Community Conversation—Oliver Lake at Kente Arts; photo courtesy of City of Asylum

Updates
The Artway is about creating spaces and opportunities for diverse neighbors to gather and where literature and art challenge and inspire us all to re-imagine and make a better home together.

January has been filled with community conversations as jazz musician Oliver Lake kicked off the first segment of a three-part residency. With the goal of creating a musical work with and about the Northside community, Oliver has met with community members at at Young Men’s and Women’s African Heritage Association (YMWHA), the YMCA, Allegheny City Central Association, Gwen’s Girls, Coalition for Fair Housing, the Mexican War Streets Society, and Kente Arts. Through a facilitated conversation, Oliver has collected texts, stories, images, and ideas about what life is like—and could be like—on the Northside. The texts will be used as the basis of a work that incorporates jazz musicians and chorus, which will be performed on the Artway later this year.

Recent Wins
City of Asylum’s House Publications were featured in a recent “Proud to be from Pittsburgh” segment on Channel 11, our local NBC affiliate.

They were also featured in National Geographic Traveller

Insight/Provocation
Successful community engagement depends on the creation of a safe environment for conversation, and even more on the art of listening.