revitalization Vision — made possible by immense generosity and leadership from philanthropic and civic partners.”
Arts Landing will be a civic space located between Penn Avenue and Fort Duquesne, in the area formerly known as the Cultural District’s “8th Street Block.”
When completed, Arts Landing will have a “great lawn,” a band shell and public bathrooms. The section of 8th street within Arts Landing will become a pedestrian garden walk. The space will have recreation areas as well as host festivals and exhibit public art.
Arts Landing will have a soft opening in April 2026, when Pittsburgh hosts the NFL Draft. The grand opening will occur in June 2026, when the space will host the Dollar Bank Three Rivers Arts Festival. The Three Rivers Arts Festival is being held in the Strip District in 2025 due to the ongoing construction at Arts Landing.
The Arts Landing project is a part of multiple plans to develop Downtown Pittsburgh. It is a component of the Downtown Revitalization Vision announced in 2024 by the Allegheny Conference on Community Development. It is also part of Governor Josh Shapiro’s 10 year plan to rejuvenate Downtown Pittsburgh.
