Founded in 1976, Calliope is a nonprofit educational and presenting organization dedicated to the promotion and preservation of traditional and contemporary folk music and its allied arts. We firmly believe that music is a language through which we speak, learn, create, and come to know our world, engaging individuals of all backgrounds. Through our programs, we seek to connect people through the particular power of folk music and serve the community by encouraging and supporting:

• The joy of live music: As the premier presenter of traditional and roots-based music in Western Pennsylvania, we present performing artists of national and international reputation, promote regional and local performers, and reward audiences with unforgettable performances of music rarely presented elsewhere in our region.

• The delight of making music: The Calliope School of Folk Music provides accessible, highest quality instruction in heritage-based music for adults, teens, and children through classes, workshops, jam sessions, and collaborations with other organizations.
• The power of sharing music: Calliope sponsors a range of community outreach programs and events that bring together people from many neighborhoods, ages, and ethnicities to experience each other’s music and movement traditions, trade stories, and forge friendships.