The Cultural Trust has been around since 1984 and—if you've joined us at any point during our 41-year journey—you know it's been an eventful ride.
We've welcomed legendary performers to our stages and festivals (from Bob Dylan to India.Arie), launched countless debut productions (name anything from the Pittsburgh International Festival of Firsts), and breathed new life into venues throughout the Cultural District (seven theater spaces total). With four decades of milestones behind us, you could throw a dart at the calendar and likely hit some anniversary at the Cultural Trust.
But recently, while flipping through our archives, we noticed something especially interesting about this time of year. Three significant moments in our organization's history all occurred within the same six-day window—September 25 to October 1—spread across a 26-year period.
For curious Pittsburgh history buffs and Cultural Trust enthusiasts alike, let's take a trip down memory lane.
Happy Birthday to the Benedum!
The Benedum Center, formerly known as The Stanley Theater, opened on Friday, September 25, 1987, with a three-day show called Purely Pittsburgh. The show was written by Dan Langen and produced by Mandy Levine and featured composers from Pittsburgh and performers with local connections, including the Pittsburgh Jazz Orchestra and CLO Mini Stars.
Check out the program for the event, and learn more about renovation and the grand opening that followed.
An exterior sketch for the restored theater
A Precursor to Agnes R. Katz Plaza
"Art is a Guarantee of Sanity,” a selection of sculptures and drawings by Louise Bourgeois from 1951 to 1992, exhibited at Wood Street Galleries on October 1, 1992.
If Bourgeois’ name sounds familiar, there is a reason!
The show included a preliminary drawing of what is now Agnes R. Katz Plaza.
Bourgeois was a prolific artist who exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art, Tate Modern, Venice Biennale, National Gallery of Canada and was honored by the National Women's Hall of Fame.
Agnes R. Katz Plaza with Louise Bourgeois sculptures.
The Rubber Duck Project
Designed by Studio Florentijn Hofman from the Netherlands, the iconic giant rubber duck premiered at the Allegheny River on September 27, 2013, drawing tens of thousands of visitors, as part of the Pittsburgh International Festival of Firsts. The rubber duck was 40 ft tall and 30 ft wide.
A crowd catches a glimpse of the giant rubber duck from the Roberto Clemente Bridge.
Inspired by these historic moments, we’re filling our archive with new milestones everyday— moments when we reimagine our venues, create more artistic spaces for our community, and inspire you- our visitors- to experience something extraordinary. We hope you’ll join us for more!