Capital Campaign - ALMA

A NEW CHAPTER FOR ALMA | LEWIS

Over the past several years, ALMA | LEWIS has emerged as a vital platform for artists of the African diaspora. Through exhibitions, fellowships, and public programs, the organization supports artists at pivotal moments in their careers while fostering constructive dialogue, and creative expression dedicated to Black culture

At a time when the voices of Black artists are essential, and art’s ability to communicate across racial, social, and economic divides feels increasingly urgent, this work remains central to ALMA | LEWIS’s mission.

As the organization’s reach has grown, the limitations of its current space have become increasingly clear. A new, larger facility will allow ALMA | LEWIS to deepen its commitment to artists while welcoming a broader public into its work in meaningful ways.

Located in Pittsburgh’s East End, the new building will triple the organization’s current footprint and significantly expand public access and visibility.

SUPPORT COMMUNITY

Designed with artists and community engagement at its core, the new space will include an expanded gallery, artist studios, and dedicated areas for research, education, and gathering.

With its street-front presence, ALMA | LEWIS will open more directly onto the neighborhood, creating a welcoming point of entry for the public. Thoughtful, accessible design will allow artists, scholars, and community members to move easily through the space and engage with its programs.

Photo caption: 3D rendering of new street-front facade and accessible entrance. Courtesy of Penner & Associates Architects.

A GALLERY DESIGNED FOR AMBITIOUS WORK

The new gallery space––double the size of ALMA | LEWIS’s current exhibition area––will enable the organization to present larger and more-indepth exhibitions of artists working across disciplines.

Designed to meet museum-quality standards, the gallery brings ambitious presentations of artists’ work into deeper dialogue with the Pittsburgh community. Continuing ALMA | LEWIS’s commitment, exhibitions will foreground artists whose work explores complex questions of identity, history, and cultural memory,

Photo caption: 3D rendering of the new gallery annex. Courtesy of Penner & Associates Architects.

DIRECT SUPPORT FOR ARTISTS

Over the past five years, the organization has awarded more than $400,000 through its fellowship program, providing unrestricted stipends for cost of living, materials, travel and professional development.

With the opening of the new space, ALMA | LEWIS will support twice as many early- to mid-career artists and double its financial investment in fellowships over the next five years. In doing so, it will continue to strengthen Pittsburgh’s cultural landscape and connect local audiences to broader artistic conversations.

Photo caption: 3D rendering of the new staff break room. Courtesy of Penner & Associates Architects.

THE BLACK ARCHIVE

A central feature of the new building is The Black Archive, a non-circulating research collection dedicated to Black arts, culture, and history.

As a comprehensive archive and research tool, the collection brings together rare books, exhibition catalogs, ephemera, and artworks that document the breadth of Black creative practice and intellectual life.

Designed as both a research resource and a gathering space, The Black Archive will welcome scholars, artists, writers, and community members seeking to engage with these materials.

Photo caption: 3D rendering of The Black Archive and welcome education lounge. Courtesy of Penner & Associates Architects.

CAMPAIGN IMPACT

Triple the organization’s physical footprint
Double the number of artists supported through fellowships
Increase financial investment in artists over the next five years
Expand exhibition and programmatic capacity
Establish The Black Archive as a research and public resource
Increase public access to Black arts and culture in Pittsburgh

Support Our Capital Campaign

Photo caption: 3D rendering of the new 1,500 SF gallery space with 13 ft. high ceilings. Courtesy of Penner & Associates Architects.

ALMA | LEWIS is a place - not a building. Our mantra is "come and be present." And many have come—on a moment's invitation, to standing room only, on frigid days, or out of curiosity.

We welcome your support to be able to open our doors wider so more can discover our community and the meaning inside.

Kary Arimoto-Mercer Board Chair, ALMA | LEWIS