After many long months, the streets of the Cultural District will once again be bustling, the theaters and galleries will be full, and arts lovers from around the region, state, and country will gather to share their experiences, live and in person. This occasion is too important to the organizations of the Cultural District, who have decided to not let the moment pass by without celebration.
September 9-11, 2021, the August Wilson African American Cultural Center, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Pittsburgh CLO, Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, Pittsburgh Opera, Pittsburgh Public Theater, and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra are coming together to light up the District with Lights On! A Three-Day Celebration of Pittsburgh’s Cultural District. The free presentations are set to take place outdoors, activating the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership’s Allegheny Overlook Park on Ft. Duquesne Boulevard, the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre’s Mobile Stage at the 8th Street Parking Lot at Penn Avenue, and the Trust Oasis on 7th Street.
This special celebration of the arts in the Cultural District is the official kick-off to RADical Days, an annual thank you to the public with free admission, tours, performances, and family activities offered by the organizations and attractions that are funded by the Allegheny Regional Asset District (RAD). RADical Days runs September 9 – October 10 and the full schedule will be announced in August.
In addition to the presentations of the Cultural District companies, the celebration also features arts groups from throughout the region, Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership events, and the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council’s Restart the Arts truck, which is a part of GPAC’s public service campaign to safely reengage audiences. The truck will visit festivals, community fairs, youth programs, and more throughout the month of September.
Lights On! is sponsored by UPMC and UPMC Health Plan. Additional support is provided by The Heinz Endowments and Richard King Mellon Foundation. Check back here for more information.