Sprout Fund Awards Grant to ALT & Jim West for Unveiling Event

December 16, 2016

For Immediate Release

Sewickley, PA – The Sprout Fund granted $1,000 to Allegheny Land Trust (ALT) for a June 2017 sculpture unveiling event by local artist Jim West at Sycamore Island.

Named “Our Path” for its commentary on two-way human and nature impact, West’s sculpture will be the first installed on an Allegheny Land Trust green space.

Our Path’s unveiling will bring local community members to the unique, river island to absorb the nature-inspired sculpture, enjoy a 1-mile oral history hiking tour of the island’s perimeter and to hear about the future for both the sculpture and the island.

“If done right, [art] gives the viewer what I call ‘the second look.’ You look away and then suddenly you look back; you see something else. And you think about it the next day,” West said. “I hope that is what I can achieve through my art.”

Sycamore Island is a 14-acre conservation area located in the Allegheny River between Blawnox and Verona boroughs. ALT protected the island in 2008, and has since created a management plan, trail system and volunteer base.

The Sprout Fund is Pittsburgh’s leading agency supporting innovative ideas, catalyzing community change, and making our region a better place to live, work, play, and raise a family.

Sprout provides critical financial support for projects and programs in the early stages of development—when just a small amount of investment has the potential to yield big results in the community.  The unveiling of Our Path was supported by a $1,000 Grand Ideas grant from The Sprout Fund’s Seed Award program.

Learn more at www.sproutfund.org/grand-ideas.

For more information, contact Lindsay Dill at 412.741.2750 x206 or ldill@alleghenylandtrust.org.