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Highmark commissioned artist group Wicked Pittsburgh to build this installation during the 2024 – 2025 season. Wicked Pittsburgh collected real hockey sticks from a range of hockey teams across the region to create this 8’ x 8’ installation that was unveiled during the Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Minnesota Wild game on Tuesday, October 29. It serves as a reminder of the power of collaboration and the positive impact it can have on communities, bringing people together through the shared love of sports, health, and well-being.
The hockey sticks that created this piece came from:
The installation, officially titled “From Ice to Art: Highmark’s Celebration of Community” is a testament to the partnership between Highmark and the Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation to revitalize the historic Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Hunt Armory and the diverse community that benefits from the facility. A grant awarded through the Highmark Bright Blue Futures corporate giving and community involvement program has transformed the armory into a thriving community hub, offering accessible hockey programs and public skating that has welcomed over 50,000 people since its opening.
Wicked Pittsburgh is a group of 50+ local artists creating work to give 20% back to a rotating local Pittsburgh charity initiative. Their founder, Mike Schwarz, spent months running around the city collecting sticks from the various teams, which are a vital element of this project.
“We could’ve easily just gone to Dick’s and bought 100 sticks. That seemed like a cop-out,” he said. “We were like, ‘Why don’t we go and benefit these teams?’ They have all of these broken sticks sitting in their equipment room, and now they’ll be able to replace those sticks with money from the project.
“Without everything from the Tigers – which are all the rainbow sticks – the Little Penguins sticks, Rust’s stick and all these components, I don’t think it would be nearly as special.”
The two muralists who collaborated on this project, Max Gonzales and Shane Pilster, have made over 100 pieces of art together, but this is the first for hockey.
About Highmark Inc.
An independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, Highmark Inc., together with its Blue-branded affiliates, collectively comprise the fifth largest overall Blue Cross Blue Shield-affiliated organization in the country with approximately 7 million members in Pennsylvania, Delaware, West Virginia and western and northeastern New York. Its diversified businesses serve group customer and individual needs across the United States through dental insurance and other related businesses. For more information, visit www.highmark.com.
About Highmark Bright Blue Futures
The Highmark Bright Blue Futures program is designed to ensure healthier, brighter, stronger futures for all, and it focuses on improving equitable access to care, quality of life, and economic resilience in the communities the enterprise serves.
Highmark Bright Blue Futures prioritizes programs and initiatives that empower youth to lead healthy, balanced lives. We support organizations like Girls on the Run, Kaboom! playground builds, and the Highmark SportsWorks at the Carnegie Science Center, ensuring access to physical activity, safe recreational spaces, and healthy habits. We also support organizations that provide healthy activities for the entire family, including parks, recreation centers, and programs like Parks Rx. We are proud to partner with organizations like the Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation, who share our commitment to youth health and wellness.
Through our Highmark Bright Blue Futures program, we nurture creative and vibrant communities. We believe in the power of art to heal, inspire, and connect communities. We invest in programs and initiatives that bring creativity and economic opportunity to our region, enriching the lives of all people. We support a wide range of arts and cultural organizations and events, from orchestras and children's museums to community-driven creative projects and festivals like Juneteenth celebrations, Celebrate Erie, Highmark Light Up Night and the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust’s First Night. We partner with organizations like the August Wilson African American Cultural Center, a vital hub for artistic expression and cultural preservation, on events like the Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival.
Specifically, this program aims to improve outcomes in two critical areas: Community Health and Community and Economic Resilience through corporate giving and employee volunteerism. For more information, visit www.highmark.com/brightbluefutures.
About Wicked Pittsburgh
Wicked Pittsburgh is a group of 50+ local artists creating work to give 20% back to a rotating local Pittsburgh charity initiative. Our mural team, interactive installation team, and general artist roster is comprised of creatives from 38 Pittsburgh neighborhoods. Wicked's artists have completed major commissions & murals for the Pittsburgh International Airport, Pittsburgh University, Kennywood Park, Highmark, Allegheny Health Network, Nordstroms, McKeesport Recreation, and The Innovation District to name a few. Since Wicked's inception in 2017, we have been able to payout over $197,000 to local artists, and $28,000 to local charities. Wicked exists to empower artists, inspire regional cross-city collaboration, advocate for fair wages, and strengthen the Pittsburgh creative community. Learn more at www.wickedpgh.com.
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