The creation of Arts Landing is progressing on time and on budget, reports the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, which has revealed “a bold and distinctively-Pittsburgh lineup of public artworks,” to debut when the Downtown civic space opens in April of 2026.

The public art program is led by Anastasia James, Director of Galleries & Public Art for the Trust, with guidance from the Cultural Trust’s Public Art and Design Committee. Inaugural public artworks will remain on view for at least one year. 

“Our goal with Arts Landing is to present thoughtful programming prioritizing artist-driven collaborations and public participation, while further highlighting Pittsburgh as a leader in contemporary public art, James said in a statement.

“Public art has the power to spark connections and create a sense of pride in our communities,” said Kendra Whitlock Ingram, President & CEO of the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust. “Created by artists with strong ties to our region, these works will connect visitors with our city and shape Arts Landing as a distinctly Pittsburgh destination.”

The artwork and artists are, via the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust:

• Touching the Earth by Thaddeus Mosley: In celebration of the renowned artist’s centenary in July 2026 and in partnership with Public Art Fund (PAF), the Trust will present Touching the Earth, an exhibition of monumental bronzes commissioned by PAF, curated by Jenee Strand, and originally presented at City Hall Park in New York, N.Y., May 6-November 9, 2025. This tribute not only honors Mosley’s extraordinary contributions … but also establishes a powerful foundation for the site’s long-term vision: Ensuring that Arts Landing is a landmark for public art in Pittsburgh and a platform for advancing the careers of artists with deep regional connections while amplifying their work on the global stage.
• Lifted by vanessa german: A series of sculptural benches designed by german in tribute to Pittsburgh’s elders. The artist will cast aluminum benches from hand tracings of city residents over the age of 100, highlighting the unseen labor and legacy of generations. Community engagement sessions across the city will inform the work, creating moments of intergenerational storytelling and collective reverence.
• Sculptures of Regional Wildlife by Darian Johnson: Created in partnership with VaultArt Studio, supporting artists with disabilities, this intricately constructed yet playful series of sculptural works by the Pittsburgh-based artist is inspired by local fauna. In his work, Johnson celebrates inclusion and imagination, offering a powerful vision for public art that reflects a true diversity of perspectives and lived experiences.
• For the Birds by Lenka Clayton and Phillip Andrew Lewis: The conceptual artists’ project will serve as a whimsical ecological intervention, featuring towering, powder-coated steel sculptures designed as perches, swings, and platforms for birds, reimagining circus architecture as sites of freedom and agency.
• Myth-Science of the Gatekeepers (Ra) by Mikael Owunna and Marques Redd: This work will expand on the artists’ portrayals of Black queer Kemetic deities. Ra, a solar figure of discipline and inner power, merges ancient African spiritual practices with contemporary aesthetics, transforming Arts Landing into a site of sacred encounter and cultural liberation.
• Fantasy in the Hold by Shikeith: This iron and glass sculpture will extend the mission of the artist’s Mellon-funded initiative, Project Blue Space, which explores black histories tied to water and seeks to document former sites of the Underground Railroad in the Pittsburgh Region.
• Pickleball courts by Sharmistha Ray: A contemporary painter and co-founder of the spiritualist art collective Hilma’s Ghost, Ray will design a series of pickleball courts inspired by the complex inheritance of multiple cultures through their queer identity.
• Rotating Weather Sculpture by John Peña: This dynamic interactive installation is commissioned in collaboration with the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh’s Tough Art residency program, which challenges artists to design durable, engaging pieces that can sustain the rigors of a hands-on environment. This sculpture invites participants to engage in a communal time capsule, reflecting the last moment it was touched via four handwheels that manually rotate a large analog display featuring a clock, temperature readings, and weather icons.

Arts Landing is the $31 million civic space that is part of the Downtown Revitalization Vision announced in 2024 by the Allegheny Conference on Community Development, Allegheny County, the City of Pittsburgh, and Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh, as part of Governor Shapiro’s 10-year, $600-million plan to rejuvenate Downtown Pittsburgh. For details, visit TrustArts.org/ArtsLanding. 

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Tags: Arts Landing, Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, Public Art, Thaddeus Mosley, vanessa german