Downtown Placemaking Grant
Downtown should be a place that has something for everyone. To make it that way, we want to hear from you!
Grant Opportunity
The Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership has launched the Downtown Placemaking Grant to encourage Pittsburghers to utilize and program our public spaces through community-focused events and activations. This grant opportunity is open to both experienced and new creative minds who are passionate about Downtown Pittsburgh and our community.
About the Program
Local individuals, non-profit organizations and civic groups are encouraged to apply for $1,000 – $5,000 grants for creative projects and activities that help us create vibrant and welcoming experiences in places around the Golden Triangle. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, allowing for projects to be implemented throughout the year. To apply, candidates should complete the online form below. Successful projects will help us find new ways to make Downtown fun, entertaining and engaging.
Application Components
Complete our online application, which includes the following:
- Basic Project Details
- Statement of Purpose (800 words or less)
- Budget Plan
- Media & Marketing Plan
- Additional Information / Supporting Documents (Optional)
The Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership is proud to partner with Citizens to provide capital and resources to arts and cultural organizations looking to host pop-up events and public art in Downtown Pittsburgh. This initiative aims to enhance the district’s cultural vibrancy and drive economic growth by empowering individuals and groups to bring new programs and events into Downtown, fostering a deeper sense of community, creativity and culture.
Now accepting applications!
Current Projects
Pupsburgh
Pupsburgh
Summer Event Series | Mellon Square
July – September, 2025
A free outdoor event featuring local vendors, live music, adoptable pups, and all the pet resources you didn’t know you needed, from treats and toys to wellness services and training tips. Learn more.
Boaz Frankel and Brooke Barker
‘You Are Here’
Public Art | 550 Wood St
March 2025 – Ongoing
Created by Boaz Frankel and Brooke Barker, this window display acts as a time machine, celebrating moments in this block’s past. Learn more about its making and history!
Babesburgh
Paint the Town Purple: Celebrating Important Women in Pittsburgh’s History
Public Art Exhibit | Mellon Square
October 2, 2024 – Ongoing
Four Pittsburgh-based female artists showcase significant women in Pittsburgh’s history who have had an impact on who we are today.
La Vispera
Plastisphere: A Sinking Reality
Public Art | Heinz 57 Center
Ongoing
Plastisphere: A Sinking Reality is the latest work of La Vispera, an artist collective formed by Kelly Jimenez and Alejandro Franco. This striking display uses discarded single-use plastics to raise awareness about the impacts of these unsustainable materials on the ecosystem.
Past Projects
Create Art Together
Illuminate: All the World’s a Stage
Fashion Show | Frankie Pace Park
Wednesday, August 27, 2025
Presented by Cat Burton in partnership with the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre and the PDP, Illuminate was an evening of theatrical fashion and self-expression, celebrating local designers and creatives.
Create Art Together
Illuminate: All the World’s a Stage
Fashion Show | Frankie Pace Park
Wednesday, August 27, 2025
Presented by Cat Burton in partnership with the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre and the PDP, Illuminate was an evening of theatrical fashion and self-expression, celebrating local designers and creatives.
Creative Corp
Rumbón de la Calle
Monthly Event Series | Mellon Square
June – August, 2024
An ensemble of locally based, world renowned percussionists and drummers of the African diaspora emulating the community gatherings of their respective countries that to activate Mellon Square this summer.
InJOY Meditation
Urban Serenity Lunchtime Meditation
Weekly Series | Mellon Square
June – August, 2024
This weekly guided meditation session led by Kristy Joy in Mellon Square offered workers, residents and visitors a serene space to relax and unwind in the middle of the day.
Jaded PGH
Moonfest
Festival | Chinatown Inn
September 14, 2024
Celebrating the 50th anniversary of Pittsburgh’s Organization of Chinese Americans (OCA) and inspired by the Mid-Autumn Harvest Festival, this free event brings together the vibrant and diverse Asian American and Pacific Islander community to showcase artistic talent, local histories, and celebrate kinship.
Shaolin Jazz
Can I Kick It? Presents The Matrix
Film Screening | The Backyard at 8th and Penn
September 19, 2024
A film experience originating from Washington DC, catering to action-packed cult classic film lovers, each movie is screened and scored live (scene-by-scene) with a blend of Hip Hop, Soul, Funk and more mixed by DJ 2-Tone Jones.
Space Bar
Space Bar presents Spaceburgh
Festival | Market Square
October 19, 2024
The first annual SpaceBurgh festival on October 19th in Market Square celebrated Pittsburgh’s growing role in space exploration. Featuring NASA astronaut Woody Hoburg, the event welcomed families and space enthusiasts with space-themed brews, sci-fi panels, live music, and local bites, all highlighting Pittsburgh’s emerging identity as a space city.
International Sculpture Center
Shaping the Future: National Showcase of Emerging Sculptors
Public Art | 623 Smithfield St
September 6, 2024
The International Sculpture Center (ISC) recently presented Shaping the Future: National Showcase of Emerging Sculptors, an exhibition featuring fifteen rising sculptors from across the U.S. The showcase included works ranging from vibrant reimaginings of cultural icons to pieces exploring themes like otherness and feminine rage, celebrating the evolving diversity of contemporary sculpture.
Center for Media Innovation – Newsapalooza
Newsbreaks
Series | Market Square
Fall 2024
This past summer and fall, the Center for Media Innovation brought pressing community issues from the news to the stage in Market Square. The event series tackled essential topics impacting Pittsburgh’s Downtown area, including discussions on how to strengthen the Downtown core by providing support for our most vulnerable residents and strategies for dealing with harassment on the street.