The Rotunda Collaborative: A project of the Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation

The regeneratively-restored, historic sanctuary of the former B’nai Israel synagogue, the Rotunda, will become a flexible and dynamic community and performing arts center that can accommodate up to 500 people. The Rotunda Collaborative, a new nonprofit, will animate the space through programming and events that build and draw upon relationships between artists, neighbors and local institutions and organizations. Bringing past and present together, this new commons will allow opportunities to envision and work towards creating an equitable and sustainable future of community resiliency.

The arts organization members of the Rotunda Collaborative will share staffing and resources, allowing them to focus on creating and presenting performances and programs that bring diverse groups of people together to share and celebrate their stories in a welcoming space. Collaborative members will use the arts to connect and cultivate relationships that strengthen the fabric of the East End of Pittsburgh. The Rotunda space will also be available for community gatherings, as well as for private events such as weddings, milestone celebrations, conferences and interfaith gatherings.

Breathing new life into a cultural gathering space.

The sanctuary of the former B’nai Israel synagogue was meant to be a spiritual space where all who walked through its doors would have access to the divine. While ensuring that the Rotunda is a place where all are welcome, we seek to bring a sense of awe to community building through music, dance, theater, and more. In essence, we want to make the space sing again, with many different voices.

Artist Collaborative

We are inviting arts organizations that prioritize collaboration to enliven the Rotunda by becoming part of the Rotunda Collaborative. The multidisciplinary Collaborative will design the Rotunda’s annual program of performances and events. The Rotunda will in turn work with its neighboring arts organizations to further enrich arts and culture in the East End.

Community Engagement

Our artists will engage the community by investing in arts education and internship opportunities for youth and those seeking training opportunities in arts spaces. We will aim to integrate with the surrounding community by building strong partnerships with local schools, after-school programs, and job training programs.

Rentals

Our beautiful arts sanctuary will be available to rent for weddings and other ceremonies, corporate and private events, social justice gatherings, and multi-faith services.

Bringing communities together through the arts, social justice, and climate justice.

The Rotunda works for environmental and social sustainability. Our arts space will be committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion in all we do including program development, staffing, and Collaborative membership. The N Negley Ave property is being redeveloped to rigorous Passive House standards. Our goal is to be a demonstration site for sustainable practices.

Get Involved

We want to hear from you! Please visit our Get Involved page to learn how to be a part of the conversation around the Rotunda Collaborative.

Get Involved