Highmark and the Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation Ignite Community Spirit with Unique Hockey Stick Art Installation designed and built by Wicked Pittsburgh

Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield and the Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation brought this unique art installation to PPG Paints Arena during the 2024.25 season to showcase the power of community and youth sports. The display was unveiled at the Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Minnesota Wild game on Tuesday, October 29.

Designed and built by Wicked Pittsburgh, the 8'x8' installation is a testament to the ongoing partnership between Highmark and the Penguins Foundation to revitalize the historic Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Hunt Armory and the diverse community that benefits from this 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 attendees since opening.

The art installation features a collection of hockey sticks:

• Pittsburgh LGBTQ+ Tigers representing the inclusivity and diversity of the hockey community.
• Chatham University Women’s Hockey showcasing the growing presence of women in hockey.
• Hunt Armory Youth Hockey providing opportunities for underprivileged youth to learn and play hockey, with four youth teams benefiting from the revitalized facility:
  • Little Penguins Learn to Play: Children ages 5 to 9 learn fundamental hockey skills.
  • Continue to Play: Children ages 7 to 11 continue their skill development.
  • Pittsburgh Public School Obama Eagles Hockey: Students in grades 6-8 receive full equipment and participate in an after-school program.
  • Pittsburgh I.C.E. (Inclusion Creates Equality): This organization provides opportunities for children of all socio-economic backgrounds to learn hockey and life skills.
• Pittsburgh Penguins: Bryan Rust, a two-time Stanley Cup Champion, donated his stick from the April 6, 2024, game against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

This unique art piece 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.

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 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 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.