our task, regarding creativity, is to help children climb their own mountains, as high as possible. No one can do more.
Loris Malaguzzi
creator and developer of the Reggio Emilia Approach
tough art exhibit
Tough Art is an annual exhibit started in 2007 featuring interactive artwork created by artists during a summer residency at the Children’s Museum. The program challenges artists to design durable, engaging pieces that withstand interaction from children, emphasizing hands-on prototyping and direct visitor impact.
Questions on Tough Art? Contact Lacey Murray, Associate Director of Creative Experiences, submissions@pittsburghkids.org
the 2025 Tough Artists have been selected!
The 2024 Tough Artists’ pieces can be seen in MuseumLab next door to the Children’s Museum
learn more
more on Tough Art
past tough artists
Isaac Levine
Miranda Miller and Lumi Barron
Neil Mendoza
Arvid Tomayko and H. Gene Thompson
Megan Flod Johnson
Shohei Katayama
Robert Zacharias
Danny Bracken
Rachel Buse
Ann Tarantino
Jenna Boyles
Jesse Kauppila and Dakotah Konicek
Lindsay Packer
Stephanie Ross
Chris Beauregard
Katie Ford
Scott Garner
Isla Hansen and Luke Loeffler
John Peña
Scott Andrew & Jonathan Armistead
Jeremy Boyle & Kevin Clancy
Will Schlough
Felipe Castelblanco
Jennifer Myers and Daniel Luchman
Zach Dorn
Christina Zaris
Anneka Herre
Ian Ingram
Matt Mets
Jennifer Van Winkle
Ben Bigelow
David Butts
Rick Gribenas
Wendy Osher
Eileen Maxson
Joey Hayes
Greg Witt
Matt Barton
tough art @ home
Duing the COVID pandemic, we transitioned our Tough Art residency to a virtual experience in Summer 2020. It yielded such interesting work that we continued it in 2021.
Selected artists created art-making activities related to and inspired by their artwork/process for people to engage with at home or wherever they might be.