Warhol Museum to set-up a six-block Pop District in Pittsburgh

In an aim to develop Pittsburgh into a cultural hub, Andy Warhol Museum is establishing a six-block Pop District in the surrounding neighbourhood of Pittsburgh, artnet news reported. It will turn Pittsburgh’s North Shore into a new cultural tourism destination.

In a statement quoted in artnet news, director of the Richard King Mellon Foundation, Sam Reiman who is donating $15 million over the next three-and-a-half years, said that the goal of the project is to make sure that the next Andy Warhol doesn’t have to leave Pittsburgh to become Andy Warhol.

The geographical location of the Pop District will start across the Andy Warhol Bridge from Pittsburgh’s existing Cultural District, and as the artnet news reported, it’s been endorsed by the city and state, as well as the local community group.

According to artnet news the 10-year long project will be completed in two-phase with a price tag of $60 million. New education programmes outside the museum, real-estate investments, and a series of new public art project are included in the first phase. From among the series of public art, the first two, Over the Rainbow and Social Sculpture by Typoe and Michael Loveland respectively are going to be unveiled this month. The second phase includes building of a new live performance venue with a concert hall by the Warhol Museum and its three sister institutions in Carnegie Museum of Pittsburg.