Public Art Projects
The below 4000 square foot public art project, located at 400 West Crawford Avenue in Connellsville, (Italian Social Club) was created by Pittsburgh artist Jeremy Raymer. The funding for this project was provided by part of an estate left by Michael Prestia, Allegheny Foundation and the Downtown Connellsville Initiative. It depicts the old Connellsville B&O Rail Road Station, an Italian Dinner Scene and a Historic Coke Oven. Summer 2019
In partnership with the Trail Town Initiative of The Progress Fund and the Connellsville Redevelopment Authority, a steering committee was formed to facilitate two public art pieces being installed in Connellsville. Grants were received by both organizations from Pittsburgh 250 Community Connections and The Sprout Fund. Community Connections is a grassroots initiative of Pittsburgh 250 supporting projects that encourage civic engagement throughout Southwestern Pennsylvania, commemorate the region's 250th anniversary, and provide lasting value to communities and the region as a whole. More than 500 applications for funding were submitted by individuals, community groups, and organizations to celebrate the "Pride and Progress" of Southwestern Pennsylvania--the theme of Community Connectons. A region-wide community decisionmaking process selected 100 projects to share $ 1 million in funding for events and activities occurring throughtout the anniversary year of 2008.
The Sprout Fund is a nonprofit organization supporting innovative ideas and grassroots community projects that are catalyzing change in Pittsburgh. Founded in 2001, Sprout is designed to facilitate community-led solutions to regional challenges and supports efforts to create a thriving, progressvie, and culturally diverse region. With strong working relationships to many community organizations and regional stakeholders, The Sprout Fund is one of Southwestern Pennsylvania's leading agencies on issues related to civic engagement, talent attraction and retention, public art, and catalytic small-scale funding.
The theme of Natural Cycle of Renewal was selected by the Regional Steering Committee. The art projects were unveiled on Saturday, September 27th, 2008 and was followed by a community celebration. The Fayette County Cultural Trust will continue in its mission to improve the quality of life in county by encouraging additional works of art to be incorporated into pocket parks throughout the region.
As part of Celebration Saturday, a community event was held on September 27th. 2010 to unveil the two pieces of public art. The following pictures are from the day's festivities.