The Center for Creativity

The Center for Creativity is a collaborative effort between The Allegheny Intermediate Unit and Intermediate Unit 1 (serving Washington, Greene and Fayette Counties).  The initiative, generously funded by The Benedum Foundation grew out of the Intermediate Units’ involvement in the burgeoning movement in the Pittsburgh region around Kids and Creativity where area organizations involved in both formal and informal education (like The Idea Foundry, CMU’s Robotics Institute, Allegheny County Libraries and The Pittsburgh Technology Council) are joining forces in collaborative projects and the promotion of the Pittsburgh region as the best area in which to raise children.

The Center is currently working on two inaugural projects, a digital playground for teachers and a year-long Speaker Series.  The digital playground is a place where educators will have the opportunity to tinker and explore new technology and learn about how other educators are using existing technology in new ways. Taking cues from the DIY and hacker-space movements, we hope this digital playground will be a way to not only inspire and empower teachers on how to best use technology in their classrooms, but ignite teachers’ own creative spirits and curiosity around instruction and innovation.  The iCON Speaker Series: Conversations on Education, Technology and Creativity is a partnership with the Pittsburgh Technology Council’s Creative Technology Network.  We’re bringing national leaders in Education Technology to Pittsburgh for a series of talks that will inspire and raise awareness about the evolving intersections of creativity, education and technology.

The Center is working to connect the region’s diverse and creative resources with educators, administrators as they infuse arts and technology in creative and inventive ways into curriculum and will be the region’s go-to creativity-hub for preK-12 educators.