August Wilson African American Cultural Center

This place is beautiful! I had the pleasure of visiting as a guest of the Pittsburgh Jazz Festival and was taken back by the overall depth and priceless displays of art, culture and history. The multifuctional use is great! I found out that there are so many events that they offer during the week as well. As a music lover, and appreciator of what my African American Brothers & Sisters have contributed to American History I was blown away by what this place has to offer its collectice art & music scene in Pittsburgh. I am so excited to come back next year! Ledisi was flawless and the many jazz bands grooved my soul.

Great exhibit of Wilson’s plays on the main floor, with props, summaries, and overviews of each. Very modern style, with projections used to highlight Wilson’s words as well as create ephemeral objects like menus and newspapers in the exhibits. Gallery upstairs was bright and open with exhibits I enjoyed. Overall very modern museum and a fitting tribute to one of America’s greatest playwrights.

Beautiful space and great exhibits. Security Staff is rude and event staff lacks on communication. Rented the center for a day and experienced difficulty working with the staff. We communicated our interest in using the space and worked with the event manager for about a year and unfortunately about 2 weeks before our event, the event manager reached out and said we couldn’t use a portion of the space she previously told us we could. This caused alot of stress just a few weeks before our event (the communication was a big issue). Luckily everything worked out in the end but Renters beware (we were not pleased with our experience as renters) Meetings were continuously canceled and changed on short notice. It is a great space if you’re visiting to see the writers landscape, exhibits and various events taking place as these are wonders to experience but I would not recommend if interested in renting the space. Many of our guests also expressed to us that the security staff was very rude. Very unfortunate.

11/03/2023: Bobby Rush and Eric Gales. What a show it was! Bobby Rush (Turning 90 years old next week) is one of the Blues Performers that remain, whom actually experienced the life of an African-American growing-up in the deep south during the segregation years. Intermingling stories of the past while performing many of his great Blues tunes. (419 Records, there were a lot to choose from). I am 66 and have painful knees, he put me to shame. Happy Birthday Bobby! Now bring on Eric Gales and you have icing for Bobby's birthday cake. His guitar, his vocals, song lyrics and band could not have been better. Eric's very deep felt emotions regarding his music and life experience was transferred from his soul to the soul of the audience. Eric gracefully welcomed Bobby Rush to perform a number of songs with him and I found that to be the epidemy of the evenings experience. On one hand you have a Bluesman, in Bobby Rush, performing burlesque, naughty, somewhat explicit acoustic blues and on the other hand a very electric, emotional, in your face repertoire by Eric Gales. Put them together and you could define the Blues to a novice by pointing out ; "This is the Blues along with everything that falls within the midst." August Wilson Center: "BRAVO" for a quaint, acoustically sound auditorium that lends it perfection to the performance being witnessed. Thank You!

This place is beautiful! I had the pleasure of visiting as a guest of the Pittsburgh Jazz Festival and was taken back by the overall depth and priceless displays of art, culture and history. The multifuctional use is great! I found out that there are so many events that they offer during the week as well. As a music lover, and appreciator of what my African American Brothers & Sisters have contributed to American History I was blown away by what this place has to offer its collectice art & music scene in Pittsburgh. I am so excited to come back next year! Ledisi was flawless and the many jazz bands grooved my soul.