Project Pop-Up

Project Pop-Up brings vibrancy and innovation to Downtown Pittsburgh by activating vacant storefronts with temporary retail pop-ups, interior window displays, and artistic window graphics. We’re currently accepting a limited number of applications and match-making concepts with interested property owners.

We are now recruiting for new Pop-Up concepts to launch in early 2026 — applications should be submitted as soon as possible for approval in January and February, with installations required by April 2026.

This scaled approach lets us focus on curating high-impact activations that enhance Downtown’s dynamic atmosphere.
Have questions or a concept to discuss? We’d love to hear from you.

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

APPLY NOW

APPLY NOW

Applications are being accepted on a rolling basis.

Pop-Up concepts need to be ready to launch by early 2026.

Apply Today!

About Project Pop-Up

In collaboration with Downtown property owners—and with generous support from the Hillman Foundation—Project Pop-Up invites entrepreneurs, artists, makers, retailers, and creative teams to transform empty storefronts into engaging destinations.

Activations may include:

• Pop-Up Shops (retail, food, services, or art concepts)
• Interior Window Displays (installations or interactive displays inside a storefront)
• Artistic Window Graphics (vinyl or other surface treatments, tailored to space conditions)

Typical activation periods range from 6–12 months for pop-ups, interactive window displays, and graphics, with the potential for extensions when appropriate.

Program Benefits

• Streamlined process. Simple application and property matchmaking based on fit and availability.
• Affordable Launch Opportunity: Selected pop-up participants benefit from rent-free or significant reduced rent lease terms for 6–12 months in their storefront space.
• Financial incentives. Grants of up to $15,000 per storefront are available to cover expenses like installation, utilities, setup, maintenance, insurance, events, and implementing the pop-up or art concept.
• Marketing support. Program promotion and Downtown channels can help drive visibility and traffic.
• Built-in customer base. Downtown thrives as a vibrant neighborhood, attracting a constant flow of visitors, residents, and workers. Capitalize on the existing customer base and contribute to the expanding foot traffic in the area.

How to Apply:

1. Review the full Project Pop-Up program overview and requirements.
2. For current availability and application instructions, please contact Cate Irvin, Senior Director of Economic Development, at cirvin@downtownpittsburgh.com

Questions?

Please contact Cate Irvin, Senior Director of Economic Development at cirvin@downtownpittsburgh.com or 412-325-0157 with questions regarding the program, application, or other Project Pop-Up related inquiries.

Current Project Pop-Up Locations

Explore the diverse and dynamic businesses, art installations, and exhibitions that have come to life through Project Pop-Up. These participants are bringing new energy to Downtown Pittsburgh with their unique contributions and creative offerings.

Emerging Visions

This multi-site urban gallery exhibition created in collaboration with Silver Eye Center for Photography features the works from emerging Pittsburgh artists, transforming vacant storefronts in Downtown into an outdoor art experience.

Various works by Evangeline Mensah-Agyekum
529 Liberty Avenue
As a self-taught artist, Mensah-Agyekum primarily works with photography, fashion, and film. Evangeline draws inspiration from the banalities of daily life and the Black experience to explore Blackness, womanhood, and the unique intersections of identity. Much of her work aims to capture individuals, in part by transforming them, portraying undaunted characters through their vulnerability.

Legacy (2018) by Anqwenique Kinsel
604 Liberty Avenue
Anqwenique is a versatile artist and educator known for her talents in opera, classical, jazz, and soul music. As the founder and director of Groove Aesthetic, she delves into contemporary performance and collaborative processes. Legacy pays tribute to the legendary Leontyne Price, the first African American operatic soprano to achieve international recognition.

Stay Awhile (2023) by Sobia Ahmad
817 Liberty Avenue
Ahmad’s ongoing body of work centers on Pando, an ancient aspen tree grove in south-central Utah, believed to be over 10,000 years old. Unified by a single immense root system, Pando stands as the earth’s oldest and heaviest living organism, embodying interconnectedness and oneness. Ahmad’s art explores the transcendental power of everyday experiences, objects, and practices through various slow and contemplative processes.

“Send My Love to the Hill”
Artworks by Charlese Dawson and poem by Jhordan Price
421 Seventh Avenue
This photobook of poetry takes audiences on a tour through the Hill District through the lens of people who are a part of the community. Send My Love to The Hill is a love letter to this historic black community that has nurtured both Dawson’s artistry and humanity. Appropriately, this installation is only yards away from the August Wilson African American Cultural Center whose esteemed namesake described life in The Hill over decades and generations.