Experience the nostalgia of the summer of 1984 at our exhibition Forty Years Later: Revisiting the 1984 Three Rivers Arts Festival. On view from May 31–August 25, 2024 at 707 Penn Gallery, this exhibition will transport you back to a vibrant period of time marked by cultural milestones, political tension, and a sense of optimism.

Against the backdrop of geopolitical tensions and societal transformations, the 1984 Three Rivers Arts Festival stood as a beacon of cultural celebration in Pittsburgh. Over the course of seventeen days, the festival welcomed over half a million visitors and showcased the work of 570 artists working in the mediums of painting, graphics, sculpture, public art, photography, film, and video. That summer, to commemorate the festival’s 25th anniversary, the festival commissioned five nationally renowned photographers – William Eggleston, Mark Cohen, Len Jenshel, Lynn Johnson, and Joel Meyerowitz, to document the festival. This exhibition presents this commissioned portfolio of photographs in its totality alongside material from the Three Rivers Arts Festival archive.

Forty years later, join us as we revisit this iconic moment in Pittsburgh’s history, celebrating the legacy of the Three Rivers Arts Festival and the vibrant cultural tapestry of our city.

Forty Years Later: Revisiting the 1984 Three Rivers Arts Festival is organized and presented by the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust.

Image: Lynn Johnson, Three Rivers Arts Festival Performer, 1984, chromogenic print, 6 1/4 x 9 3/8 inches.