16th Annual Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival Co-presented by Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Partners with Quiet As It’s Kept: Jazz at Carnegie Libraries and JazzPort

The countdown is on for the 16th Annual Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival Co-presented by Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield (PIJF), which takes over the Cultural District in downtown Pittsburgh September 17 – 21. But first, get tuned up for the Festival at JazzPort at the Pittsburgh International Airport and Quiet As It’s Kept: Jazz at Carnegie Libraries.

"We are proud to be part of these two initiatives that take this extraordinary music beyond our stages and into the heart of our communities. Bringing jazz into libraries and the airport is an excellent way to open doors for new audiences and to showcase some of Pittsburgh's brilliant musical talent," said Janis Burley, CEO of the August Wilson African American Cultural Center and Founder/Producer of PIJF.

“Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh is honored to bring jazz to our communities in library branches across the city though this partnership with the August Wilson African American Cultural Center. We love to see the creativity the musicians bring to these nontraditional performance spaces. These events really highlight Pittsburgh's rich jazz history and what it looks like to have a strong collaboration between arts and culture organizations in the city,” said  Zia Meyer, Community & Partner Services Coordinator, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh

You can pat your feet, snap your fingers, bop your head and clap your hands and no one will likely shush you when the PIJF presents Quiet As It’s Kept: Jazz at Carnegie Libraries, with support from Feel Well Arts, on Thursdays and Saturdays through September 15.

The free concerts series, Quiet As It’s Kept, has presented Howie Alexander at CLP-Hill District (8/29), Dennis Garner at CLP-East Liberty (9/3) and Stevee Wellons at CLP-Carrick (9/5) and continues with:

Thursday, September 10, 6:00pm

Pianist Sean Baker, CLP-Allegheny, 1230 Federal St.

Saturday, September 12, 12:00pm

           Bassist/Drummer/Pianist Chuck Anderson, CLP-Homewood, 7101 Hamilton Ave.

Tuesday, September 15, 6:00pm

Drummer Hugo Cruz, CLP-South Side, 2205 E. Carson St.

"Our goal is to create transformative social change with art-focused, self-care activities which foster personal and community well-being. Art saves lives!”  said Dr. Felicia E. Snead, Feel Well Arts.

The Pittsburgh International Airport turns into JazzPort for five days, giving travelers a front row seat for live, local jazz. Whether travelers are arriving in Pittsburgh or heading out of town, they are invited to gather around the PIT Piano or stop by the PIT Stage to enjoy free concerts.

“PIT’s partnership with the August Wilson African American Cultural Center through the  JazzPort series is a natural fit, and we look forward to celebrating the incredible musicians and rich jazz legacy of our region. As the gateway to Pittsburgh, it’s only fitting that the airport helps set the stage for the International Jazz Festival by welcoming travelers with the sounds of the artists who make our region so special,” said Keny Marshall, ACAA Manager of Arts & Culture.

The schedule features:

·      Monday, September 14

 

Pianist Sean Baker, Landside, 10:00am -12:00pm

Vocalist Stevee Wellons, Airside, 3:00 – 5:00pm

·      Tuesday, September 15

Pianist Howie Alexander, Landside, 10:00am -12:00pm 

Hugo Cruz, Airside, 3:00 – 5:00pm

·      Wednesday, September 1 

Pianist Sean Baker, Landside, 10:00am -12:00pm

Vocalist Jacquea Mae, Airside, 3:00 – 5:00pm

·      Thursday, September 17

Pianist Howie Alexander, Landside, 10:00am -12:00pm

Vocalist Grace Elliot, Airside, 3:00 – 5:00pm

·      Friday, September 18

Pianist Craig Davis, Landside, 10:00am -12:00pm

Multi-instrumentalist Dennis Garner, Jr., Airside, 3:00 – 5:00pm

ABOUT THE PITTSBURGH INTERNATIONAL JAZZ FESTIVAL

The 16th edition of the Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival co-presented by Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield and produced by the August Wilson African American Cultural Center, takes place September 17 – 20, 2026 inside AWAACC with free concerts on Saturday and Sunday in front of the Center. The weekend features Samara Joy followed by the Taste of Jazz/Taste of Pittsburgh party, Lalah Hathaway, Terri Lyne Carrington, Orrin Evans, Sean Jones, Bernard Purdie & Friends, Eric Roberson, Lady BlackBird, Annie & The Caldwells, Nate Smith, Dwayne Dolphin, The Rakiem Walker Project, Jae Sinnett, and more. Tickets to An Evening with Samara Joy, Taste of Jazz/Taste of Pittsburgh, The Jazz Train™ and VIP passes for the free concerts on Liberty Avenue, are on sale now at pittsburghjazzfest.org.

ABOUT THE SPONSORS

The 2026 Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival is co-presented by Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield.

Generous support is provided by the Mellon Foundation. Performances by PIJF’s 2026 BUILD artists-in-residence, Eric Roberson and DJ Kid Capri, are made possible by the Joyce and George Wein Foundation. The second annual PIJF poster design competition is made possible by Duolingo. Performances by the PIJF All Stars youth band made are possible by Duolingo. Jazz at Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh is made possible by Feel Well Arts. Additional support provided by UPMC and UPMC Health Plan, BMW of Pittsburgh, Table Magazine, Rivers Casino, and Citizens. Arsenal Cider House is PIJF’s Supporting Libation Partner. This project is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts

Support for AWAACC’s operations is provided by the Richard King Mellon Foundation, the Heinz Endowments, and the Allegheny Regional Asset District (RAD).

AWAACC’s programming is made possible by generous support from its donors and members. For a complete list, visit awaacc.org.

ABOUT HIGHMARK INC.

An independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, Highmark Inc., together with its Blue-branded affiliates, collectively comprise the third largest overall Blue Cross Blue Shield-affiliated organization in the country with nearly 8 million members in Pennsylvania, Delaware, New York, West Virginia, Missouri and Kansas. Its diversified businesses serve group customer and individual needs across the United States through dental insurance and other related businesses. For more information, visit www.highmark.com. Highmark’s charitable giving and community involvement program, Highmark Bright Blue Futures, is dedicated to healthier, brighter, stronger futures for all by improving access to care, quality of life, and economic resilience in the communities it serves. For more information, visit www.highmark.com/brightbluefutures. 

About Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh: To Foster Literacy, Enable Exploration and Create Connections with All Our Neighbors

Cnegie Library of Pittsburgh supports individual and collective achievement, access to knowledge, and a sense of joy and belonging. Through the community’s investment, the Library is enhancing the lives of people in the greater Pittsburgh region with dynamic and diverse resources such as creative learning programs for children and teens, job and career assistance for our community's workforce, and free computer and Internet access for all. Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh builds community, enables learning, provides access and values people.

ABOUT FEEL WELL ARTS

The Feel Well Arts mission is a commitment to the use of creative arts in health care settings to enrich, support and facilitate an experience of wellness and quality of life for both caregivers and patients. Throughout human history, art has been a vital source of creativity, innovation, healing, quality, wellness, and joy. Our vision is to contribute to history and the human tradition of artistic expression and health. Feel Well Arts values the opportunity to serve all participants of the healthcare experience in a safe, thoughtful and respectful environment.

About the PIT Art in the Airport Program

The Art in the Airport Program aims to elevate the passenger and team member experience with diverse installations and engaging performances throughout the Pittsburgh International Airport and Allegheny County Airport campuses. Through its public art initiatives, the Allegheny County Airport Authority seeks to create memorable experiences that celebrate the unique character and creative spirit of Southwestern Pennsylvania. Art in the Airport is made possible through the generous support of The Heinz Endowments and PNC Bank.

About Pittsburgh International Airport:

Pittsburgh International Airport is the front door and economic engine to a Western Pennsylvania region on the rise, serving approximately 10 million passengers annually. With more than 60 nonstop routes, including three trans-Atlantic routes and 15 airlines, PIT connects Pittsburgh to the world and brings the world to Pittsburgh. In November 2025, PIT opened its new, state-of-the-art terminal that reimagined and transformed the passenger experience with its purpose-built design, attention to innovative technology and Universal Access principles while showcasing the region’s thriving economy. PIT has recently won numerous local, national and international awards including being named to the prestigious Prix Versailles World’s Most Beautiful Airports List 2026, being the first airport to ever earn Innovative Solutions for Universal Design Certification from the University at Buffalo Center for Inclusive Design and Environmental Access, receiving the Uber 2025 Airport Smartest Space award, and being named One of the Most Innovative Companies in the World by Fast Company magazine. PIT’s first-of-its-kind microgrid has garnered numerous accolades for resiliency and sustainability. Through innovative partnerships, PIT is redefining what an airport means, elevating the travel experience while broadening the region’s impact around the world. To learn more, visit flypittsburgh.com.

ABOUT AUGUST WILSON AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER

The August Wilson African American Cultural Center is a nonprofit cultural organization located in Pittsburgh’s cultural district that generates artistic, educational, and community initiatives that advance the legacy of Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright August Wilson. One of the largest cultural centers in the country focused exclusively on the African American experience and the celebration of Black culture and the African diaspora, the non-profit organization welcomes more than 100,000 visitors locally and nationally. Through year-round programming across multiple genres, such as the annual Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival, Black Bottom Film Festival, AWCommunity Days, TRUTHSayers speaker series, and rotating art exhibits in its galleries, the Center provides a platform for established and emerging artists of color whose work reflects the universal issues of identity that Wilson tackled, and which still resonate today.