Winners of 2026 Downtown Placemaking Grant Announced!

Winners of 2026 Downtown Placemaking Grant Announced! Nine grants awarded to activate downtown public spaces through diverse and engaging experiences in 2026 and 2027   Downtown Pittsburgh – The Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership’s (PDP) Placemaking Grant , with generous support from Citizens , has awarded nine grants to a selected crop of local entrepreneurs, creatives, civic groups, and non-profit organizations to activate public spaces with community events, art activations, and youth-led programming in 2026 and 2027.    The nine winning concepts were chosen out of more than 60 applicants and include public art activations, curated artists’ markets, a sustainable fashion design competition, community engagement featuring Argentine dance, and a youth-led multi-disciplinary initiative presented by the Boys & Girls Clubs of Western Pennsylvania . Projects will be completed within the next year.    “We are thrilled to have received an amazing number of quality applications for this year’s Citizen’s Placemaking Grant,” said Jack Dougherty, Senior Director of Strategic Partnerships at the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership. “Each and every applicant brought something truly special to Downtown. The projects we chose will bring Downtown diverse and inclusive events, highlight the voices of our youth, support small businesses, and enhance the public realm of the Golden Triangle.”    Citizens is once again supporting the PDP’s Placemaking Grant, marking its second year as a supporter of the program, with this new investment. Since launching in 2024, PDP has provided 37 grants to support creative projects and people from around the region.    See past winners here! “The strength of Pittsburgh comes from the passion and creativity of the people who call it home,” said Lisa Gillespie, Pittsburgh Retail Market Executive, Citizens. “At Citizens, we’re committed to supporting the people, organ