Shiftworkspgh

05/29/2026

Pittsburgh’s most colorful kick-off to summer returns to Isabella Street, Allegheny Landing, and the North Shore. Shiftworks will be there with our friends from BOOM Concepts, and Pittsburgh Creative Corps artist Quaishawn Whitlock will be doing hands-on silk screen demonstrations. We hope to see you there!

You can find the Shiftworks tent in Allegheny Landing.

Chalk Fest is Saturday, May 30 from 2 PM - 6 PM and Sunday, May 31 from 10 AM - 2 PM. For more information, please visit: https://riverlifepgh.org/chalkfest/

Image: Artist Quaishawn Whitlock during Chalk Fest 2025. Photo by Hannah Colen

05/04/2026

Have you registered for the upcoming Book Tour with local writers Hattie Fletcher and Sherrie Flick?

Next Monday, Fletcher and Flick will lead a tour around Oakland, retracing notable settings and scenes from Michael Chabon's debut novel, "The Mysteries of Pittsburgh." Chabon began working on this novel as an undergraduate at the University of Pittsburgh and the characters in the book travel widely around the city.

For more information and to register, please visit: https://shiftworkspgh.org/event/book-tour-mysteries-of-pittsburgh/

Please note that Michael Chabon will not be in attendance on this tour.

If you are attending Michael Chabon's lecture on Monday evening, this tour will start and end at the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh Main branch in Oakland.

04/30/2026

After crossing bridges, making friends with other local creatures, and following some clues… Ogua has officially been spotted at Allegheny Overlook Park in Downtown Pittsburgh.

Ogua is waiting for you to come hang, explore, and spend some quality outdoor time together! Bring a friend, a picnic, sit for a while, make a day out of it! Ogua isn't going anywhere (for now).

Thanks to artist Isla Hansen for bringing Ogua to life in the most playful and vibrant way. The piece was inspired by and named after a local legend, a story of a river dwelling monster that is part-turtle and part-snake. Special thanks to our friends Children's Museum of Pittsburgh and Riverlife for making this possible, too.

📍You can find Ogua at the Allegheny Overlook on Ft. Duquesne Boulevard between Stanwix St. and 6th St., adjacent to the Roberto Clemente Bridge.

04/30/2026

On Monday, May 11, from 5:00 - 6:30 PM, join local writers Hattie Fletcher and Sherrie Flick for a walking tour of Oakland that's inspired by The Mysteries of Pittsburgh by Michael Chabon.

Michael Chabon started work on his bestselling debut novel, "The Mysteries of Pittsburgh," as an undergraduate student at the University of Pittsburgh, and the book's characters travel widely around the city. This walking tour will retrace some notable settings and scenes from the novel and consider how a place inspires story.

There is no writing on this tour; attendees do not need to bring additional items. Please note that Michael Chabon will not be in attendance on this tour.

Registration is $15 per person; advance registration is required. For more information and to register, please visit the event link in the comments.

04/27/2026

On Saturday, June 6, join Shiftworks and local public art aficionado Morton Brown for a guided tour of public art of one of the most beloved Pittsburgh neighborhoods — East Liberty.

During this walking tour, Morton will share the history and some of his first-hand stories regarding the development and preservation of public art in East Liberty. Artworks on the tour will include "Shady Liberty" by Sheila Klein, "Joy of Life" by Virgil Cantini, and "To Be Human" by Ann Lewis, to name a few.

This tour will take place from 10 - 11:30 AM. Registration is $15 per person; advance registration is required. For more information and to register, please visit the link in the comments.

Photo: "To Be Human", Ann Lewis; photo courtesy of Morton Brown.

04/23/2026

Our friends at Shiftworks have made it across Pittsburgh’s iconic bridges into Downtown, as they continue their search for our colorful pal, Ogua.

Are they closer than ever?

04/16/2026

The hunt continues at Allegheny Landing … with the river monster possibly right around the corner. 👀

Stay tuned for the next chapter!

Artwork Credits:
“Over the Rainbow,” Typoe, 2021
“Mythic Source” and “Piazza Lavoro,” Ned Smyth, 1984

04/09/2026

Our friends at Shiftworks are on a mission searching for a familiar river monster that’s been spotted around Pittsburgh again…

Their journey began at Children's Museum of Pittsburgh, but the river monster wasn’t there. Where is the next place you think they’ll look for Ogua?

Stay tuned 🌊

03/28/2026

It's time for another Ask Derek!

This month's question and answer is all about writing - specifically artist statements. In addition to Derek's advice, he also shares three rules he personally follows for his own writing as an artist. They are:

Leave the academic writing at school
You are enough
Let your art do the art-ing

To read the complete response, please visit the link in our bio. And remember, if you have a question that you'd like to see answered in a future Ask Derek!, send us an email or leave them in the comments here.

03/23/2026

Get to know BOOM Concepts in this highlight from WQED. Co-Founders DS Kinsell and J Thomas Agnew recently talked about the ways they support artists and the future home of BOOM in the Rotunda. We are very excited for the future of this organization and are honored to call them partners, friends, and soon, neighbors.
https://youtu.be/qLzZ4Xotn_M?si=K17NrvXuYTk5Kmzw

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03/12/2026

The Shiftworks Community + Public Arts team joins the Pittsburgh arts community—and the region as a whole—in mourning the recent passing of artist Thaddeus Mosley at age 99.

Many beautiful tributes have already been written that reflect the extraordinary richness of Thad’s life and the many ways he shaped the cultural landscape of Pittsburgh. Members of our team were fortunate to know and work alongside him as a colleague, mentor, advisor, friend, and neighbor. Words cannot fully capture the gratitude we feel for the time we were able to spend with him, and for all that we learned along the way, not only about his art practice, but also about history, music, joy, and the importance of community.

Thank you, Thad, for all that you shared with us and with the world. And our deepest condolences to the Mosley family and to the remarkable communities that will carry his legacy forward.