"JFilm, Pittsburgh’s premiere Jewish cultural event, will screen the best independent Jewish films in area theaters from April 24 - May 4, 2025. We’ll also host visiting filmmakers, vibrant conversations, fun parties, and more. JFilm helps Jewish and non-Jewish viewers alike understand and appreciate Jewish culture more deeply. This year, we are featuring a terrific

"We are happy to welcome local author Jonathan Auxier back to our store to talk about the third installment in his Vanished Kingdom series, The War of the Maps. This is a popular middle grade series, but people of all ages are welcome! Please RSVP one ticket for each person in attendance. Following the author

SEMINAR | Exactly What Publishers Want From Authors: The Key Steps to Landing a Book Deal with Amy Collins LIVE ON ZOOM | May 3 @ 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm EDT Master the steps to getting your book deal and stand out in a competitive market  $50 (early bird)| All registrants receive a replay! Advance registration is required.

THE POETRY ATELIER FIRST SUNDAY OF EVERY MONTH 6p-8p (no late entry please) $5 suggested donation THE POETRY ATELIER is a series of sharing writings and writing processes, with writers invited to read their work and workshop their shared submissions in a robust informal discussion! ​ THE POETRY ATELIER is an open and inclusive experience

"Join us on the first Monday in May, May 5, for Autumn in Spring (AIS), our annual gala celebrating poetry and community. This special evening unites Pittsburgh’s philanthropic and literary circles, featuring notable locals sharing their favorite poems and reflecting on the universal power of language. Guests will enjoy an hors d’oeuvres and cocktail reception

"The Iron Writing Circle writing group from Ironed Words Productions. Write with other writers and improve your writing! Get camaraderie, support, and feedback. A new four-week session of weekly group meetings starts May 5. Multiple options for in-person and virtual. Learn more at https://www.ironedwordsproductions.com/iron-writing-circle "

On May 5 Prime Stage Theatre will premiere a new stage work that tells a uniquely Pittsburgh story of innovation, compassion and civic empowerment.   Freedom House: Giving Life a Second Chance by playwright L.E. McCullough dramatizes the 1967 creation of Freedom House Ambulance Service, America’s first mobile emergency medical unit staffed by professionally-trained paramedics.  During its 8-year lifespan, Freedom House served as

"#1 New York Times bestselling author Rick Atkinson joins us to talk about The Fate of the Day..." More info: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/an-evening-with-author-rick-atkinson-tickets-1247327623499?aff=litt

"Tuesdays from April 22 - May 13 from 7-8:30pm. No one writes a perfect draft the first time. Well, almost no one. There are whispered legends, but the evidence is scant. Most of us need to take our writing through multiple rounds of editing before it’s done. And for those first few rounds, we serve

"What happens when we tell stories? What do we discover about ourselves—and each other—when we share? With these questions in mind, Story Club Pittsburgh (created by the former producers of The Moth Pittsburgh) organizes and hosts Story Slam, a monthly nonfiction storytelling series at City of Asylum. A charming mix of open mic nights and

WEBINAR | The Meaning in the Moment: Using Place, Time, and Detail to Power Your Scenes with Dinty W. Moore and Allison K Williams LIVE ON ZOOM | May 7 @ 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm EDT Learn to bring more immediacy and urgency to your prose by replicating how life feels in the moment, crafting scenes that capture

"Come join us at Lolev Beer (Lawrenceville) on Saturday, May 10th from 4-7pm for a FREE community event. We are featuring many local authors, bookstores, and creatives from our community right here in the 'burgh. We proudly support authors and creatives featuring all genres, backgrounds, stories, voices, and "banned books". This is a great opportunity

"In twenty-six essays–one for each letter of the alphabet—Elizabeth Kolbert, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Sixth Extinction, takes us on a hauntingly illustrated journey through the history of climate change and the uncertainties of our future. Climate change resists narrative-and yet some account of what’s happening is needed. Millions of lives are at stake,

"For Asian American, Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander Heritage Month, staff race against the clock to share their favorite book recommendations! This event will take place in the South Wing Reading Room..." More info: https://www.carnegielibrary.org/event/30-books-in-30-minutes-2/

"Tuesdays from April 22 - May 13 from 7-8:30pm. No one writes a perfect draft the first time. Well, almost no one. There are whispered legends, but the evidence is scant. Most of us need to take our writing through multiple rounds of editing before it’s done. And for those first few rounds, we serve

The 2025 HEMINGWAY’S SUMMER POETRY SERIES The 51st Anniversary Season @ Hop Farm Brewing Company Eight Tuesdays – May through August 2025 @ 7 p.m. Hop Farm Brewing Company 5601 Butler Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15201 Founded by Jimmy Cvetic in 1974 or thereabouts. Curated by Joan E. Bauer & Kristofer Collins Audio archive: www.hemingwayspoetryseries.blogspot.com Hop

WEBINAR | Structure Your Story: How to Keep Readers Hooked From Start to Finish with Heather Sellers LIVE ON ZOOM | May 14 @ 3:00 pm – 4:30 pm EDT Storytelling skill is the most challenging aspect of the craft of writing. Learn how to design a structure that will hold your readers and keep

"White Whale is so lucky to host SciFi legend, formidable journalist, and New York Times bestselling author, Cory Doctorow! We can't wait to see Cory in Pittsburgh and chat with him about his newest book..." More info: https://whitewhalebookstore.com/events

8-WEEK WORKSHOP | The Shapes of Stories: Exploring Forms to Find the Right One for Your Story with Nancy McCabe LIVE ON ZOOM | May 18 @ 12:00 pm – July 13 @ 2:00 pm EDT Expand your writer’s toolkit by experimenting with essay and article structures. This eight-week, small-group class provides enough time and

"City of Asylum writer-in-residence Rania Mamoun and Residency Manager Catherine Skolnicki join the LIGHT Education Initiative in a crucial discussion on how to inspire, prepare, and empower the next generation of humanitarians. The Leadership through Innovation in Genocide and Human rights Teaching (LIGHT) Education Initiative works with schools to help young people understand the importance

"Mai Khôi is a musician from Vietnam and former resident of City of Asylum Pittsburgh. Her avant-garde trio Mai Khôi Chém Gió released their debut album “Dissent” in 2018, working at the interface of art and activism. Yasmine El Baramawy is an Egyptian musician and women’s rights activist in residence in Sweden. Nazeeha Saeed is

"Don’t miss this wide-ranging conversation with award-winning Irish novelist, Colum McCann, whose work as co-founder of the empathy-building not-for-profit Narrative 4 has built bridges between fractured communities in Connecticut, New York, Illinois, Kentucky, Ireland, Haiti, Israel, South Africa, Mexico and Rwanda. The conversation will also discuss his masterwork of empathy, Apeirogon, and his latest novel,

"White Whale Bookstore is thrilled to welcome bestselling author, award-winning poet, and MacArthur Genius Ocean Vuong back to Pittsburgh in celebration of his latest novel, The Emperor of Gladness! Join us May 20th at the Carnegie Library Lecture Hall for an unforgettable evening. Tickets are required to attend this event. Each ticket—except discounted student tickets— will include a

"Riverstone Books is thrilled to host Rachel Gillig, author of The Shepherd King duology, for the release of her anticipated next book, The Knight and the Moth. See below for all details regarding the event and please reach out to us if you have any questions..." More info: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/rachel-gillig-a-book-launch-and-author-talk-tickets-1294898278609?aff=litt

"Jerome Jennings is a drummer, activist, and Emmy Award–winning composer. His debut album, The Beast, is a reflection of the everyday joys and traumas of Black life in the USA, and was named one of the top three jazz releases by NPR in addition to receiving a four-star rating in Downbeat Magazine. Jerome’s sophomore recording,

"The spirit of collaboration, hospitality, and community is alive in Pittsburgh! To officially kick off the Bridges – City of Asylum 2025 Creative Summit, we’ll welcome guests from across the globe to Alphabet City for a morning of performances, readings, and special presentations from guest speakers from Pittsburgh and all over the world. Stay tuned

"In 2015, when Mohamedou Ould Slahi was in his 13th year of detention in Guantánamo, City of Asylum hosted journalist and human rights advocate Larry Siems, editor of Mohamedou’s recently published and internationally-acclaimed Guantánamo Diary—a book which recounted his “endless world tour” of detention and interrogation. Mohamedou has been a free man for eight years. He’s the

"In 2021, award-winning author Colum McCann released his novel, Apeirogon, which was in part based on the real lives of two fathers, Palestinian Bassam Aramin, and Israeli Rami Elhanan. Both men had been raised to hate each other. Both men had lost their daughters. Despite their pain and enormous grief, they somehow found points of connection and

"Join us for readings by five City of Asylum and ICORN residents highlighting their respective and collective journeys and resilience. These distinct texts, written during the time of the authors’ residencies, will be performed in Arabic with translations projected on screen. Writers include Rania Mamoun, Bo Mima, and Anouar Rahmani, as well as other residents

"Fiddle With Words II Jan Hamilton & Mike Schneider Book launch of Schneider's "Many Hats" https://thepoetrybox.com/bookstore/many-hats & Bob Dylan Birthday Bash Live music & poetry. The Breezeway Home https://www.thebreezewayhome.com/ Sunday, May 25, 2 to 6 pm."

"We are ecstatic to welcome novelist, playwright, screenwriter, AIDS historian, and activist, Sarah Schulman to Pittsburgh for a Reading & Conversation about her new work of nonfiction, The Fantasy and Necessity of Solidarity. Sarah Schulman holds a place as a wise elder of the left, a celebrated advocate for progressive movements, and in this new book she

"White Whale is thrilled to bring B. Dylan Hollis, the charismatic TikTok phenom and #1 New York Times bestselling author of Baking Yesteryear, back to Pittsburgh for the release of his newest cookbook, Baking Across America. Dylan will be joined in conversation by his editor, Alexander M. Rigby. Join us for this offsite event at

The 2025 HEMINGWAY’S SUMMER POETRY SERIES The 51st Anniversary Season @ Hop Farm Brewing Company Eight Tuesdays – May through August 2025 @ 7 p.m. Hop Farm Brewing Company 5601 Butler Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15201 Founded by Jimmy Cvetic in 1974 or thereabouts. Curated by Joan E. Bauer & Kristofer Collins Audio archive: www.hemingwayspoetryseries.blogspot.com Hop

"More than a few of our Pod read every single book Kevin Wilson writes—each of them brimming with his signature dry humor and heart. Some of our favorites include Nothing to See Here and The Family Fang, and his newest, Run for the Hills, is truly top tier. We couldn't be more excited to host

"We are so excited to Jennifer Chang and Rosalie Moffett to Pittsburgh (and White Whale!) to share their work with our rich literary community! They will delight us with readings from their respective, new books, An Authentic Life (Chang), and Making a Living (Moffett). An Authentic Life, 2024 National Book Critics Circle Award Finalist Sprawling yet urgent, meditative

Sunday, June 1st 3-6 PM @ Hop Farm Brewing in Lawrenceville Book Launch Everyone! In the Dream! Is You! A short story collection exploring toxic masculinity. By Adam Dove Readings by the author, with special guests Sheena Carroll and Shawn Maddey. Free Event

THE POETRY ATELIER FIRST SUNDAY OF EVERY MONTH 6p-8p (no late entry please) $5 suggested donation THE POETRY ATELIER is a series of sharing writings and writing processes, with writers invited to read their work and workshop their shared submissions in a robust informal discussion! ​ THE POETRY ATELIER is an open and inclusive experience