This year’s Thrival Innovation will be held in Pittsburgh’s East
End on Sept. 27 and 28 at the Ace Hotel, Kelly Strayhorn Theater,
Bakery Square and the Carnegie Museum of Art. Thrival Innovation
will feature two full days of programming and events centered on
“Intelligence: Humans X Tech,” focusing on the relationship between
humans and technology.
Thrival Music will be held at Carrie Furnaces on Sept. 29 and
30. “The Carrie Furnaces site is special for Thrival Music because
the space literally represents the physical and philosophical
transformation of our entire region,” explains Law. “The furnaces no
longer produce hot metal, but the facility now contributes to new
economic growth and creativity. Carrie remains a significant element
of our culture and we’re proud to partner with Rivers of Steel, the
nonprofit dedicated to preserving the site.”
Thrival Music has always been cross-genre and eclectic. The
approach is to avoid having the festival serve one particular
audience or taste. Each year, audiences hear a mixture of sounds and
orchestration — from hip-hop to electronic, alt-indie, funk and more.
“Additionally, Thrival Music has always grabbed a lot of attention
because, simply put, it’s a lot of fun and really cool,” notes Law. “On
the site, attendees can check out vendors, interactive activities, food
trucks, tours inside the Carrie Furnaces and more.”
Thrival involves hundreds of people and dozens of organizations
all working together toward a common goal. Whether it’s local and
regional government partners, universities, community groups,
startups, corporate sponsors, musicians, innovators or the many
volunteers who offer their time and skills, Thrival partners all bring
something unique to the table that helps the festival succeed year in
and year out.
Thrival Innovation + Music Festival has seen a lot of great change
over the past five years, with the size and scale of Thrival Music as
the most obvious difference. The festival had over 14,000 attendees
last year, compared to 1,500+ attendees when it started in 2013.
There were four music acts in the first year, and nearly 20 acts will be
featured in 2017. The acts also continue to get bigger and bigger. This
year, the festival’s headliners are Wiz Khalifa, Logic, Carnage, GRiZ
and Two Door Cinema Club, with Kyle, Kiiara, TokiMonsta and
more.
“IF YOU BELIEVE IN THE POWER
OF NEW IDEAS AND CREATIVITY,
THEN THRIVAL IS FOR YOU.”
For Thrival Innovation, the first (and only) programs in 2013
were thought talks and demos prior to the music. It was only a
few hours long. Now, Thrival Innovation is two days, and will host
dozens of national and international technology and innovation
leaders, with over 15 programs and events. The “marquee” Thrival
Innovation event will be hosted at the Carnegie Museum of Art on
Thursday, Sept. 28, where the entire museum will feature an array
of interactive, artificial intelligence-inspired exhibits and demos, as
well as keynote talks.
The proceeds from Thrival (tickets, sponsorships, food/
beverage sales) go to support Ascender and its mission. Each
year, the size of the festival grows—and so does the budget—but
whatever remaining funds subsidize the incubator program,
community events and nonprofit operations.
“If you believe in the power of new ideas and creativity, then
Thrival is for you,” says Law. “As a rule, we are always open to new
partners and collaborators. Each year, there are new faces and new
organizations helping make Thrival a reality.”
For more information, visit thrivalfestival.com. Follow Thrival
on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. To learn more about
Ascender and its mission, visit ascenderpgh.com. n
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