A rendering showing an aerial view of Arts Landing. (Image courtesy of Field Operations)

By Riley Dunn, Pittsburgh Business Times

The Richard King Mellon Foundation’s grant of $10 million to the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust stands “among the largest philanthropic gifts” to the Trust in its four-decade-long history.

The grant was given in support of the Trust’s construction of its new Arts Landing project, which is currently planned to have a soft opening next year in April 2026 just in time for the 2026 NFL draft. The grant is considered to be the final financial puzzle piece that will help to cover the project’s construction costs.

Arts Landing, which had a budget of $31 million, will span four acres in the former 8th Street Civic Block and will aim to attract more people to downtown Pittsburgh for longer periods of time. 

“​​Pittsburgh’s first Renaissance officially began 75 years ago, in May 1950. Then, and ever since, the Richard King Mellon Foundation has helped to lead Pittsburgh’s ongoing strategies to achieve greater prosperity for the people of our beloved city,” Sam Reiman, director of the Richard King Mellon Foundation, said in a statement. “Our Trustees wanted to demonstrate that leadership again for Arts Landing. This $10 million grant will provide the capital necessary to complete construction.” 

Reiman also mentioned that, just as importantly, the grant will ensure that Arts Landing has the means to maintain itself as a safe and desirable space for people to enjoy. 

The space, once made up of mostly empty lots, will feature a bandshell, green lawn, children’s play area, visitor’s center, and a “flex zone,” which will include pickleball courts and a track.

According to the Trust’s website, the space will also host festivals and performances — including the Three Rivers Arts Festival — along with public art displays. 

“Arts Landing will welcome residents and visitors, host festivals and performances, exhibit public art, and provide opportunities for everyday recreation and relaxation,” Kendra Whitlock Ingram, president and CEO of the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, said in a release earlier this year. “We are grateful to our civic leaders and project partners whose generosity and collaborative spirit continue to push the downtown revitalization vision forward.”

Riley Dunn is a student at the University of Iowa and one of 10 Pittsburgh Media Partnership summer interns.