12 ways to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month in Pittsburgh
Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated in the United States every year from September 15 to October 15 in recognition of the cultural importance of the Latinx population. This includes people originating from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. These countries have such rich artistic history that there is always more to see and learn about.
Though the heritage celebrated this month covers a vast geographical area far from Western Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh offers a number of ways to experience Hispanic culture and support local Latinx artists. Below, we’re featuring events and exhibits happening through the end of Hispanic Heritage Month this year.
States of Transmutation
Continues through 2023
Mattress Factory. 509 Jacksonia St., North Side. mattress.org
States of Transmutation is an exhibit that combines sculpture, choreography, and sound to explore the “tension of a posthuman epoch from a queer and embodied perspective.” The artist behind the exhibit, Andrea Peña, is the director of multidisciplinary company AP&A (Andréa Peña & Artists) which focuses on design and choreography in performative, digital, and sculptural works that “create living arts universes.” Originally from Bogota, Colombia, Peña is now based in the territory of Tiohtià:ke, Montreal and is a hybrid resident artist at the Mattress Factory.
SON ROMPE PERA
Wednesday, October 4, 7 p.m.
Bottlerocket Social Hall. 1226 Arlington Ave., Allentown. bottlerocketpgh.com
As part of their world tour, Son Rompe Pera is traveling from their hometown of Mexico City to Pittsburgh’s own Bottlerocket Social Hall. The band consists of the Gama brothers, who take their family legacy of traditional marimba music and combine it with punk influences.
Chicanery with Chi Chi
Friday, October 6, 8 p.m.
Arcade Comedy Theater. 943 Liberty Ave., Downtown. arcadecomedytheater.com
This drag comedy show features Pittsburgh drag queen Miss Chi Chi de Vivre performing her “quintessential brand of mischievous banter and salacious vocals.” This show is influenced by both Hispanic Heritage Month and Halloween.
Alphabet City Teens: Brazil Meets Pittsburgh
Saturday, October 7, 12 p.m.
City of Asylum @ Alphabet City. 40 W. North Ave., North Side. cityofasylum.org
As part of the Pittsburgh International LitFest 2023, City of Asylum presents a panel discussion featuring authors who write queer contemporary young adult literature. Victor Martins and Lucas Rocha, authors from Brazil who are both recipients of the Global Literature in Libraries Initiative’s Book Prize for translated Young Adult fiction, will be joined by two authors from Pittsburgh. This event has tickets available in-person and through livestream.
Somewhere Over the Border
Continues through Sunday, October 15
City Theatre. 1300 Bingham St., South Side. citytheatrecompany.org
Written by Brian Quijada and directed by Laura Alcalá Baker, City Theatre presents Somewhere Over The Border, a new musical that follows the playwright’s mother in her journey from El Salvador to the U.S. This musical “brings us down a different yellow brick road” to music that includes Cumbia, Mexican Mariachi Boleros, American Rock, and Hip Hop. Somewhere Over The Border was performed as a rolling world premiere at Syracuse Stage, Geva Theatre, and TeatroVista, which earned three Jeff Awards including Best Musical. This production contains mild language and discussions of immigration and border crossing, and is recommended for ages 10+.
Sugar Skull!
Friday, October 6 - Saturday, October 7
Byham Theater. 101 Sixth St., Downtown. trustarts.org
Presented as a touring bilingual/bicultural musical for young audiences and families, Día de Muertos Musical Adventure brings Sugar Skull! to the Pittsburgh Cultural District. The story uses traditional music and dance from Mexico and follows a 12-year-old Vita Flores as she learns the true meaning of Día de Muertos with the help of spirited candy skeletons.
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
Monday, October 9, 7:30 p.m.
Heinz Hall. 600 Penn Ave., Downtown. trustarts.org
The Broadway Sinfonietta, an all-women and majority women-of-color orchestra, presents a screening of Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse Live in Concert with musicians and a DJ live on stage. The animated film introduces Miles Morales, an Afro-Latinx teen from Brooklyn who is bitten by a radioactive spider and gains mysterious powers. He meets spider-heroes from parallel universes and together they must defeat a villain that wants to destroy it all.
Global Voices: A Collaborative Performance with City of Asylum & The University of Iowa
Tuesday, October 10, 7 p.m.
City of Asylum @ Alphabet City. 40 W. North Ave., North Side. cityofasylum.org
As part of the Pittsburgh International LitFest 2023, this performance presented by City of Asylum features some of their own writers-in-residence as well as writers from the University of Iowa’s International Writers Program. One of the authors, Jorge Olivera Castillo, is a Cuban poet, writer, television editor, journalist, and songwriter whose work has been banned in Cuba. This event has tickets available in-person and through livestream.
Mexican Masks
Continues through April 2024
Latin American Cultural Center. 4338 Bigelow Blvd., Oakland. lacc.lasaweb.org
The Mexican Masks exhibit at the Latin American Cultural Center is a collection centered around the artistry and cultural significance of masks in Mexico. It highlights mask-making from multiple eras and regions in Mexico that are influenced by local traditions of ceremony and celebration. On view are multiple collections of visually intricate Mexican masks as well as photography and videos portraying the history and use of said masks. (Look for a write-up on our visit to the museum soon!)
Celebrating the Global Majority
Thursday, October 12, 7 p.m.
City of Asylum @ Alphabet City. 40 W. North Ave., North Side. cityofasylum.org
The #notwhite Collective is a group of 13 women artists who are bi/multi-racial/cultural, immigrants, or descendants of immigrants who belong to the “Global Majority” of the non-white population. This event celebrates their recently released book A Future Artefact of the Global Majority with poetry, spoken word, and musical performances, followed by a Q&A with the artists. This event has tickets available in-person and through livestream.
Censored Cartooning: In-Conversation with Rob Rogers, Pedro Molina, & Khalid Albaih
Saturday, October 14, 3 p.m.
City of Asylum @ Alphabet City. 40 W. North Ave., North Side. cityofasylum.org
City of Asylum presents a conversation between Pittsburgh political cartoonist Rob Rogers and Nicaraguan cartoonist and illustrator Pedro Molina. It will focus on political cartooning and the related challenges of censorship. Molina (PxMolina) has been published by national and international outlets and magazines. This event will feature a Q&A and book signing with the cartoonists. This event has tickets available in-person and through livestream.
Grupo Corpo
Saturday, October 14, 8 p.m.
Byham Theater. 101 Sixth St., Downtown. trustarts.org
Grupo Corpo is a Brazilian dance theater company led by Paulo and Rodrigo Pederneira that performs history and contemporary cultural dance. They will perform two works, Gil Refazendo and Gira, to culturally significant Brazilian music. Performed all over the world, Grupo Corpo brings their performance to the Pittsburgh Dance Council.