Fire
Alley Media Center
a space for cultural
and electronic civic engagement
The Society has begun a fundraising effort to transform this blighted
lot in the historical Pittsburgh neighborhood of Lawrenceville into an
indoor/outdoor public Labor History and Electronic Media Art Center situated
in a rain garden as a model of environmental sustainability. This center
will house contemporary electronic artworks alongside a growing digital
archive of labor history, including but not limited to the labor history
of Pittsburgh and its surrounding communities. We have chosen the location
at 4824 Harrison Street because of its steel and labor history and its
existence in a culturally diverse community.
We believe that incorporating our rich social and labor history into a
community dialogue centered around technology and art will benefit not
only Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania, but will have national and international
interest and impact. Thus, Fire Alley Media Center will significantly
add to the cultural climate of Pittsburgh, richly reflect its history,
and provide arts and literacy opportunities particularly for inner-city
youth, thereby enhancing the quality of life for all in the wider Pittsburgh
community. The extensive use of technology plus environmentally-conscious
design will assist in weaving contemporary arts and issues into the fabric
of historical Pittsburgh arts and humanities. We anticipate the Fire Alley
Media Center becoming an important cultural institution of multi-disciplinary
arts, humanities, and education, accessible to all, ranging from local
inner-city youth to international visitors to Pittsburgh.
The design of Fire Alley Media Center is being provided by Pittsburgh
architect Robert Ferry. He is approaching the design of the Center with
an organic relationship to Pittsburgh’s rich history.
A citywide youth media literacy program will be implemented through the
SCE in an effort to build partial content for the labor history archives.
Local, national and international researchers, artists, and academics
are invited and encouraged to enrich these archives.
ARCHITECTURAL
RENDERINGS
If you
are interested in contributing to these archives please mail submissions
to:
Society for Cultural Exchange
4729 Hatfield Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15201
Fire
Alley Youth Media Literacy Program
Fire Alley Youth Media Literacy Program will educate Pittsburgh’s
inner-city youth in media arts and emerging technologies for use in documentation
of family history & labor history, self-expression, communication,
and social change. SCE programs will build self-esteem and critical thinking
skills for urban youth who have been historically neglected by policy
makers and mass media. Using video production, computer art and the Internet,
young people address community issues, access advanced technology and
gain inclusion in our information-based society.
Hatfield House:
Pittsburgh Artist in Residency
Society for Cultural Exchange is now accepting
applications from national and international visual, media, interdisciplinary,
and performance artists for its Pittsburgh Artist in Residency program.
The Pittsburgh A.I.R. project is located in a 5 bedroom, 2500 sq. ft.
Victorian house in the historical neighborhood of Lawrenceville with the
top floor studio overlooking an abandoned steel factory along the Allegheny
River.
The residence accommodates up to 2 artists concurrently for research,
development and production of ongoing or new bodies of work. *If collaborative
groups are applying up to 4 artists can be accommodated.
Residencies are from 4-12 weeks in duration year round. Participants are
responsible for all travel and personal living expenses.
A gallery on the first floor is available for parties, openings and workshops.
Artists are expected to show their work at the end of their residency.
