The 3 Rivers Screenwriters Conference is a 3-day educational event that provides a unique opportunity for aspiring film and television writers, filmmakers, students and film buffs to participate in seminars, panel and round-table discussions with top film and television writers, directors, independent and documentary filmmakers, producers and award-winning screenwriting educators.

Attendees will learn various aspects of writing for the screen and stage, and story development while listening to the stories and experiences of the panelists. It’s a small, intimate conference that provides a supportive community as well as incredible networking opportunities.

The 3 Rivers Screenwriters Conference is currently a self-funded and developed project by Founder & Director, Cathy Rescher of Mob Communications, LLC. We’re please to have New Sun Rising acting as the project’s fiscal sponsor. Other sponsors currently include Final Draft, Stage 32, Screencraft, Point Park University, The Beauty Shoppe, Small Change, Imagebox, Row House Cinema and Visit Pittsburgh.

“Where the gallery meets the club.” “Festival as laboratory.” These are just some of the ways the VIA experience has been described. Founded in 2010, VIA is an annual festival where you can experience adventurous music & digital art. In collaboration with community partners, VIA brings together new combinations of local & international artists for performances, interactive projects, exhibitions, lectures, workshops, and dancing into the wee hours of the night.

With a WELLNESS approach we will meet the holistic needs of a person.
We will share HOPE for a desire of change.
We will provide OPPORTUNITIES for individuals to grow & develop a sense of self.
We will express LOVE for all people.
We will create a learning environment by EMBRACING all cultures.

W.H.O.L.E. Unity is a nonprofit organization created to establish resources & guidance for minorities in the areas of health, nutrition, beauty, education & life skills. Serving Indiana County, the org is designed to embrace different cultures, creating a platform to learn & share with other. W.H.O.L.E. Unity is dedicated to building the community & breaking down barriers.

Inside Our Minds is a peer-controlled, radical mental health organization that works to elevate the voices of people with lived experience of mental illness, madness, and other conceptualizations of mental health. Inside Our Minds serves the Pittsburgh region through free, community-based radical mental health programming:

The Radical Mental Health Series, recurring educational workshops that focus on a social justice perspective of mental illness. Radical mental health supports more inclusive and diverse perspectives of mental health, prioritizing the voices of local activists and advocates with lived experience as educators and experts. The Radical Mental Health Series works to educate the public and provide a space for the open discussion of radical mental health topics to promote shared understanding and anti-oppressive practices in mental health. This series is made possible through funding from the Opportunity Fund.

Anonymous Open Mic, an expressive storytelling project working to build a community narrative around mental health in Pittsburgh. Community members are invited to submit a poem, spoken word piece, or short story about mental health, mental illness, madness, substance use / addiction, trauma, or a similar experience to perform at the event. Community members also have the option to submit their piece anonymously and have a volunteer perform the piece live on their behalf. This series is made possible through funding from the Sprout Fund and Staunton Farm Foundation.

Mental Health Cafe, a monthly community conversation on mental health, mental illness, and madness over coffee and treats. Mental Health Cafe focuses on informal discussions and friendly mutual aid in a welcoming space for all.

The Radical Mental Health Reading Group, a monthly informal discussion on different texts in radical mental health, for people of all educational and professional backgrounds (no experience in academia, professional mental health settings, or similar positions is required).

McKoy Creative is one of 9 organizations chosen for CTSI’s WORDOUT: Community Research Dissemination Challenge. The WORDOUT challenge is an opportunity for community focused organizations to creatively disseminate research from multiple scientific disciplines. Given that the average time it takes for research to reach the communities they would most benefit is 17 years, researchers need all the help they can get to get the word out in a way that is informative, relevant & easy to understand.

For our part, McKoy Creative (with support from New Sun Rising) is constructing an interactive art installation that disseminates information and combats the stigma surrounding mental & behavioral health. Contextual Camouflage aims to transform research into a living narrative using a web based application, GIS technology, and user input to paint a picture of the prevalence of mental disorders in the community. The project will show that anyone, anywhere around you could be living with a mental disorder and you wouldn’t even know it, whilst also showing those that live with mental disorders that they are not alone. We will also provide educational, outreach, preventative resources for the community.