The Daisy Wilson Artist Community (DWAC) was founded in 2010 to celebrate the literary and personal legacy of August Wilson, and nurture artists and creative professionals through residencies, performances, and cultural exchanges. In 2015, through generous foundation and private support, DWAC launched a restoration effort to stabilize and develop the former childhood home of Frederick August Kittel, Jr. - the birthname of Pulitzer Prize and Tony-winning playwright August Wilson. In 2021, August Wilson House will be fully restored as a permanent interpretive exhibit of Wilson’s childhood home and redeveloped as a performance and studio home for artists, thought leaders and the Hill District community.

CJAM Consulting was engaged in 2017 to develop an artistic program and business plan. CJAM worked closely with the Board and executive leadership to identify the appropriate operational and programmatic model that honored the legacy of Mr. Wilson and create a new economic and cultural catalyst in the City of Pittsburgh.  DWAC leveraged the business plan to solidify more than $6 million in support for the capital project including early gifts from Denzel Washington, Oprah Winfrey, Shonda Rhimes, Lawrence Fishburn, and others.

The project has been completed and opened formally in August 2022. Through development, CJAM served as capital consultant in partnership with the architectural design, engineering, and construction teams and created an initial operations plan and financial proforma to facilitate opening and lay the infrastructure for full-time staffing.