About PopUp! Pittsburgh | PopUp! Pittsburgh

What is it?

PopUp! Pittsburgh is the shape that the Community Impact Project (CIP) has taken in some of our LDI classes, where a hands on project serves as a key component of the LDI program.

CIP provides a “real-world” and hands-on opportunity for leadership skill practice and development. This living, breathing “case-study” is undertaken by the group of high potential emerging leaders of LDI, working together with a defined regional neighborhood’s stakeholders, to deliver significant value to the host neighborhood/s, its people and businesses. The development, design and execution of PopUp! Pittsburgh/CIP provides highly talented and motivated emerging leaders from our region’s corporate, public and nonprofit sectors opportunities to hone the skills/strategies taught throughout the program year while getting to know a neighborhood at a deep level and engaging civically.

Initial planning time for CIP is provided in the first half of the program year. The scale of the project is typically determined by the LDI participants in consultation with the host community’s stakeholders. The project is typically completed by end of May.

Past CIP/PopUp! Pittsburgh projects were all very unique – one focused around the filming of a zombie movie called Spineview, another involved pulling off a mass wedding vow renewal to celebrate love in the community, a 5K and community festival in Mt. Washington’s Emerald View park system, one focused on “shining a light” on Larimer with a laser show, another was focused around fresh produce in the community, a community festival in Wilkinsburg which told the story about the neighborhood’s past, present and future and one physically showcased the faces of the Carrick neighborhood as a part of an international art installation program. CIPs have drawn significant positive attention to the assets of the host community from those who live there as well as others who may not be as familiar with the neighborhoods.

The Purpose of POPUP! PITTSBURGH

PopUp! Pittsburgh is a project undertaken by a group of high potential emerging leaders enrolled in the Leadership Development Initiative program of Leadership Pittsburgh Inc. It is designed to draw upon their leadership skills and work, over a period of several months, with a defined neighborhood’s stakeholders to highlight the assets of the neighborhood while prioritizing the needs expressed by the stakeholders.

PopUp! Pittsburgh can bring together the community’s residents and visitors in new ways that encourage appreciation of the neighborhood’s assets. The development, design and execution of PopUp! Pittsburgh provides emerging leaders from our region’s corporate, public and nonprofit sectors participating in the LDI cohort opportunities to hone the skills/strategies taught throughout the program while serving the community. It is learning leadership through civic engagement at its best!