NFL Spotlights Pittsburgh Artists and City-Inspired Creative Activations for 2026 NFL Draft Presented by Bud Light

With the 2026 NFL Draft presented by Bud Light set for April 23-25, the NFL announced its artist partnerships and creative activations that spotlight Pittsburgh’s vibrant art, design and sports culture. The league will collaborate with two Pittsburgh artists with distinct genres and mediums, who will each create pieces that honor all 32 clubs; design a stunning projection show on the centrally located Wyndham Hotel; and visually welcome fans in NFL Draft creative throughout the region.

“The NFL Draft is an opportunity to celebrate both the next generation of football talent and the city hosting this moment, and we do that through art, creativity, and storytelling,” said Marissa Solis, NFL senior vice president of global brand and consumer marketing. “By partnering with local artists and weaving the city’s rich sports and cultural identity into Draft celebrations, we’re excited to bring Pittsburgh to life in a visually dynamic way throughout the weekend.”

Celebrating Renowned Local Artists

Kim Fox, a Pittsburgh-based mixed-metal artist, will create a special art installation for the Player Walkway - the path each prospect will take as they get drafted to their new team and walk onto the Main Stage. While Burton Morris, Pittsburgh native and pop artist, is creating 32 separate pieces that will be displayed as one large installation in the Prospect Green Room built by Lowe’s.

Fox’s installation will feature handcrafted mixed-metal interpretations of all 32 NFL team marks, with each piece made from tin and mixed-metals in a quiltlike pattern. Over the past few months, she’s spent hours creating unique pieces of artwork to bring each club’s logo to life. In the process, Fox combines reclaimed wood, vintage maps, collected tins and other found materials to manufacture each piece of art. She overlays the materials, patching the pieces together to highlight the uniqueness of each city. Fox is including hidden symbolism pertinent to each city within her pieces.

“I love this city so much, and the impact that football has on the community is powerful,” said Fox. “Partnering with the NFL to create work that celebrates this huge moment in these players’ lives is a glorious treat.”

Burton Morris, a Pittsburgh native pop artist, is creating 32 separate pieces that will be displayed as one large installation in the Prospect Green Room. Built on a steel frame to honor the city’s history, each 20x20” piece is customized with Burton’s signature ‘energy lines’ that highlight unique team colors. Authentic team helmets are seamlessly attached to each piece, creating dynamic, 3D mixed-media work celebrating all 32 clubs.

“I’ve been fortunate to collaborate with many athletes and sports organizations, but I never expected that my art would be a part of the NFL Draft in my hometown,” said Morris. “I’m proud to represent the robust Pittsburgh art scene and be a part of this monumental day for these athletes.”

Honoring Steelers History and Iconic Draft Moments with Wyndham Hotel Projection

Beginning April 23, a large-scale light projection on the Wyndham Hotel will pay tribute to Pittsburgh’s deep football legacy throughout NFL Draft weekend. The nightly show, running from 8:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. through Saturday, April 25, will spotlight 2026 NFL Draft top prospects and picks, Western Pennsylvania’s Hall of Fame football legacy, the Pittsburgh Steelers’ storied history as six-time Super Bowl champions and home of the legendary Steel Curtain, and real-time “On the Clock” team-specific picks. Powered by 24 laser projectors across 41,000 square feet of projection surface, the display will be viewable from the public viewing area at Point State Park.

For all the can’t-miss moments, fans interested in attending the 2026 NFL Draft Experience presented by American Express must download the NFL OnePass app or register via the website at NFL.com/DraftAccess. NFL OnePass is the must-have tool for navigating Draft weekend and provides real-time updates, a full schedule of interactive activities, Know-Before-You-Go information, and access to exclusive digital content and prizes including a grand prize trip for two to Super Bowl LXI in Los Angeles.

Highlighting Art and Design Throughout NFL Draft

To highlight the league’s larger commitment to art-driven storytelling, the NFL is partnering with The Andy Warhol Museum and its Youth Workforce Program to bring a live Pop Art studio to the NFL Draft Red Carpet presented by Toyota, celebrating pop art’s origins in Pittsburgh.

On the red carpet, NFL prospects will co-create silkscreen self-portraits, printing them on hand-painted backgrounds to transform their images into custom works of art. The final portraits will accompany players down the carpet for photos and interviews, giving media and fans a firsthand look at Warhol’s iconic silkscreen process in action. The pieces will be available for prospects to take with them, as they enter their journey into the NFL.

The NFL Draft presented by Bud Light will be broadcast live on NFL Network, ABC, ESPN, ESPN Deportes, and will be available to stream with NFL+ beginning Thursday, April 23 at 8:00 p.m. ET with the first round, followed by Rounds 2-3 Friday, April 24 at 7:00 p.m. ET and Rounds 4-7 Saturday, April 25 at 12 p.m. ET from Pittsburgh.

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About Burton Morris

Burton Morris is a globally celebrated contemporary Pop Artist, whose bold, high-energy imagery has helped define the visual language of modern pop culture. With his unmistakable radiant black outlines, electrified color palette, and dynamic sense of movement, Morris transforms everyday objects into iconic works of art that radiate optimism, excitement, and cultural relevance.

His rise to international fame began when his artwork was prominently featured on all ten seasons of the hit NBC television series Friends, where it became an integral part of Central Perk Coffee Shop. Morris expanded onto the global stage, becoming the artist behind signature imagery for some of the world’s most prestigious and widely viewed events including the 76th Academy Awards, the 2004 Summer Olympic Games, the FIFA World Cup, the U.S. Open Golf Championship, and the MLB All-Star Game, bringing his bold, graphic aesthetic to audiences of millions across the globe. Morris’ client list reads like a who’s who of the world’s most powerful brands and institutions. He has created work for The Coca-Cola Company, Apple Inc., Sony, Chanel, Rolex, Samsung, Warner Bros., Ford Motor Company, and Kellogg’s to name a few, bridging the worlds of fine art, luxury, and global branding.

About Kim Fox

Kim Fox was born and raised in Western PA and moved to Pittsburgh in 2004. She resides in Mt. Lebanon, PA, a “streetcar suburb” of Pittsburgh. She earned her BFA in Printmaking from the College of Charleston in Charleston, SC. In addition to printmaking, Fox is a designer, illustrator, teacher, and works with tin and reclaimed wood to create patchwork assemblages. Her work has been called “contemporary folk art” - a description she loves.

Her tin assemblages have been shown in galleries and museums in Pittsburgh, West Virginia, Providence, RI, Brooklyn, NY, Chicago, IL, Oberlin, OH, and Mattatuck Museum in Waterbury, CT. She has created large scale assemblages for ARGO AI in Detroit, and Contemporary Craft in Pittsburgh. She plans to continue on this path until her hands give out.