Former Wilkinsburg elementary school to become performance arts, community hub

The former Johnston Elementary School in Wilkinsburg is getting new life as a performance arts and community hub.

The Community Forge venue is set to break ground in early 2025, with the opening planned for 2026.

“People expressed interest in more evening events, nights out and food options, so we’ll have a café component,” said Mike Skirpan, executive director of Community Forge. “It’s something that local residents want and show up for.”

He noted that there aren’t many affordable venues for local performing arts, particularly small venues. The East End’s proximity to growing communities like Penn Hills makes it an ideal location.

The library and gymnasium of the former school will turn into a 10,000-square-foot space that houses a 130-seat theater, multi-purpose lounge and community room, as well as a cafe that will serve the public.

Skirpan said a major goal is to reshape the narrative around Wilkinsburg. He said places like Wilkinsburg have been largely disinvested in and are often seen through a lens of blight rather than recognized for their rich cultural histories.

“We want to reintroduce that light,” he said. “We want people to get to know Wilkinsburg in a positive way and tap into its rich history.”

In addition to built-in programming like open mic nights, there will be opportunities to rent the space.

Anqwenique Kinsel, vocalist and co-founder of KinselLand with her husband DS Kinsel, has worked on several projects with Community Forge over the past few years. Kinsel used the basement of the space for a play in 2018, utilizing the gymnasium and an old library as part of an immersive experience. Since then, they have maintained a strong relationship with Community Forge programs and partners. When Community Forge reached out about the early planning stages for the new venue, the Kinsels were thrilled.

“They know our style and the type of art we create, and how we try to be versatile across disciplines in our work. When you have a partner who gets your vibe, it makes the process easier,” Anqwenique Kinsel said.

Kinsel said Community Forge has continued to invest in the open mic project and is deeply committed to supporting artists in meaningful ways.

“They are willing to invest in programs that the community is actively responding to,” she said.

As a vocalist, Kinsel is particularly excited about the Soul Lounge, which aims to fill the void left in 2013 by East Liberty’s Shadow Lounge, a performance venue that catered to hip-hop and reggae artists, singer-songwriters and electric dance parties.

“Creating a space for R&B and soul musicians here in Pittsburgh and Wilkinsburg, and hopefully nationally as well, will provide a space to consistently celebrate this type of music,” Kinsel said.

She noted that while Pittsburgh has deep jazz roots, other genres like R&B, soul and hip-hop don’t always receive the same recognition.

“We know Pittsburgh is an incubator of talent. This will provide an infrastructure to help artists get their names out,” she said. “We see a lot of ‘drop in and drop out’ where organizations bring something cool and expect people to love it.”

However, Kinsel added that Community Forge has been serving the community in a variety of ways, not just creatively. Their services include the CURE Violence program, youth work, a daycare, a mobile food pantry and a Business Services Center.

The new cultural center will also be an intergenerational space, with input from elders.

Tami Dixon, producing artistic director for Bricolage Production Company, is also involved in the project. She and her husband, Jeffrey Carpenter had a theater space downtown for 20 years. After the pandemic, they found a home with Community Forge.

The couple plans to donate their furniture and theater equipment to the new cultural center.

“We came on board because there is a need for what we had. We don’t want it to disappear from the Pittsburgh landscape,” Dixon said.

Dixon believes art saves lives and offers healing.

“What stories that haven’t been amplified will now get the chance to be told because of this space,” she said.

Kinsel is optimistic and expects a great response.

“We want to reflect back to the community an identity they recognize,” she said. “You do that by knowing your neighbors and building with them.”