Trust Spotlight

Welcome to the first edition of the Trust Spotlight newsletter.

There’s so much happening at the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust right now, and not all of it fits neatly into a press release, event, or headline. That’s why we created this space.

Trust Spotlight is where we share a leadership perspective on our work, our progress, and the role the arts continue to play in shaping a stronger Downtown Pittsburgh.

Because the spotlight may catch the big moments, but it rarely tells the whole story.

Thank you for being part of this community.

A message from President & CEO Kendra Whitlock Ingram

What Drives a Stronger Downtown

A green park with a curved walkway, modern buildings on the right, a white stage canopy, and a yellow bridge in the background under a cloudy sky.

The Dollar Bank Stage and Great Lawn at Arts Landing. Photo by Krist Muñoz-Malavé.

Downtowns don’t come back because of one project. They come back because people choose to invest in them, believe in them, and show up to rebuild them together.

In Pittsburgh, we’ve spent decades proving that the arts are part of that equation. From theater, dance, and live music to film, public art, and festivals, the arts activate our streets and public spaces in ways few other investments can.

In my three years leading the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, and throughout my career in the arts, I’ve seen firsthand that the arts are not separate from Downtown’s strength. They are a key contributor to its success...

The Great Lawn of Arts Landing. Photo by Krist Muñoz-Malavé.

In 2025, the Cultural Trust’s programs created more than 700 paid opportunities for local artists—teachers, musicians, visual artists and performers whose work brings life to Downtown and extends into surrounding communities. We invested $800,000 in local artist fees and created additional opportunities for hundreds of artists to sell their work and connect with new audiences.

At the same time, we presented hundreds of touring performances, bringing world-class music, theater, and dance to Pittsburghers. Cultural Trust performances support hundreds of union workers and crew members, and they fill restaurants and businesses across the Cultural District.

A new economic impact study by HR&A Advisors found that Cultural Trust programming annually supports more than 1,700 jobs and drives an estimated $175 million in economic impact. That’s nearly $1 billion in economic impact since we reopened venues, post-pandemic.

In 2026, we have a goal of creating one million visitor engagements, and we’ve already seen more than 100,000 people pack the Benedum Center for five weeks of WICKED.

Those numbers are important. They show that an investment in arts and culture means investing in the kind of place people choose to spend time, and the kind of environment businesses need to grow. Without that, it’s very difficult for a Downtown to thrive.

Pittsburgh lit up green for WICKED. Photo by Darin DiNapoli.

That matters right now.

At a time when many Downtowns across the country are still trying to figure out what comes next, Pittsburgh has something real to point to. For more than 40 years, the Cultural Trust has helped show what’s possible when the arts are part of a long-term strategy for Downtown. The Cultural District has become one of the country’s strongest examples of arts-driven revitalization, with Arts Landing as the next chapter in that story.

More than ever, the arts and the public spaces that support them are central to how people experience Downtown.

Arts Landing builds on what the Cultural Trust already does by creating a place where people gather, stay longer, and return more often. That could mean coming early before a show, staying after, or spending time Downtown outside of a performance. It also expands access, bringing in people who may not have previously spent time in the Cultural District.

For business leaders, this isn’t just about arts and culture. It’s about competitiveness.

Companies want to be in cities that attract and retain staff, and those people want to be in places that have energy and feel active. That doesn’t happen on its own. It’s a shared commitment to creating experiences people value Downtown. Continuing to invest in public spaces, supporting artists, and treating Downtown as a neighborhood people should choose, makes it more than a place to pass through.

We’ve seen what works in Pittsburgh. The Cultural District is proof of that.

The future of Downtown won’t be defined by any one project. It will be shaped by the experience we create every day, and the role the arts continue to play in bringing people together.

The Trust's Inaugural Economic Impact Study

Have you ever bought a ticket to a show at the Byham Theater or purchased concessions at the Benedum Center? Maybe you have counted down to midnight at Highmark First Night Pittsburgh or bought artwork at the Dollar Bank Three Rivers Arts Festival.

These are just a few examples of the countless interactions visitors to Downtown Pittsburgh have with the Cultural Trust.

And these interactions not only directly support the revitalization of this very important neighborhood, but they also create a ripple effect felt throughout southwestern Pennsylvania and beyond.

We recently conducted an Economic Impact Study to see how these activities—and many more—add up. And our findings back up what we already knew…that the Cultural Trust means big business.

Continue Reading to learn more about the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust's economic impact.