City of Asylum
Giving Voice.
A dynamic DJ set from DJ Cielo (known in the literary scene as Aleksandar Hemon) featuring Afro House and Organic House music.
This June, bring your tales of friends to lovers, golden retriever and black cat friendships, and shockingly supportive grandparents learning about your alternative lifestyle.
For over a decade, City of Asylum has hosted Cave Canem’s annual Faculty Reading each June, coinciding with their week-long retreat at the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg, Pennsylvania. This year’s reading presents esteemed faculty and world-class poets A. Van Jordan, Matthew Shenoda, and Joy Priest.
A writer without a country. A city with no off switch. A memory that keeps looping back at the worst possible time. Don't miss this discussion of Oleksandr Frazé-Frazénko's "Nothing Is Under Control."
We are thrilled to welcome La Muchacha, whose discography features bold, fearless tracks that address the sociopolitical crises faced by the Colombian people.
From the award-winning author of 2007’s "The Slave Ship," we celebrate the book launch of Marcus Rediker’s latest work: "Freedom Ship: The Uncharted History of Escaping Slavery by Sea."
Watch a screening of "I never promised you a Jasmine Garden" and seven other short films in this global film event presented by Queer Cinema for Palestine.
Beloved Pittsburgh musicians Hugo Cruz and Roger Humphries communicate through the language of the drums, introducing Cuba to Pittsburgh by way of percussion.
This production will feature the powerhouse vocals of local Pittsburgh divas Anita Levels and Anqwenique paying tribute to the work of Angie Stone.
Teju Cole shares "Tremor," a startling work of realism and invention that engages brilliantly with literature, music, race, and history as it examines the passage of time and how we mark it.
This July, Story Club Pittsburgh (created by the former producers of The Moth Pittsburgh) shares tales from the brink in Story Slam, their monthly nonfiction storytelling series at City of Asylum.
Enjoy a world-class jazz performance, fueled by the passion, knowledge, and immense talent of a man who has been drumming since the age of three.
This reading concludes Nabila’s two-week residency cohosted by City of Asylum and CAAPP. In this program, Nabila will share the newly composed work that came out of her residency, as well as insights into her writing process and her residency experience.
Kente Summer Madness honors Roy Ayers, one of the most heavily sampled artists in the hip hop genre and the Godfather of Neo Soul.
In a combination reading and inside scoop full of insights into his process, Damon gets personal with City of Asylum audiences to discuss the very subject that drove his hilarious and unique anthology of Black voices: humor.
This special Thursday Night Jazz performance features the album launch of George Heid III’s Intentions, a tribute album to his father’s bravery, sacrifices, and the bond the two shared as kindred spirits.
This reading features nine of the poets from the Keystone Poetry anthology’s “The Allegheny Highlands” and “Three Rivers and Old Mills” sections sharing their poems about Pennsylvania, for Pennsylvanians.
Writer-in-Residence Mukhtar Shehata shares newly written work and reflects on his time in Pittsburgh.
Grammy-nominated saxophonist and composer Godwin Louis takes to the stage for Kente Summer Madness Part 3.
A life laid bare, a wandering search for meaning, an immersive portal into history and its accompanying reverberations. All this and more can be found in Aatish Taseer’s "A Return to Self: Excursions in Exile."
A film screening and panel discussion on how housing instability prevents children from receiving a formal education with filmmaker Jose Muniain, photographer Richard Sharum, and community health worker John Whigham.
Welcome an all-star lineup of some of Pittsburgh's best musicians, fusing classic jazz compositions with the Cuban drum tradition.
Etta Cox brings her incomparable stage presence and vocal prowess to Alphabet City to regale audiences with beloved jazz favorites and reimagined hidden gems.
This second installment of our On Topic series welcomes esteemed legal scholar Michelle Adams to explore class and race in a discussion of her new book, "The Containment: Detroit, the Supreme Court, and the Battle for Racial Justice in the North."
Whether it’s all about the destination, or all about the journey and what you built along the way, this August, Story Club Pittsburgh is all about connection.
Pittsburgh-based Latin jazz quintet and DC-based vibraphonist Chris Barrick honor a titan of Latin and Afro-Cuban jazz.
City of Asylum Writer-in-Residence Volodymyr Rafeyenko discusses three of his works with his translator Mark Andryczyk, exploring the process of translation and the relationship between writer and translator.
Senegalese drummers Cheikh and Papa join Joe Sheehan’s Kinetic ensemble for a concert blending traditional Senegalese rhythms with modern American sounds.
Jevon Rushton shares his world, where rhythm becomes touch, melody becomes color, and every note tells a story in the final Kente Summer Madness concert of the summer.
Author Nina Sharma shares her debut memoir, “The Way You Make Me Feel: Love in Black and Brown,” a hilarious and moving story of her interracial relationship, told in essays.
