The Pittsburgh Cultural Arts Meetup Group

Please join Pittsburgh Arts and Lectures as they welcome Merlin Sheldrake to discuss his New York Times bestseller, Entangled Life, a lavish visual journey into the hidden lives of fungi.

When we think of fungi, we likely think of mushrooms. But mushrooms are only fruiting bodies, analogous to apples on a tree. Most fungi live out of sight yet make up a massively diverse kingdom of organisms that supports and sustains nearly all living systems. Fungi provide a key to understanding the planet on which we live, and the ways we think, feel, and behave.

In the first edition of the mind-bending, “gorgeous” (Margaret Atwood), ”brilliant [and] entrancing” (The Guardian) Entangled Life, Sheldrake introduced us to this mysterious but massively diverse kingdom of life. This new edition, abridged from the original, features over 100 full-color images that bring the spectacular variety, strangeness and beauty of fungi to life as never before.
Fungi throw our concepts of individuality and even intelligence into question. They are metabolic masters, earth makers, and key players in most of life’s processes. They can change our minds, heal our bodies, and even help us remediate environmental disaster. In vivid, surprising images, Sheldrake reveals how these extraordinary organisms—and our relationships with them—are changing our understanding of how life works.

Entangled Life is available for purchase through bookseller White Whale Bookstore who will be set-up in the lobby with many books available for purchase by other authors that have been part of the Pittsburgh Arts and Lectures series.

TICKETS
In person tickets start at $31 Merlin Sheldrake for the upper balcony (where it is easier for a group to sit together) Tickets may also be purchased by phone (412) 622-8866 or at the door starting at 6:30 PM

For Online Tickets ($31) Merlin Sheldrake Online The viewing link will be emailed on the day of the event. Viewers will have access to the recorded program for one week.

Parking While many visitors find street parking, the Carnegie Museum has plenty of parking which is conveniently located near the museum entrance at the corner of Forbes Ave & S. Craig Street. Here is a link with more info about parking and directions http://cmoa.org/visit/directions-maps-parking/

Understand Every Word: Falstaff is sung in Italian with English translations projected above the stage at all performances.

Meetup Ticket Discount Offer
With promo code “POMEETUP” Meetup members can purchase discounted tickets of $50 (regularly $149) or $28 (regularly $86) or $17 (regularly $49) for the Friday, May 1st, 7 pm performance.

With this link the discount is pre-applied (where discount seats are shown the Orchestra Level but if you click on the theater map, you can see discount seats in the Director’s Circle, First Tier, and Second Tier balcony as well) - http://www.culturaldistrict.org/promotion/apply?promotion_code=POMEETUP If you have any questions, please contact Álvaro Muñoz, Group Services Manager, PITTSBURGH OPERA at 412-281-0912 x 213

There are a limited number of discounted seats. Tickets must be purchased online in advance and are not for sale at the box office.

This is a very generous offer and a wonderful opportunity to experience opera, especially for those that perhaps have never checked out classic opera before. Naturally, this offer is not intended to be a substitute for Pittsburgh Opera 2025-2026 subscriptions which have many benefits.

For more information about this production, including review articles, audio/video previews, cast info, etc., please visit

PRE-SHOW DISCUSSION Tickets include a very interesting pre-show discussion (with colorful study guide) one hour before each performance. Thus, we can meet inside the Benedum at 6 PM on Friday, May 1 for this discussion.

The Meetup ticket offer is a really good deal, so think about treating yourself and family/friends for a truly memorable evening.

For more information about this production, including review articles, audio/video previews, cast info, etc., please visit FALSTAFF | Pittsburgh Opera

And if you can't make it on May 1 with the Meetup ticket offer, please consider attending one of the other performances.

Tuesday, April 28 at 7 PM

Friday, May 1 at 7 PM

Sunday, May 3 at 3 PM

Normally priced tickets and ticket availability for all performances may be found at FALSTAFF | Pittsburgh Opera or by calling (412) 456-6666 or stopping by the Theater Square/Benedum Box Office. Please note student (18 & Under) tickets are 50% off for all performances.

Parking Here is the ParkPGH website with real-time info on downtown parking garage availability or call 412-423-8980.

Check out the intriguing Peregrination: Xiaojing Yan 闫晓静 exhibit which will be closing after May 2, 2026 at Contemporary Craft, 5645 Butler Street, which is open Monday-Saturday from 10 AM - 5 PM.

Please note there will be a free guided Gallery Tour on Saturday, May 2 at 11 AM. Registration required.

Peregrination, a long and meandering journey…
This exhibition features work by Toronto based artist, Xiaojing Yan. Through the lens of personal migration and cultural hybridity, Yan explores the evolving relationship between identity, tradition, and the natural world. Yan’s art reflects a journey of transformation – an intricate weaving of folklore, ritual, and nature into a symbolic and dreamlike representation of lived experience.

Drawing from ancient Chinese myths and customs, Yan reinterprets traditional narrative through a contemporary lens, reflecting on the fluidity of cultural memory. Her practice is both a tribute and a reimagining, examining how heritage can be at once rooted and reshaped – especially through her choices of materials and processes. Natural motifs, often deeply embedded in Chinese folklore, emerge in her work as metaphors for movement, adaptation, and belonging. Mountains, rivers, and celestial elements echo the rhythms of migration, symbolizing the passage between worlds – both physical and spiritual.

Through meticulous craftsmanship and layered symbolism, her work becomes a meditation space – where the past converses with the present. Laden with symbolism, her creations remain as resonant today as they were historically, also engaging with contemporary concerns. In this act of peregrination, Yan constructs a landscape uniquely her own, evoking poetic and philosophical reflections on humanity’s connection to the natural world.

This exhibition is part of Handwork 2026.

While at Contemporary Craft, check out:

1. Excellence In Fibers XI Exhibition on view through June 27, 2026
2. Anthropocene Archive Exhibition on view through May 30, 2026
3. Gift Store As part of Contemporary Craft’s mission, their goal is to support nationally recognized craft artists, as well as new and emerging talent. The CC Store represents over 150 artists nationwide, offering handmade, one-of-a-kind art pieces in ceramic, fiber, glass, jewelry, metal, mixed media, paper, wood, and furniture. Each of these pieces has spent countless hours in the hands of an artist before reaching us. When you purchase work at Contemporary Craft, you directly support the livelihood of working artists and helping to advance the economic ecosystem of the craft community.
4. Check out Contemporary Craft’s Studios that offer in-person craft classes and workshops in metals/jewelry making, wood, fiber, mixed media, book binding, and paper arts at every level from beginner-friendly to mastery. Check out the full list of workshops and register on their upcoming workshops page! Or learn more about their Open Studio Rental program. Scholarship money is also available for all Workshops and for Open Studio Rental. Click to apply! Consider supporting the Studio with a purchase from their Wish List!

Meetup Considerations Depending on the interests of the group and the weather forecast, the group will discuss other Saturday afternoon options, such as walking around Lawrenceville or grabbing lunch/drink at a nearby restaurant. For example, Hop Farm Brewing is located only 1 block away from Contemporary Craft. It is open from 12 PM – 11 PM on Saturdays, while the kitchen is open from 3 PM - 10 PM.

Stay tuned for updates!

Parking and Accessibility Contemporary Craft has its own small parking lot. Street parking is available as this part of Upper Lawrenceville is not usually very busy. Public transportation is available as PRT Buses 87 and 91 have bus stops next to Contemporary Craft.

The free, informal Song Shops feature Pittsburgh Opera's Resident Artists. Beginning at 12:00 PM on selected Saturdays, these one-hour performances are free, fun, and open to everyone. Guests are encouraged to bring a friend and bring a lunch. FRIENDS of Pittsburgh Opera provide a reception after each Song Shop concert. Doors open at 11:30AM.

Attracting about 200 people each month, these free performances feature Pittsburgh Opera's Resident Artists for one-hour concerts to help showcase upcoming productions during Pittsburgh Opera's 2025-2026 season.

Free Family-Friendly Concert

12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

This free performance takes place at Pittsburgh Opera Headquarters, 2425 Liberty Avenue in the Strip. It's free and open to everyone. However, to assist with logistics, please register in advance May Song Shop 2026

Doors open at 11:30 AM.

Please note that the Pittsburgh Opera garage is available only for handicapped parking, by reservation. Handicapped parking reservations must be made by 4 PM Friday, May 8.

For more information about Pittsburgh Opera

So whether you're curious or just looking to take a little break while shopping in the Strip, please consider stopping by Pittsburgh Opera to enjoy their resident artists as they sing classics to give guests a little taste of opera.

And if you're relatively new to Meetup, this is a nice event to meet people in a very relaxed, convenient setting. Because the concert ends at 1 PM, your Saturday afternoon will still be open. Depending on the RSVPs, weather, and interests of the group, some people may go out for an optional lunch or walk around the Strip District.

Options for Spending Time After the Concert

1. If the weather is nice, walk over to the new Pittsburgh Walk of Fame with the installation of the first 10 stars (dedicated on October 20, 2025) near 19th and Smallman.
2. Lunch within a few blocks from the Pittsburgh Opera location.
3. Heinz History Center & Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum (1212 Smallman Street)

Parking There are several websites with recommendations for parking in the Strip District, such as Strip District Neighbors | Pittsburgh Pennsylvania | Directions & Parking

The Strip District is readily accessible with PRT Buses 54, 86, 87, 88, and 91 which have stops near the corner of 25th and Liberty which is directly across from the Pittsburgh Opera location.