Allstar Refjudzi Band at Archa Theater (Prague); photo by Krystof Havelice

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.

In February, our curatorial and selection committee met to review proposals for temporary art installations and locations along the Artway. While they interviewed artists and considered locations, we began work on a community-based residency with the All Star Refjudzi Band and Archa Theater, from Prague. This residency—their first in the United States—will involve not only professional actors, artists and musicians, but also people from throughout our Northside neighborhood.

ASRB and Archa have been collaborating on storytelling, music and theater projects in refugee camps and communities throughout Europe. In Pittsburgh, we will all be working together to create musical-theatrical works based on stories that come from within our city’s Congolese, Senegalese, Burmese, Bhutanese and Iraqi refugee communities. The resulting work will be performed on the Artway in June.

Recent Wins
-- City of Asylum Pittsburgh was cited as a model for the newly reopened City of Asylum in Las Vegas, at UNLV’s Black Mountain Institute.

-- Oliver Lake talks about his community-based artist residency.

Insight/Provocation
A rising tide floats all boats: engaging everyone in a creative endeavor can help raise awareness of and build bridges within and between communities.