to bring new design to the popular City corridor
View international artists’ headshots here.
PITTSBURGH, September 15, 2026 — The Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership (PDP), in collaboration with Hemispheric Conversations: Urban Art Project (HCUAP – pronounced hiccup), an initiative launched by the University of Pittsburgh, is breathing new life into Downtown Pittsburgh’s Strawberry Way with a new art installation!
Starting Sept. 17, three internationally recognized street artists — Ish Muhammad, Gloria “Gloe” Talamantes, and Tomás Ives — will arrive in Pittsburgh for a ten-day residency. While here, each of the three artists will team up with two local artists to independently work on one of the three blocks of Strawberry Way.
This project is supported by the Uncommon and Curated Endowment that works to bolster the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership’s (PDP) ongoing goals to activate the Downtown public realm by creating beautiful, inviting streets and public spaces that foster community and represent Downtown’s diversified needs.
The new art installation will be the fourth iteration of public art on Strawberry Way since the first activation a decade ago. The current installation – Rainbow Road was curated by local artists and HCAUP co-leaders, Max Gonzales and Shane Pilster, back in 2022.
“It’s approaching ten years since the PDP’s first art project debuted on Strawberry Way, and the space truly reflects Pittsburgh itself and how it’s constantly evolving,” said Bruce Chan, Senior Director of Urban Design, Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership. “In past iterations of this project, the focus has been enhancing the pedestrian experience through art, and this time around we saw an opportunity to also engage international and local artists through this collaboration with HCUAP.”
HCUAP was founded by Caitlin Bruce of the University of Pittsburgh’s Department of Communication, Shane Pilster, and Oreen Cohen in 2016, with Max Gonzales and Emma Riva joining in the following years. The initiative supports the regional and international ecosystem of urban art through shared education, context, and cross-cultural understanding. It is the only urban art-focused residency of its kind in the world and connects artistic production with scholarly investigation and community engagement.
“In its 10th year, working around the theme of Our Americas, HCUAP is thrilled to collaborate with PDP in bringing local and visiting artists into conversation in Pittsburgh’s downtown, a space that has its own layered histories of imagination, displacements, occupations, and transformations,” said Caitlin Bruce, University of Pittsburgh, Department of Communication Chair & Professor. “We are grateful to the PDP for making space for urban art to be better understood and experienced by all of our neighbors.”
The public will have their own opportunity to leave a mark on Strawberry Way during two Community Paint Jam days, scheduled for Sept. 26 and 27. Attendees will also be the first to see the makings of the installation come to life in real time by the participating artists.
“This project is such a new and exciting opportunity for an artist,” said Tomás Ives. “Not only are we relying on our shared vast experience of urban art, but we get the chance to work alongside and mentor these incredible local artists who will help us establish something that truly speaks to the fabric of Pittsburgh. Each team also has the added component of ensuring the piece on their block fits into the larger final design on Strawberry Way – a challenge we are certainly all up for.”
Participating local artists include Ifeoma Creates, Emily Paige Armstrong, Cara Rosetti, Qian Dubay, Brian Gonella, Haley Wilson, and Ada Siobhan. The final work is scheduled to be completed in late October with a special unveiling.
For more information on HCUAP and the artist residency, visit hcuap.com.
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About the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership:
The PDP is a dynamic, nonprofit organization comprised of business and community leaders, property owners, civic organizations, foundations, and residents who provide energy, vision, and advocacy for Downtown Pittsburgh. Working collaboratively with its partners, the PDP strives to create a positive Downtown experience for residents, workers, and visitors alike. The PDP’s strategic initiatives include clean and safe services, transportation, economic development, and advocacy. For more information, visit DowntownPittsburgh.com, follow us on Instagram, Threads, X, Facebook, TikTok, LinkedIn, and X @downtownpitt.
HCUAP would like to thank the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts for major funding, the Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences Dean’s office. HCUAP received funding from Pennsylvania Creative Industries, powered by the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the National Endowment for the Arts. This project is supported in part by the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council through its Creative Sector Flex Fund grant program. Thanks to Duolingo for sponsorship, and the Bernadette Callery Archives Lecture Series at the University of Pittsburgh. Housing provided by Pedantic Arts Residency; paint sponsorship by Aerosol Legends/NBQ Pro Spray Paint and Sherwin Williams Paint, and BLICK Art Materials for art supplies donation. The Strawberry Way Paint Jam is made possible by the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership.