The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (PSO) in partnership with Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh (CLP) is bringing world-class music to neighborhoods across the city in a series of free concerts: PSO in the Libraries. The series will take place at six library branches from January through June 2026, offering intimate and interactive one-hour performances by small ensembles of PSO musicians that include speaking, playing and a Q&A. Each concert is free and open to the public with no tickets required, though RSVPs are encouraged at pittsburghsymphony.org.

“We believe that great music belongs to everyone,” said Melia Tourangeau, PSO President & CEO of the PSO. “Through PSO in the Libraries, our musicians are sharing their artistry in welcoming, familiar spaces where people of all backgrounds and abilities can experience the joy of live music in their neighborhood. This partnership with Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh reflects our commitment to being a community-centric and accessible organization, one that meets audiences where they are and celebrates the connections that music makes possible.”

“Libraries are where our community comes together to explore, learn and be inspired,” said Andrew Medlar, President & Director of Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. “Partnering with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra allows us to bring the beauty of live music directly into our neighborhood spaces. We’re thrilled to host the PSO in our libraries and create new opportunities for connection through the shared experience of music.”

The PSO in the Libraries series will launch on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, at CLP – East Liberty with a 6PM reception in partnership with RAD, followed by performances at CLP branches in Downtown, West End, Squirrel Hill, Beechview, and the Library of Accessible Media for Pennsylvanians (LAMP).

PSO in the Libraries is made possible in part through support from the Allegheny Regional Asset District (RAD) and Pennsylvania Department of Education.

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PSO in the Libraries – Full Event Information

Kick-Off Event with RAD: Tuesday, January 13 – CLP – East Liberty
6:00PM reception, 6:30PM program

Tuesday, February 3 at 12PM – CLP – Downtown , 612 Smithfield Street, 15222

Saturday, March 7 at 12PM – CLP – West End, 47 Wabash Street, 15220

Tuesday, April 28 at 3PM – Library of Accessible Media for Pennsylvanians (LAMP), 4724 Baum Blvd., 15213

Wednesday, May 27 at 5M – CLP – Squirrel Hill, 5801 Forbes Ave, 15217

Saturday, June 27 at 12:00 pm – CLP – Beechview, 1910 Broadway Ave, 15216

As the region and the nation prepare to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the United States in 2026, the Senator John Heinz History Center has partnered with the Pittsburgh Society of Illustrators (PSI) on a new exhibition that uses the power of illustration to reflect on the ideals at the heart of the America’s founding — freedom, equality, justice, and liberty. Opening this Saturday, Oct. 11 in the museum’s fifth floor Barensfeld Gallery, My America: An Illustrated Experience features 63 original works of art by 35 illustrators that answer the question: what does America mean to you? From paintings and portraiture to sculpture and cartoons, the artwork asks visitors to consider how American ideals have been realized, challenged, and redefined over time. The My America exhibition invites visitors to celebrate voices that shaped our nation, embrace diverse perspectives, and continue the shared work of building a more perfect union to mark America’s 250th anniversary. Exhibit highlights include: 

• Portraits of beloved Pittsburghers like civil rights activist Daisy Lampkin, environmentalist Rachel Carson, and television host Fred Rogers
• A large-scale sculpture of 50 historical figures, including the flag-raisers at Iwo Jima, highlighted by imagery of Americans through time
• Illustrations of iconic places, from Plimoth Plantation to Pittsburgh neighborhoods, that explore the power and meaning of home and community
• The artwork “Thoughts and Prayers” which is designed to spark reflection and civil discourse about freedom of expression
• Hands-on interactives that invite you to create your own art, from designing a felt flag to piecing together a puzzle that reflects your vision of America

The exhibition also celebrates the 30th anniversary of the Pittsburgh Society of Illustrators, one of the largest illustrator groups in the United States. Visitors can meet and interact with PSI artists throughout the exhibit’s opening day on Saturday, Oct. 11. My America: An Illustrated Experience will be on view through Monday, Sept. 7, 2026. Celebrating America’s 250th in Pittsburgh The exhibition is a core component of the History Center’s year-long commemoration of the U.S. Semiquincentennial, marking the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, in partnership with America250PA. America250PA was established by the Pennsylvania state legislature and Governor in 2018 to plan, encourage, develop, and coordinate the commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States, Pennsylvania’s integral role in that event, and the impact of its people on the nation’s past, present, and future. My America is also part of the History Center’s America 101 initiative, which empowers and inspires citizens to learn more about history and civics through public programs, special exhibitions, digital learning tools, and educational curriculum. Learn more at heinzhistorycenter.org. The Senator John Heinz History Center, an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution and the largest history museum in Pennsylvania, presents American history with a Western Pennsylvania connection. The History Center was voted as the #1 history museum in America by readers of USA TODAY (2024, 2025) and “Pittsburgh’s Best Museum” by Pittsburgh Magazine (2022, 2023, 2024). The History Center and Sports Museum are located at 1212 Smallman Street in Pittsburgh’s Strip District. The History Center’s family of museums includes the Sports Museum; Fort Pitt Museum in historic Point State Park; and Meadowcroft Rockshelter and Historic Village, a National Historic Landmark located in Avella, Pa., in Washington County. The History Center and Fort Pitt Museum are always free for kids, supported by the Kamin “Free for Kids” Initiative. More information is available at heinzhistorycenter.org. 

Featuring 63 original works of art by 35 illustrators, My America: An Illustrated Experience uses the power of illustration to reflect on ideals associated with the American Revolution and the pillars at the heart of the nation’s founding — freedom, equality, justice, and liberty. Image: “History of Persistence” by James Mellett.

Photojournalism is work and it is livelihood, it is craft and it is documentation, it is a way to be in the world and to share the world, it is a way to resist oppression while insisting on the fullness of life.

Black Photojournalism presents work by nearly 60 photographers chronicling historic events and daily life in the United States from the conclusion of World War II in 1945 to the presidential campaigns of 1984, including the civil rights movements through the 1950s, 60s, and 70s. Drawn from archives and collections in the care of journalists, libraries, museums, newspapers, photographers, and universities, the original work prints in the exhibition were circulated and reviewed in publishing offices before anything went to print. Each one represents the energy of many dedicated individuals who worked to get out the news every single day. One picture leads to another, making visible multiple experiences of history while proposing ways of understanding today as tomorrow is being created.

Responding to a dearth of stories about Black lives told from the perspectives of Black people, Black publishers and their staff created groundbreaking editorial and photojournalistic methods and news networks. During a period of urgent social change and civil rights advocacy, newspapers and magazines, including the Afro American News, Atlanta Daily World, Pittsburgh Courier, Chicago Defender, and Ebony, transformed how people were able to access seeing themselves and their communities. Their impact on the media landscape continues into the digital present.

The exhibition, designed by artist David Hartt, is co-organized by Dan Leers, curator of photography, and Charlene Foggie-Barnett, Charles “Teenie” Harris community archivist, in dialogue with an expanded network of scholars, archivists, curators, and historians.

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