Friendship Development Associates Supports Pittsburgh's First Art and Technology Festival--The GA/GI

Further building the award-winning Penn Avenue arts corridor, the Friendship Development Associates is lending its support to Festival Coordinator, Christine Bethea, owner of the ARTica Gallery in creating a Geek Arts and Green Innovators Festival(GAGI/ GAH-gee) slated for Friday, April 2, 2010 during Penn Avenue's popular First Friday art crawl. The plan is to turn nearly all the galleries and businesses along the Penn Avenue Arts District corridor into a virtual pantheon of arts technology and "green" expositions. Buildings will become canvases supporting projected film, active art and live theatre; there will be Robotics and salvage art exhibitions; a "green" car show; and there are even plans for a fashion show featuring natural, recycled and LED lit clothing.

"We want to talk to anyone who has an interest in showcasing their green or high tech products and inventions; we want to showcase the city's geek and green artists," said Bethea. "We want to include new ideas whether they're in digital or dirt." Bethea was already planning a "green" special event, when she attended a cyber electronics class sponsored by Hack Pittsburgh. From there the idea sparked and was fueled by conversations with Elizabeth Perry, a Technology Specialist from the Ellis School, now a enthusiastic member of the GAGI Team. Persons interested in participating should contact the GAGI production group at passports.art@gmail.com