Mattress Factory is excited to announce its free community festival, COMMUNITY FEST, celebrating the incredible talent of regional artists, musicians, filmmakers, and vendors!  

This year's Community Fest: The Archives is inspired by the archival material documenting Mattress Factory’s founding in the 1970s as an artist-centered DIY creative space.  In collaboration with Pittsburgh Sound and Image, Community Fest will showcase a selection of 16mm and digital films created primarily by Pittsburgh artists and community members.   

Community Fest: The Archives also takes inspiration from the wide range of processes artists have explored at Mattress Factory over the years. In particular, we are engaging with Luke Stettner’s current exhibition, State of the Sky. At the heart of State of the Sky is the spirit of artistic partnership, shared inquiry, and experimental dialogue. The exhibition includes a functional darkroom custom designed to create photograms, or camera-less photographs, by using the sun. Community Fest: The Archives celebrates analog photographic/film processes and the joy of experimenting with creative collaborators – both in Barbara Luderowski’s storied founding of Mattress Factory and in the development of our current and ever-evolving program.   

This year, we will highlight filmmakers as part of the festival. All juried short films will be screened for the public during the festival. Following the festival, selected short films will be screened at Mattress Factory during open museum hours from Friday, August 2- Sunday, August 4, 2024. 

Event Schedule

1-6 PM: Free admission to museum galleries

Open Archives with Pgh Sound + Image (Museum Lobby)

Vendors + Art Activities (throughout the festival)

1-3 PM: Children’s Theater (Garden)

DJ Formosa (Parking Lot)

Free Ice Cream from Millie’s (Museum Cafe)

Kids Cupcake Decorating (Museum Cafe)

3 PM: *I4A with short films by Natalka Voslakov

(516 Sampsonia Galleries)

4 PM: Glam Hand (Sampsonia Way Stage)

5 PM: *Gina Gory with short films by Tippi Comden

(516 Sampsonia Galleries)

6 PM: BRNDA (Sampsonia Way Stage)

6:30-8 PM: Short Film Fest (Museum Lobby)

Concession Stand (Museum Cafe)

*Note: These events are in locations that are only accessible by via staircase.

Community Fest Partners

Film: Curated by Pittsburgh Sound + Image  

Pittsburgh Sound + Image is a film nonprofit advocating for the tactile and communal. It was formed in 2021 to create a film and video archive and cinema. 

At Community Fest, Pittsburgh Sound + Image will present Open Archives, five hours of continuous, interactive moving image madness! Featuring a media archaeological playground with 16mm, Super 8, filmstrips, 35mm slides, original artworks, and more. This playful, tactilely rich happening invites all attendees to put their hands on all the films and gear! 

Also screening at the event: 

• Short films by Tippi Comden 

• Short films by Natalka Voslakov 

• Spang's First Century: A Record of the Past by Lang Film Co. 

REGIONAL SHORT FILMS BY

Pria Dahiya 
Lily Ekimian Ragheb & Ahmed T. Ragheb
Sidney Mullis
Taylor Raye and Alyssa Waldron
Silver Kim
Dylan Cooper
Ségolène Pihut
Genevieve Shade and Ben Rehrman
Trevor King
Imirah Tibbs
Kate Myers
Emma Kish, Sam Moose, Simone Martel
Gia Abucejo
Robert Buncher
Cullen J. Sanchez
Yani He
Doug MacDowell
Luna Rutkowski
Ashton Polak
Toby Fraley
Asher OBriant
Michael Maraden
Abhishek Viswanathan
Elizabeth Seamans and Joe Seamans
Michael Bagnato
Trevin Hammerbeck
Jack Praksti
Valerie Herrero
Nina Ruffini
Parker Donaldson
Lindsey Shaw
Josh Vieth
Molly McCaffery and Lucy Clare Pauchnik
Michael Shteyn and Roman Shteyn
Hounds
David Bernabo
Ellie Visnesky
Charles Adamson and Applesauce Boys
Matthew Torti
Emmalee Brammer 

Vendors: Curated by Pittsburgh Vintage Mixer 

The Pittsburgh Vintage Mixer is a one-of-a-kind genuine vintage vendor fair that melds community, creative inspiration and nostalgia. This curated, authentic vintage fair gathers the best local and regional sellers of genuine vintage fashion, home goods, décor, vintage vinyl, toys, games, sports memorabilia, Pittsburgh memorabilia, and much more!  

The Mixer began in 2012 on the Northside by bringing together local collectors and small vintage businesses under one roof - creating a space to connect with vendors selling a wide variety of vintage items for all styles and budgets. Bess Dunlevy, Jason Sumney, and Michael Lutz are the founders and work together as directors and managers of the event and all associated partnerships. 

Vendors including...

• PGH Vintage Mixer
• Cameo Vintage
• Mill Street Vintage
• Side Hustles Vintage
• Who New? Retro and Mod Decor
• Vallozzi Styling

Musical performances by... 

• BRNDA
• Gina Gory
• Glam Hand
• I4A 
• Formosa 

Activities by... 

• Assemble
• Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild
• Workshop PGH
• Irma Freeman Center 
• Mattress Factory

featuring Food & Beverages

• Lo Bar Cocktail Services
• Badamo’s Pizza
• Allegheny City Brewing
• Dahntahn Dogs 

Also featuring... 

• Hilltop Urban Farm 
• Laurie Trok Studios
• Megalon’s Stained Glass
• Melissa Sade Designs 
• Government Center
• Bryce Hemington Pottery