Pittsburgh Festival of Lights Brightens City’s Skyline

From the Roberto Clemente Bridge to Penn Avenue in the Cultural District, Duquesne Light has spearheaded special projects that have shed new light on downtown Pittsburgh. The company helped the city shine like never before during the "Pittsburgh Festival of Lights." Sponsored by the company, the festival ran from June 5 to July 8 as part of the yearlong "Pittsburgh Celebrates Glass!" event. It showcased the unique work of Artlumiere, founded by noted French lighting artist Lucette de Rugy. By using state-of-the-art technology to project large-scale images, de Rugy takes advantage of existing architecture to transform the façades of buildings into true works of art. She's brought these colorful, distinct designs to sites throughout the world. The Pittsburgh installation of Artlumiere's work was the largest of its kind in the country. City sites serving as huge canvases for these eye-catching creations included: Duquesne Light's 411 Seventh Avenue corporate headquarters (as viewed from Liberty Avenue); the historic Omni William Penn Hotel at 530 William Penn Pl. Katz Plaza, at the corner of Penn Avenue and Seventh Street (near the Benedum Center); and the Highmark building (old Horne’s building) at Penn Avenue Place. Following are photographs taken during the opening night of the festival:
Morgan O'Brien, third from left, Duquesne Light president and chief executive officer, and French lighting artist Lucette de Rugy, flip a giant switch, unveiling the four main exhibits for the "Pittsburgh Festival of Lights."
	The lighting display above Katz Plaza at the corner of Penn Avenue and Seventh Street.
	Duquesne Light's 411 Seventh Avenue corporate headquarters, as seen from Liberty Avenue.
The stunning façade of the Omni William Penn Hotel, as viewed from Mellon Square.
	A kaleidoscope of colors splashes across the Highmark building (old Horne's building) in a view from Stanwix Street.
To learn more about Pittsburgh Celebrates Glass, visit www.pittsburghcelebrates.org.