From sports lovers and foodies to retirees and Generation Xers, the Steel City has been rated a top destination for people from all walks of life.

It has now been named one of the ten best locations in the United States for artists, coming third in a recent survey.

Recognizing that artists are frequently underpaid for their efforts, the report states that in addition to a thriving cultural scene, artists need to live in a community that facilitates their ambition and livelihood.  This includes affordable housing, walkability to gigs, and other things.

Rent.com ranked cities with populations greater than 50,000 based on accessibility, affordable rent for both studio apartments and working spaces, and the density of museums and arts organizations such as artistic collectives, theaters, and performing arts spaces.

The top ten places to live:

1. Hartford, Conn

2. Minneapolis

3. Pittsburgh

4. Washington, D.C

5. Seattle

6. Philadelphia

7. Berkeley, Calif

8. Chicago

9. St. Louis

10. Baltimore

The average rent for an 820-square-foot apartment in Pittsburgh in March was $1,256. Carrick was identified as the most inexpensive neighborhood with an average monthly rent of $656. Highland Park, East Liberty, Larimer and Morningside were at the top of the scale, with monthly rents averaging $1,669.

Compare that to the average rent in No. 8 Chicago, which is $1,862 for a 720-square-foot apartment.

But it’s not just about the money.

Aside from financial matters, here are five characteristics that make Pittsburgh a terrific place for artists and art enthusiasts alike:

1. A wide variety of museums and galleries, ranging from world-renowned institutions such as the Carnegie Museum of Art, The Warhol Museum, and The Mattress Factory to public art projects, neighborhood galleries and artist collectives.

2. Internationally recognized music and theater organizations — From the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and the Pittsburgh Opera to the many smaller theater and music groups and homegrown musicians.

3. Financial support for organizations such as the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, as well as performance venues such as the Benedum Center, Heinz Hall, and even Heinz Field, which host local, regional, and national touring acts.

4. Arts fairs and festivals, such as the main Three Rivers Arts Festival, which promotes the arts in all its aspects, as well as smaller, local music and arts events

5. The landscapes – From the rivers to the bridges, from downtown to the many diverse neighborhoods, from Mt. Washington to the South Side Flats, there is something unique and wonderful to see everywhere you look.

In 2018, Pittsburgh ranked as one of the top cities in America for creative vibrancy.

It is reaping the benefits of the region’s long-term commitment to the arts and community development. Located at the junction of three rivers, it is no longer the smokey steel metropolis that it once was, with redeveloped greenspaces attracting thousands of people to outdoor cultural events and activities. Over 2 million people visit arts venues and artworks each year, and the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council and VisitPITTSBURGH collaborate with regional cultural partners to ensure that the arts remain fundamental to the Pittsburgh experience for both visitors and residents.

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These are musicians who have devoted their life to the pursuit of the ideal melodic line. They are artists who are merging their voices to infuse new life into a city that is witnessing an uncertain cultural renaissance.

Due to its geographic location between New York City and Chicago, and a beehive of talent that found a home in the Hill District, where performers could play a different club every night of the week, Pittsburgh has a rich jazz heritage. However, the scene has mostly dried up as those venues have closed and audiences have diminished over the years.

That is changing now. There are new clubs and haunts around town where jazz is performed on a regular basis. There is new talent everywhere. And there are new listeners eager for some cultural enrichment, not to mention delicious food and drink.

The jazz club Con Alma’s initial location in Shadyside opened in 2019. A second branch in Downtown opened on July 1. The first is an intimate New York City-style club, while the second is a touch more busy. Windows are flung open to let in a breeze and tempt passerbys.

Other venues, such as Kingfly Spirits in the Strip District, Scratch Food and Beverage in Troy Hill, and others, are scheduling more jazz. This is allowing local musicians to hone their skills and try out new material.

This is in addition to the August Wilson African American Cultural Center and the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust , both in Downtown. And City of Asylum and the Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild Craftsmen’s both on the North Side. WZUM-FM broadcasts jazz and maintains an up-to-date calendar of all jazz events in the city.

The scene now is definitely more healthy and robust than it has been in the last seven or eight years.

This is in no small part down to Con Alma for helping to revitalize the city’s performance opportunities.

The club scene was dead four years ago but now all kinds of places are now playing jazz again.

Con Alma anchors the club scene with two locations programming a total of ten nights a week. It has an eclectic mix of regulars and newcomers wandering in and out throughout the week. The Downtown club has a laid-back vibe. Performers frequently kid around with each other and the audience and accept smatterings of applause after solos.

The food, drinks, décor, and atmosphere are all at such a high level that some people who come aren’t even jazz fans yet.

As the touring scene heats up, some performers are getting more requests to perform from out-of-town groups.

Major players in New York and New Orleans are acknowledging Pittsburgh’s resurgence as an important club jazz scene.

However, clubs are still prioritizing local talent. Some of them could be playing anywhere in the world, but they chose to stay.

As an indicator of the scene’s resurgence much of the surge in talent are at a much younger age.

As more venues program jazz and club opportunities expand, both newer players and seasoned veterans now have freedom to develop their craft; establishing a cross-generational learning forum.

One of the things you see in Pittsburgh more than other places is the interaction across generations. Jazz is learnt by playing and hanging out with older, more experienced musicians. You learn jazz in the same way that you learn your grandmother’s greatest dish. It’s a lovely, intimate thing.

With stalwarts like drummer Roger Humphries and bassist Dwayne Dolphin still on the scene, that exchange is bound to help progress the scene.

The Manchester Craftsman’s Guild, one of the city’s most venerable presenting groups, is likewise undergoing a renaissance.

The theater is undergoing extensive renovations. These are expected to be completed by September 24, when the new subscription season begins.

MCG Jazz is also in the midst of collecting more than 30 years’ worth of audio recordings by many of the world’s finest performers with Pittsburgh origins. The eventual outcome will be thousands of hours of high-level live performance. Included are those by Billy Eckstine, Art Blakey, Mary Lou Williams, Billy Strayhorn and many others, which MCG will use in its instructional programs.

In 2018, MCG published the documentary We Knew What We Had: The Greatest Jazz Story Never Told. A study of Pittsburgh’s jazz culture in the twentieth century and a fascinating history of the city’s national significance.

In addition, in September, Alphabet City at City of Asylum will kick off its annual Jazz Poetry Month, adding an international flavor to the city’s jazz culture. Jazz Poetry Month offers a combination of virtual and in-person programming, which began on Sunday with violinist Layale Chaker. He will be performing music inspired by Arabic poetry with her ensemble Sarafand.

There will be poetry readings, vocalists, and jazz performances.

They have audiences in all 50 states and more than 65 countries across the world after a year of virtual events.

There’s also a gastronomic component, as 40 North has opened in the former Bruge on North area at City of Asylum’s Alphabet City.

Throughout the month, musicians and poets from over seven nations will take part in Jazz Poetry Month, including the Estonian Slow Motion Orchestra and the New York-based Thumbscrew. As well as the Macedonian Vlatko Stefanovski Trio and the Japanese Norihide Nakajima Quintet.

Pittsburgh Jazz Festival is a music festival held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

The 11th Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival will be held at the August Wilson African American Cultural Center in Downtown Pittsburgh from September 17th to the 19th. Highmark Stadium will have Grammy-winning saxophonist Branford Marsalis, vocalist Gregory Porter, jazz and R&B duet The Baylor Project, Jazzmeia Horn, and others, with Chaka Khan launching the event at the Benedum Center.

The event has always been free, but in order to cover the costs of renting the stadium and maintain the level of artists high, the festival will be ticketed this year.

The minimum standard of the scene is also improving. Dozens of concerts held each month in clubs, concert halls, and distilleries to satisfy the city’s growing appetite for jazz. And the rest of the country is watching.

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Ballet Confluence

Confluence Ballet will soon begin its season opener. But before that, the young Pittsburgh company will host Sips Soirée, a fundraiser at Dreadnought Wines that will help the company achieve their objective to build a high caliber, varied, and inclusive ballet company that prioritizes the experiences and well-being of its artists. Wine tastings and drinks, as well as giveaways, will be part of the event.

The nonprofit group, which Moselle Haney started in 2020 as Confluence Dance Theatre, plans to explode onto the Pittsburgh dance scene in November. It plans to stage Emergence at the Pittsburgh Playhouse. There will be a new version of Durante Verzola’s Firebird, Spirited Syncopations and a brand new show by Dan Karasik.

The August Wilson African American Cultural Center will host two more performances to round out the season. Versatile Voices, including Sur le Fil by Grand Rapids Ballet director Penny Saunders, will be performed at the venue in March 2022. This will be followed in May 2022 by productions of two masterpieces, Carmen and A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Texture Contemporary Ballet 2021-2022 Season

The company will return to the stage in the upcoming season. Texture artistic and executive director Alan Obuzor promises a combination of classic and new works. Including one that looks at different methods of manipulating shadows and light. There will also be one featuring the music of rapper Macklemore.

The Pittsburgh dance group launched its season on July 29 at South Park Amphitheater. It will return to the venue on August 29 to premiere a new piece by dancer Madeline Kendall. Kendall was inspired by surrealist artist Salvador Dali, according to the Texture website. The evening will also include extracts from Laurie Blue, a 2016 production by Obuzor and Kelsey Bartman. As well as sections from Christopher Bandy’s Tom Waits-inspired performance ‘Til the wheels fall off.

Texture will also return to its main performance location, the New Hazlett Theater, in November for In the Light and April 2022 for Reimagine. In the Light features new and old pieces, including Eclipse. This is set to the late singer/songwriter Eva Cassidy’s stirring melodies. Texture’s season will conclude with Reimagine.

Returning there has gives them the sensation of coming home after being gone for too long. The feelings of anticipation, eagerness, familiarity, emotions, and more are all involved. The connection and wonderful moments that may occur between performers and live audiences are unparalleled.

Pittsburgh Dance Council 2021-2022 Season

The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust announced recently that the Pittsburgh Dance Council will be celebrating its 51st anniversary. It is planned to be celebrated with a series of performances beginning in November.

Randal Miller, the Trust’s director of dance programming and special projects, promised in a press release that the upcoming season would feature a diversity of artists to enthrall, communicate, question, and reframe the community’s understanding of the content of these works and dance as an art form.

The 51st season will showcase some of America’s most established and respected movement performers alongside emerging international companies. Audiences can expect major, open-air, and site-specific work.

The program includes musicians whose concerts were canceled because of the epidemic. But also numerous new ones, including two U.S. premieres.

The season begins with An Untitled Love; a collaboration between Pittsburgh resident Kyle Abraham and his group A.I.M and the Kelly Strayhorn Theater. The piece, which will be performed at the Byham Theater, is described as borrowing from the repertoire of best-selling R&B singer D’Angelo. It pays respect to the nuances of self-love and Black love; while also acting as a pounding mixtape honoring culture, family, and community.

Other highlights include Motionhouse; a UK-based firm that specializes in ambitious projects that integrate physicality, strong narrative, and an expressive soundtrack, drawing inspiration from common human worries and the relationship to the environment. Motionhouse dancers will demonstrate their power and agility while dancing on a range of construction trucks for the United States debut of Torque. This will take place during the 2022 Three Rivers Arts Festival.

The Pittsburgh Dance Council will also be showing the US premieres of BLKDOG by another UK collective, Far From The Norm. There will also be Complexions Contemporary Ballet’s Bach 25 and Woke, a contemporary, multi-genre take on Johann Sebastian Bach.

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The Greater Pittsburgh Nonprofit Partnership recently announced an effort to recognize individuals and organizations that significantly helped their community during the pandemic. Principally in terms of relief projects and initiatives to fight for racial equity and justice.

The awards will be announced during the 2021 GPNP Virtual Summit in October.

In a news release, GPNP Director Colleen Young noted that Many nonprofit organizations and leaders immediately innovated, cooperated, and extended their services to address the numerous challenges of the epidemic and the consequent increase in racial inequalities.  At their yearly summit, they wanted to put a spotlight on that vital work and honor NGOs for their tireless service.

According to the news release, the winners will be chosen by a GPNP-approved committee. They will receive small cash prizes that GPNP is encouraging groups to use to congratulate staff for the work they have done.

The summit, that usually draws more than 1,000 people, will be held virtually from October 13th to the 15th.

The awards ceremony will honor the winners and tell the stories of many of the nominees. It will take place during an in-person event on the evening of October 15th that will conclude the 2021 summit.

According to the press release, this year’s summit will put more emphasis on healing. Trying to connect, and building a fair region for all with UPMC as the presenting sponsor.

The Forbes Fund’s GPNP project is defined on its website as an expanding coalition of over 500 nonprofit organizations. These companies are utilising their collective power, together.

The 2021 GPNP Summit provides a flexible space to explore how to best respond to pressures and surprises said Fred Brown, president and CEO of The Forbes Funds, in a press release. He added that this year’s summit may be one of the most significant and enlightening of our time. Due to the nonprofit sector seeks to assist the region in transitioning from merely surviving to actually thriving.

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Circus arts as an accessible kind of fitness didn’t start showing up until the past few years. It’s something people have seen in movies and TV but didn’t think was something they could do in their hometown.

Kelsey Keller and co-owner, Jenly Deiter of Iron City Circus Arts, both grew up dancing but eventually fell in love with aerial arts. They had been teachers at Fullbody Fitness in Brentwood before purchasing the firm when the owner decided to retire. The pair ultimately discontinued several of the studio’s other services, such as Zumba, in order to focus on the circus courses, which had gained popularity.

They both left their day jobs — Ms. Deiter as a social worker and Ms. Keller, who has a PhD in biophysics — to run the enterprise, which they renamed Iron City Circus Arts. They relocated to the South Side, which has higher ceilings and allows for more spectacular plunges down ropes and aerials.

A full-fledged circus school has always been a goal of theirs and they are now fulfilling their dream. 

Several additional schools and fitness studios in the Pittsburgh region, such as Pittsburgh Aerial Silks & Circus Arts, which has facilities in Green Tree, Bloomfield,  and Coraopolis, and Verve 360 Downtown, which provides aerial yoga utilizing the aerial silks, also offer circus and aerial courses.

Iron City Circus Arts offers an Intro to Aerial Arts lessons as well as advanced sessions for members of its performance group, Iron City Aerial. The group have been booked to perform stunning acrobatics displays at different events; spanning from Earth Day celebrations to Wiz Khalifa’s mother’s birthday party.

A recent beginner class, lasts an hour and 15 minutes and costs $25. It involves a thorough stretching warm-up, followed by time on the trapeze, rope and aerial silks. Pole dancing, handstand training, flexibility, children’s lessons, and birthday parties are also available at the facility.

The intermediate aerial silks lesson that follows a basic session is even more remarkable.  You are taught to ascend the silks before flipping upside down and dropping downwards performing acrobatics as you descend.

Circus arts courses are accessible to people of all fitness levels; you don’t have to be an extremely flexible 13-year-old or a former dancer to participate.

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