Arts & Culture

Art from the Ground Up

Shuttered factories, abandoned warehouses and boarded up store fronts are being re-purposed as galleries and performance spaces by people with passion and vision. Art From the Ground Up was created to provide a showcase for some of the most innovative members of Pittsburgh’s emerging arts community.00000176-e6f7-dce8-adff-f6f7706f0000Art From the Ground Up is hosted by Bob Studebaker and is a monthly series highlighting small grass roots arts organizations and individual artists that take non-traditional approaches to the creation, presentation, and even the definition of art.Know an organization Bob should check out? Email him with your suggestions.

Intimate Concert Series Brings Artists To The People

90.5 WESA | By Bob Studebaker

Published February 25, 2016 at 2:26 AM EST

Burghsong hosts intimate, 50-minute concerts in Squirrel Hill for singer/songwriters to showcase their chops.

Call it an impromptu folk club, like a private party in someone's living room. Burghsong is a 50-minute concert series showcasing contemporary songwriters.

Co-founder Ben Shannon said it was artists' attention to detail and word craft that first drew his devotion back in 2014. What began as a single, successful mini-festival grew into a collaboration with the Sunburst School of Music in Squirrel Hill.

Robbie Hecht of Nashville performed at the 50-seat space in November.

"It's a nice vibe," he said. "This is about as intimate as it gets."

Burghsong highlights local artists in 50-minute, intimate concerts.

Shannon said he and fellow organizers wanted to provide a cozy setting for people who appreciate song "where local singer/songwriters could be paired with a national songwriter on an equal basis to showcase their craft."

Set for March 19, their fourth of six scheduled events features singer/songwriters Heather Kropf from Pittsburgh and Kansas native Heather Pierson.