Funded Projects beginning with W
Wake Up Call
$10,000 » Alexi Morrissey, 2003 Seed Award project support
Wake Up Call added new utility to cell phones. By accessing the Wake Up Call website, users could schedule a time for a poet to call and read a poem or for an emerging band to play a song. The program brightened daily life in Pittsburgh and added a little beauty to the nuisance of living with a cell phone.
Walk on By
$1,000 » Northside Common Ministries, 2016 Grand Ideas project support
Walk on By, a project of Northside Common Ministries, was an art exhibit featuring work by local artists around the issue of homelessness in Pittsburgh. The exhibit’s goal was to make people more comfortable with interacting with the homeless, helping them recognize the “humanity” of those who beg on the street. The exhibit featured homelessness from different perspectives, such as what it is like for people in the LGBTQ community to utilize shelter services, work made by homeless artists, and an opportunity for people to see what normal interaction with the public is like from the view of the homeless person.
“Walk on Through” (2004)
Gerry Tonti, 2004 Community Murals mural
The Eliza Furnace Trail has long been a place of colorful and sometimes unwelcome graffiti. Rather than glorify or condemn the practice of graffiti writing, community group Friends of the Riverfront charged artist Gerry Tonti in 2004 with complementing the graffiti by creating a mural to show how sanctioned and community driven public art can work with the existing environment and be appreciated by those who use the trail on a regular basis. With thousands of walkers, runners, and bikers using the trail each year, Walk on Through is a visual representation of the community it serves.
“A Walk Through Milvale” (2003)
Sandy Kessler Kaminski, 2003 Community Murals mural
Sandy Kessler Kaminski welcomes visitors to a quaint, amiable part of town in her mural by portraying a memorable array of cultural landmarks and amenities. The original slogan of Ester’s Hobby Shop, “Relax With a Hobby,” is there, and so is famous Attic Records, home to rare and antique vinyl as well as cutting edge independent music. Below the turntables we see a religious icon and the intricate stained-glass windows of the Croatian Orthodox Church. And of course, Millvale is home to the original Pamela’s Diner: vibrant and inviting, abstractions and excerpts of its interior decorate the right hand side of the mural. The 40th Street Bridge spans the scene, connecting it all back to Pittsburgh. Sandy went on to paint a prominent Strip District mural in 2004, and continues to be one of Pittsburgh’s many talented artists.
Walkers’ Festival 2008
$5,000, 2008 Community Connections project support
Walkers’ Festival 2008 increased health and wellness as well as social interaction by identifying and mobilizing participants in new and existing community walking groups.
Walks in the Park with Robotic Creatures
$2,500, 2010 Spark project support
Walks in the Park with Robotic Creatures, a project of Ian Ingram, led children on nature walks where they discovered small robots that mimic animal and plant behaviors.
War Dialogues
$4,900, 2011 Seed Award project support
War Dialogues facilitated a reconciliation process between veterans and refugees of current wars using creative expression to transcend language and cultural boundaries and the unnamed barriers that occur when attempting to express a traumatic experience. Veterans and refugees were connected and met regularly in pairs to communicate about their experiences on different sides of the same war or wars using different types of creative expression. As artwork was created, it was displayed periodically in an attempt to engage a larger local audience, reminding them that we are present in their communities.
Washington’s Encampment
$5,000, 2008 Community Connections project support
Washington’s Encampment, a project of Allegheny Foothills Society, highlighted the historical events that lead to the founding of Pittsburgh. During Plum Borough’s annual community festival in June, the society staged re-enactments in Boyce Park, near the site of General John Forbes and Colonel George Washington’s encampment on November 22, 1758.
Water Design Challenge—Dive In!
$13,500 » Mt. Lebanon School District, 2014 Hive project support
Water Design Challenge - Dive In!, a project of Mt. Lebanon School District, asked students to explore real world water issues both locally and globally. The program had students collaborate as part of a “water task force” to tackle those issues in physical and virtual spaces while at the same time, learning about civic engagement. As part of their participation in the Challenge, students connected with Clean Water Action, the 9-Mile Run Watershed, Stormworks, and 3Rivers Wet Weather to learn about what it takes in the real world to deal with important water issues.
We Are Glad You Are Our Neighbor Picnic
$1,000 » Allegheny Unitarian Universalist Church, 2017 One Northside project support
We Are Glad You Are Our Neighbor Picnic, a project of Allegheny Unitarian Universalist Church, brought together several local church communities with the members of the Somali Bantu community from Northview Heights and the Greater Pittsburgh Muslim Association for a day of celebration. The event featured an opportunity for each group to share its talents, music, food, and stories with their neighbors in order to build a sense of welcome. The Mayor also attended the event to show his support for building relationships between residents of different cultures and backgrounds.
We Are Here
$1,000 » Lindsay Dill, 2012 Social Innovation Exchange project support
We Are Here, a project of Lindsay Dill, was an online map of Pittsburgh “Third Places” and colorful signs that lead people to the identified community gathering places that create a sense of belonging and encourage community engagement. This project connected Pittsburghers and visitors to Pittsburgh to “Third Places” starting in January 2013.
We Speak Soccer
$5,000 » Pittsburgh Soccer in the Community, 2017 100 Days project support
We Speak Soccer, a project of Pittsburgh Soccer in the Community, forged connections between immigrants, refugees, and the greater Pittsburgh community through a mutual love of the game.
Weave Magazine
$2,500 » Weave Magazine, 2008 Seed Award project support
Weave Magazine, a project of Weave Magazine, was a literary print publication and organization that created space for a cross-section of writers and artists of all walks of life to meet on the page, on the stage, and in workshop. The group presented a series of workshops on a variety of literary topics and held readings that showcased Pittsburgh’s young literary talent.
Website for the Butler Downtown Revitalization Project
$5,000 » Butler Downtown Revitalization Committee, 2008 Community Connections project support
Website for the Butler Downtown Revitalization Project, a project of Butler Downtown Revitalization Committee, stimulated neighborhood and business district revitalization in Butler, Pennsylvania through: organization (encouraging cooperation and building leadership in the business community); promotion (creating a positive image for downtown by promoting the downtown as an exciting place to live, show, and invent); and design (improving the appearance of the downtown). A website was then used by the Committee to get the word out and promote better community participation with the goal of increasing the number of members, contacts, and volunteers to 250.
Welcome Mat Landscaping Project
$5,000, 2008 Community Connections project support
Welcome Mat Landscaping Project added a tremendous amount of aesthetic value to the West End section of Johnstown, in particular the Morrellville-Oakhurst area. This area was in much need of a facelift. The project worked to create a chain reaction, making residents more inclined to spruce up their properties if there is a nice area nearby. This project sparked pride in the residents as well with those participating in the project.
Welcome to the C District
$2,600, 2004 Seed Award project support
Welcome to the C District used the street as a stage for performances exploring shared public space in Pittsburgh. Audience members experienced a new vision of Liberty Avenue, encountering dancers, singers, and video presentations. By juxtaposing different ideologies and time periods in a single production, the performance dramatized how public space affects city and community vitality.
“Welcome to the Strip” (2004)
Sandy Kessler Kaminski, 2004 Community Murals mural
Every Pittsburgher knows the Strip District as the home of fresh foods from around the world- open air markets, wholesale import outlets, and the many restaurants and taverns that make this community a popular site for daytime and weekend shoppers. The Strip has another side to its personality: As the center of Pittsburgh’s club nightlife. Sandy Kessler Kaminski represents both sides of the coin in her piece Welcome to the Strip. This mural incorporates both of these faces as well as the district’s distinctive features like the impressive Pegasus sculptures that adorn the 16th Street Bridge. Painted some 10 stories above the street, this is the highest placed mural in the Sprout Public Art Program. Welcome to the Strip acts as a landmark for The Strip District that can be seen from the expressways and areas quite a distance away. This mural also serves as a gateway to Pittsburgh’s 16:62 Design Zone that begins at the 16th Street Bridge, the site of this mural. The Design Zone stretches from the 16th Street Bridge to the 62nd Street Bridge in Upper Lawrenceville, and is home to more than 100 shops, galleries, studios, and professional service firms–a fitting home for public art.
West Park / Dog Park
$1,050, 2015 One Northside project support
West Park Dog Park, a project led by Annette Trunzo, enhanced the conditions at the Allegheny Commons / West Park off-leash dog park for the 100+ neighborhood residents that use the park to walk their dogs every day by adding waste bag dispensers and a community communication board.
Westmoreland County History Speakers Program
$5,000 » Westmoreland County Historical Society, 2008 Community Connections project support
Westmoreland County History Speakers Program, a project of Westmoreland County Historical Society, provided “living historians” and knowledgeable speakers to schools, historical societies, and other organizations within Westmoreland County at no charge. This initiative informed area residents, both children and adults, about the remarkable history of the region, including important events which took place in Westmoreland County during and following the French & Indian War. It provided residents with a more complete understanding of local history to help them understand and appreciate the Westmoreland County of today.
Westmoreland Earth Day 2008: Greening Your Footprint
$5,000 » St. Vincent College, 2008 Community Connections project support
Westmoreland Earth Day 2008 - Greening Your Footprint, a project of St. Vincent College, incorporated more than 60 regional organizations in collaboration to address participants from Allegheny, Fayette, Somerset, and Westmoreland counties and encourage participation in environmental stewardship on Saturday, April 19, 2008 at Saint Vincent College. Westmoreland Earth Day provided an opportunity for organizations and individuals to share ideas in sustainability, promote environmentally friendly practices, and provide the tools necessary to minimize the negative environmental impacts of everyday activities through educational programs and activities for students of all ages.
“What A View” (2007)
David & Fran Hawbaker, 2007 Community Murals mural
David and Fran Hawkbaker’s 2007 mural in Observatory Hill can be found near local high school Perry Traditional Academy, a magnet school specializing in math and science programs. Because many of the school’s students bus in from other areas, members of local group Observatory Hill Inc. worried that this distance might prevent them from forming a close attachment to the community. When selected for a Sprout Public Art mural, they wanted to make sure that the design would appeal to these students and give them “a visual sense of pride as they board the buses each day.” The artists—both art educators by profession—chose to feature figures based on actual neighborhood kids, in order to engage them more strongly with the piece. While the young people play and talk on the right side of the mural, a figure representing an important piece of the area’s history stands to the left, depicted in a style resembling an old photograph. This is Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry, a naval hero in the War of 1812, who serves as the namesake for the school, its mascot the Commodores, and the area where it is located, Perry Hilltop. It is also interesting to note that this wall, with its many windows, might not seem like an optimal location for a mural, but the exciting design elements included cause the obstructions to disappear into the art. David and Fran have both completed other Sprout murals, including David’s 2006 East Carson Street Treasures in the South Side, and Fran’s 2008 Peace, Hope, and Charity in Marshall-Shadeland. All of these works showcase the artists’ ability to develop thoughtful designs that overcome architectural challenges and strongly engage communities.
What Kind of Sound Does a Line Make?
$10,000 » McGuffey School District, 2015 Spark project support
What Kind of Sound Does a Line Make?, a project of McGuffey School District, was an investigation of how electricity worked by creating art bots, or drawing machines, using basic electronic supplies and LittleBits programming circuits. The project engaged 85 fourth grade students at Claysville Elementary in the areas of robotics and programming during the McGuffey school day. Key partners included Tom Sarver (Resident Artist) and The Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh.
What What Why: Stories of Life and Living
$7,500 » Essential Public Media, Inc., 2013 Seed Award project support
What What Why: Stories of Life and Living, a project of Essential Public Media Inc., was a radio podcast series that focused on bridging the gap between generations of Pittsburghers. The city’s two largest demographics were 19 to 34 and 60 to 84, but there were few, if any, spaces where the two groups regularly interacted. Through What What Why, younger and older city residents were put together in conversation through a variety of formats, providing an opportunity to discuss topics ranging from healthcare to dating. Along with the podcast there was additionally a storytelling workshop and performance, with all aspects of the project working to strengthen the city’s social fabric by addressing central misunderstandings rooted in the generation gap.
“What’s Your Favorite Thing About Pittsburgh?”
$1,000, 2013 Film & Video honorarium
What’s Your Favorite Thing About Pittsburgh was a series of 10 animated shorts profiling a selection of Pittsburgh’s fascinating residents and their hobbies, lifestyles, and interests. The shorts were created by recording off-the-cuff interviews with locals about the things they love about Pittsburgh, and using their stories and anecdotes as material for stylized original 3D animations.
“Wheeling Heliocentric Orrery” (2004)
Kevinn Fung, 2004 Community Murals mural
Wheeling Heliocentric Orrery is artist Kevinn Fung’s interpretation of the history of the Lawrenceville area. Beginning on the left of the image with early Native American inhabitants, moving forward to the Civil War soldiers, referencing the Industrial golden age, and finally landing on the contemporary Lawrenceville that is home to a nascent community of artists and designers, the Orrery, a reference to an early solar system model, is represented by the speeding, spinning, spiraling quality of change in time. This mural is placed near the offices of Lawrenceville Corporation, in part of Pittsburgh’s 16:62 Design Zone. The Design Zone stretches from the 16th Street Bridge in the Strip to the 62nd Street Bridge in Upper Lawrenceville, and is home to more than 100 shops, galleries, studios, and professional service firms—a fitting home for public art.
Wheeling Through History
$1,400 » Young Preservationists Association of Pittsburgh, 2005 Seed Award project support
Wheeling Through History, a project of Young Preservationists Association of Pittsburgh, was a tour of the North Side during Young Preservationists’ “Places & Spaces” conference that highlighted the positive aspects of the neighborhood and provided a fun, engaging activity for participants. Young Preservationists duplicated aspects of the event at the National Trust for Historic Preservation in the fall of 2006.
When I Grow Up Summit
$1,050 » Propel Schools Foundation, 2016 One Northside project support
When I Grow Up Summit, a project of Propel Schools Foundation, recognized Kindergarten student achievement at Propel Northside through a culminating career research project and graduation ceremony around the topic ‘When I Grow Up.’ Throughout the month of June community members were invited into the Kindergarten classroom at Propel Northside to share information about their careers and answer questions. At the graduation event students showcased their final projects, modeled career outfits, and were given educational materials to help improve summer learning retention.
Where in the World is West Newton?
$1,000 » Downtown West Newton, Inc., 2014 Grand Ideas project support
Where in the World is West Newton?, a project of Downtown West Newton, Inc., was a self-guided bike/hike tour day in West Newton beginning at the Great Allegheny Passage Trailhead. Participants received a detailed tour map identifying sites to visit, places to eat and things to do, while interesting facts were revealed along the way through a competitive scavenger hunt.
Where is the Culture?
$5,000 » Guiding Star Dance Foundation, 2011 Seed Award project support
Where is the Culture?, a project of Guiding Star Dance Foundation, addressed the racial and religious divides erected by normal people either blinded by rigid social norms or fearful of change. In Where is the Culture?, an Indian immigrant discovers that traditional Indian values-such as respect for elders, honesty in relationships, and appreciation of art-have been disregarded among his Indian family residing in India. Other surprises surface, which ultimately provide the protagonist with a catalyst to persuade his family to reject anger and division and embrace love and acceptance.
White Light
$15,000, 2010 Spark project support
White Light, a project of Amanda Long, was a touring video sculpture composed of red, green and blue animations. As children interacted with it, the projections formed optical patterns of additive color mixing and other properties of light.
Who Will Survive in America?: A Panel On Police & Border Patrol Brutality
$500 » Thomas Merton Center, 2017 100 Days sponsorship
Who Will Survive in America?: A Panel On Police & Border Patrol Brutality, an event hosted by the Thomas Merton Center, was a panel that focused on the connections between border patrol brutality and police brutality with speakers who experienced each. The event took place on 1/23/2017.
“Windows to the Future…” (2010)
Berry Breene, 2010 Community Murals mural
As the only borough to be located in both Allegheny and Westmoreland counties, the Trafford community is unique and rich in history. Founded over a hundred years ago by the Westinghouse Corporation, it served as one of the nation’s oldest planned communities, where many Westinghouse employees resided. The design composed by artist Berry Breene reflects several key elements of Trafford’s past and present. While the train represents the many engineering developments of the Westinghouse Corporation, the rolling hills and brick buildings in the design evoke the natural beauty of the area and its classic small town business district. Additionally, the fisherman corresponds with the BY Park, a frequently used local asset that serves as the location for much of the community’s recreational activity.
The Wise Ones / Community Holiday Play
$1,050 » Brown Chapel A.M.E. Church, 2016 One Northside project support
The Wise Ones / Community Holiday Play, a project of Brown Chapel A.M.E. Church, was a holiday production at the New Hazlett Theater featuring local amateur and professional talent. This production gave local youth a chance to be involved in a professional production, learning things such as the importance of ticket sales and how to write grants. The event also provided a low-cost entertainment option for low- to moderate-income residents, with scholarship tickets given to youth groups.
Women Writers of Northview Heights Documentary
$1,050 » Brenda Boboige, 2016 One Northside project support
Women Writers of Northview Heights Documentary, a project led by Hudson Rush, was the production of a documentary on the Women Writers of Northview Heights. The documentary heightened awareness of the program, promoting positive happenings in the Northview Heights area and welcoming others to see and hear about the women writers’ continued artistic endeavors.
Women’s Voices, Women’s Votes: 250th Anniversary Survey of Women’s Issues
$5,000, 2008 Community Connections project support
Women’s Voices, Women’s Votes: 250th Anniversary Survey of Women’s Issues, a project of Executive Women’s Council of Greater Pittsburgh, brought women’s advocacy organizations from throughout Southwestern Pennsylvania together to identify the top issues of importance to women, outlining a strategic agenda to address these issues with public officials, corporations, educational institutions, and foundations.
WON: Women of the Northside Learning Marketplace Creativity Hubs
$1,050 » Levels Creative Empowerment and Consulting Group, 2016 One Northside project support
WON: Women of the Northside Learning Marketplace Creativity Hubs, a project of Levels Creative Empowerment and Consulting Group, promoted intentional, external change within self, professional work, and community via innovative Learning Marketplace Creativity Hubs. WON’s Learning Marketplace Creativity Hubs were designed to foster and support creativity, guide women to achievable goals, provide shared resources within community, networking and collaboration.
The Wonder of Learning
$3,500 » Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh, 2015 Spark sponsorship
The Wonder of Learning, an event hosted by the Agency for Jewish Learning, was an 8,000 sq. foot exhibition featuring international examples of creative and innovative early childhood learning activities. The exhibition was presented in partnership with Reggio children and local partner PAEYC.
Won’t You Be My Neighbor? Days
$50,000, 2008 Community Connections project support
Won’t You Be My Neighbor? Days, a project of Family Communications, Inc., promoted a series of events honoring Fred Rogers on the 80th anniversary of his birth in March 2008. Won’t You Be My Neighbor? Days featured free or reduced admission to many cultural and educational venues and events across the region and additional programming on how to be a good neighbor.
WordPlay
$10,000, 2011 Spark project support
WordPlay, a project of The Fred Rogers Company, presented a series of educational posters for advertising windows in bus shelters that provided children and their caregivers with cues for entering into conversations, stories, songs, and other language games as well as call, text, and app-based gaming options.
WordPlay
$2,500 » Bricolage Production Company, 2013 Seed Award project support
WordPlay, a project of Bricolage Production Company headed by Alan Olifson, featured actors, comedy writers and everyday people reading their own funny and often poignant true stories with a live DJ score. It took places as a live show, with Olifson working with each reader and DJ to help craft the perfect score. The project was a salon for a new generation; a curated feast of the written word and music. It gave Pittsburgh a chance to share its stories in an exciting way and, by opening the stage to a diverse collection of storytellers and DJs, provide a truly authentic view of the city.
“Worm’s Eye View” (2005)
Kate Bechak, 2005 Community Murals mural
For the inspiration of this mural, artist Kate Bechak only had to look a few blocks away to another Sprout Fund East Liberty mural. Cleverly corresponding and re-casting many of the features of the much more visible and bombastic Lend Me Your Ears, Bechak’s mural relies on subtle wit and charm to make this street-level scene the perfect contextual complement for East Liberty’s artistic and cultural rhythms. Consistent with the graphic sensibilities in Lend Me Your Ears, Worm’s Eye View uses suggestive imagery rather than direct symbols to convey a vision of the neighborhood. Featuring a “blinged out” pigeon with a toe ring and necklace and a portrait of Pittsburgher and legendary composer Billy Strayhorn as the logo on a sneaker, Worm’s Eye View, like its title suggests, picks up the details that the rest of us might miss.
Worms for a Better World
$10,000 » PRC and Construction Junction, 2007 Seed Award project support
Worms for a Better World, a project of the Pennsylvania Resources Council and Construction Junction, was a vermicomposting initiative and community engagement project that used the food waste from the East End Food Co-Op to educate the public about sustainability. Inside Construction Junction (just up the street from the Co-Op), the PRC operated a large urban worm farm, a 4’ x 8’ x 4’ bin where worms compost the organic waste, reproduce and multiply, breaking down the waste while creating fertilizer with their castings and producing more worms to be used in similar projects elsewhere in the city. The worm farm also acted as a learning space, where community members could attend workshops and demonstrations about sustainable vermicomposting and how it can be implemented at home.
W.R. McIlwain Store and Warehouse Mule Barn Preservation Projet
$5,000 » Saltsburg Borough, 2008 Community Connections project support
W.R. McIlwain Store and Warehouse Mule Barn Preservation Project, a project of Saltsburg Borough, improved the structural integrity of the historic W. R. McIlwain Store & Warehouse. This 157-year old structure was locally known as the “mule barn” based on the belief that it once housed mules when the Pennsylvania Canal was in operation. The historic property was part of the original streetscape of one of the two streets in the business district, making it an important component of the downtown revitalization efforts. It was identified by the Young Preservationists’ Association of Pittsburgh as one of the “Top Ten Best Preservation Opportunities for the Pittsburgh Region” in 2007.