The Irma Freeman Center for Imagination

08/15/2024

This is happening! Get your early bird rates!
https://www.irmafreeman.org/preorder-pittsburghs-avantgarde/pittsburghs-avant-garde

08/08/2024

Spa Day happening this Saturday, August 10, 11-6pm at the IF Center in collaboration with .sauna

Tickets are available now on eventbrite! Link in bio

"Join us for a day of relaxation and rejuvenation at The Irma Freeman Center for Imagination. Treat yourself to a variety of holistic health services, including massages, group yoga, herbal foot baths, breathwork, and more. Indulge in some community-care and help us raise money for a couple of amazing causes!
$20 tickets will be available at the door and include one full service plus a meal ticket. Additional services can be purchased on a sliding scale.
Sale of tickets for this event will be split between the Stone Cabin Collective and S.C.O.R.C.H. Both of these projects focus on community-care initiatives. The Stone Cabin Collective has held holistic clinics for the Dine peoples in Black Mesa, Arizona. S.C.O.R.C.H. holds trainings here in Pittsburgh, PA and participates in street medic practices on the ground."

07/30/2024

Join us FIRST FRIDAY Aug 2 for the closing of “Uncovering the Human Perception” by Jamie Bird and Bill Karaffa

This will be the last chance to see this show, which aims to depict multiple interpretations of the human experience

7-9 pm. Prints available for sale!

07/25/2024

Voting for best of PGH is open!

We are honored to make it to the second round ☺️ if you’ve ever enjoyed our art shows or events, find the link in our bio - vote for us to win Best Gallery For Local Artists!

You can vote once a day until August 9 ✨

Vote for our sister company for Best Tea Shop 🍵👾

07/19/2024

Join us July 22-23rd for a semi-playful *adults only* puppet performance: MYSTIC CO**HA - doors opening at 8pm, show at 8:30pm! (Free show - donations welcome)

07/14/2024

“Ada, Soon” playing July 18 -21st at The Irma Freeman Center

“After the apocalypse, Ada is left with only an AI and a copy of The Tempest for company. Then a stranger comes knocking. Written and directed by Lelaina Vogel, this new play interweaves the text and themes of Shakespeare’s last work with an exploration of q***rness, loneliness, and human resilience.”

Doors open at 7:45pm. Link in bio for tickets!

07/10/2024

We will be hosting an evening of poetry this Friday July 12, featuring the Porch Poets. 🖊️✨

This will be in combination with our July art show, “Uncovering the Human Perception”. Meet the artists and .bird tonight at 7pm!

07/05/2024

“Uncovering the Human Perception” by Jaime Bird and William A. Karaffa opens TONIGHT 7-9 PM. See you there for First Friday!

07/03/2024

In addition to our July show “Uncovering the Human Perception”, the Irma Freeman Center will be hosting various events. The first of which will be MEET THE ARTISTS on July 10, 7pm.

Here, patrons have the opportunity to meet Jaime Bird and William A. Karaffa, the talented photographer and artist whose work is up the entire month of July. Don’t miss it!

07/02/2024

Join us this First Friday, July 5, to see the opening of "Uncovering the Human Perception" by Jaime Bird and William A. Karaffa

This show features thought-provoking oil paintings and charcoal drawings as well as enthralling street photography to explore multiple interpretations of the human experience.

This will be up the entire month of July, in congruence with several other special events. Visit our website (link in bio) and stay tuned for more info!

07/02/2024

Join us this First Friday to see the opening of “Uncovering the Human Perception” by Jamie Bird and William A. Karaffa

This show features thought-provoking oil paintings and charcoal drawings as well as enthralling street photography to explore multiple interpretations of the human experience.

This will be up the entire month of July, in congruence with several other special events. Visit our website (link in bio) and stay tuned for more info!

06/14/2024

We’re up for nomination for the “Best Gallery for Local Artists” category!! It would be an honor to be up for the second round of voting. It would also help bring attention to our gallery ✨🎨 and keep us afloat!⛵️

Go to Pittsburgh City Paper’s website to nominate us between now and June 21st! Link in bio

Special mention: nominate our sister company for best tea bar 🫖💕

06/07/2024

“Beyond the Brush” opens TONIGHT for our June First Friday show 🌻🌻🌻
7-10 pm

This is a naturalistic show that features this landscape by , and many vivid pieces by , , and . See you there!

Our director, will be running a finger puppet-making table out front ☺️

06/06/2024

Prisoner Support Dance Party happening this Saturday, June 8th! 🪩

$10 donation suggestion.

Music by: .dass

Come ready to dance! 💃👯‍♂️🕺

06/05/2024

Join us this First Friday, June 7, for “Beyond The Brush”

opening at 7pm

“A diverse collection of paintings, ranging from surreal abstracts to landscapes and impressionistic pieces. Represented cohesively alongside one another, the pieces delineate the work of each artist, while embodying the variance we find in our everyday lives. Paired together, these works establish a dialogue that evokes the rediscovery of our environment and our own humanity; Emphasizing the interconnectedness of biocentrism in an anthropocentric world and shedding light on the seen and unseen."

Painting by

06/04/2024

“Beyond The Brush” show opening this Friday, June 7, 7-10 PM.

This show features 4 talented artists!

“The artists in this show have come together, each with their own distinct techniques, to explore the depths of painting within a naturalistic theme-and what it could mean to go ‘Beyond the Brush’. Exhibited for the first time together, these artists were selected for their inspirational and thought provoking artistry.”

Painting by

05/31/2024

Excited to announce our JUNE FIRST FRIDAY SHOW - “Beyond The Brush”

A group show featuring 4 talented artists, happening this first Friday, June 7th 7-9 pm ✨🖌️ see you there!

1st piece:
2nd piece:

Other featured artists: and

05/23/2024

Glitterbox Theater Presents: “The Van Gogh Shogh” by Donna Oblongata

May 24 and 25th. 7pm start! 🎭🎨🧑‍🎨

05/13/2024

SUNDAY, MAY 19th 1-4 PM FREE FOR ALL AGES!

Join in celebrating Joy, Love, Friendship, Respect, Acceptance, Understanding, and Togetherness at The Irma Freeman Center for Imagination

Love Party brings a liberatory afternoon of performances, storytimes, artmaking and other hands-on activities that brings our community closer and that grows our hearts wider.

All children should be accompanied by a responsible adult, 18 years or older.

Refreshments will be provided.

Continuous music provided by DJ Suave Pav.

05/12/2024

Miniature Worlds I - Summer camp sign up available now on our website!

copays & scholarships available!

July 15 - 19/ 1 - 4 pm/ Ages 6 - 8/ Teacher, Sheila Ali

Let’s get small! Make tiny cameras, record players and records, and other electronics. Make itty bitty food: sandwiches, fruit, and baked goods! Get the finer things in life like small art works and a miniature library!. Spend the week building a diorama, print your own wallpaper and to put all your loot in plus light it up, and add moving water elements! It’s mini madness! Join the fun!

05/10/2024

Today’s featured Summer camp is: Trash to Treasure Island! 🏴‍☠️🏝️🦜

Sign up for any summer camp on our website, link in bio!

Use natural materials and collected materials, and real tools to build you own island! Create terrain with roving hills, beaches, sand dunes, waterfalls, working volcanoes, caves, lagoons, and jungle. You can bury your hidden treasure and make a parchment map to find it! Make animals, camp fires, hammocks, rafts, tree houses, foot paths, cargo, skeletons and pirates! Lost as sea, get ready for the life on an island: you’re shipwrecked!

Kids who are older than 10 may get special permission from the instructor to join this camp!

05/09/2024

It’s that time of year again, summer camp registration is here!! Go to our website (link in bio!) to sign up now!

Today we’re featuring pictures from our Acro Yoga class, offered again this year! 🤸

“Together we fly! Get ready to tumble through five days of fun and games, Acro Yoga, acrobatics and theatrics! Campers will discover their inner clowns as they play with character, learn foundation tumbling and Acro Yoga, experiment with movement and mime, and even make their very own clown outfits! This camp will take place in at the IF Center and, weather permitting, we will be clowning around at Friendship Park! Friday prepare to have a showcase for parents and friends.”

05/04/2024

TONIGHT AT 7PM - joins us for a night of audiovisual synesthesia at the IFCI featuring acts from Pittsburgh musicians and visual projectionists that stretch the limits of electronic media

Line up:
&: live coded noise +
Pittsburgh analog glitch
_malzof : TDM/experimental/chillout live visuals
Friendly Spinach & Luke Starcher: Experimental guitar + live coded visuals
Varsity Star: Electronic music + audio-reactive visuals from NYC

05/03/2024

SUNDAY, MAY 19th 1-4 PM FREE FOR ALL AGES!

Join us in celebrating Joy, Love, Friendship, Respect, Acceptance, Understanding, and Togetherness at The Irma Freeman Center for Imagination ( ), 5006 Penn Avenue, in the Garfield neighborhood of Pittsburgh.

Love Party brings a liberatory afternoon of performances, storytimes, artmaking and other hands-on activities that brings our community closer and that grows our hearts wider.

All children should be accompanied by a responsible adult, 18 years or older.

Refreshments will be provided.

Continuous music provided by DJ Suave Pav.

Presenters include:
Alison Zapata - Oaxacan Tin Heart Enamel Painting
Anqwenique Kinsel - Vocal Workshop
Assemble - Hands-on STEAM
DS Kinsel - Storytime Reader
Geña - Drumming Workshop
Jasmine Cho of Butter & Joy - Cookie Decorating
Liana Maneese - Somatic Workshop
Maritza Mosquera - POW WOW NOW Dialogue, Screen Printing & Collage
Sara Tang & Veronica Corpuz - Interactive Poetry
Sarika Goulatia .goulatia.art - Storytime Reader
Youth Plantrepreneurs - Seed Planting

Love Party is intersectional, intergenerational and inclusive. The Irma Freeman Center for Imagination is physically accessible to wheelchairs. Please contact the collective for additional accommodations to support your participation.

This event is supported by the Hillman Foundation.

Poster by

05/02/2024

From cave drawing to graffiti - join us tomorrow night, 5-9 PM, for the opening of “Communication Beyond Words” by Creative Citizen Studios.

CCS works with artists with intellectual and developmental disabilities to make, exhibit, and sell artwork!

(Sensory friendly portion of the opening is 5-6 PM.
Sock Puppet Joke Slam May 4, 1-3 PM

04/30/2024

Summer camps 2024! ☀️🍉🎨Registration is here. Link to website in our bio

Camps include:
Acro Circus Yoga 🧘‍♂️
Sculpture & Found Objects
Bike Adventures 🚴‍♂️
Architecture & City Planning 🌆
And many more!!!

04/25/2024

May 4 - AUDIOVISUAL SHOW 🔊👁️
Doors open 7 PM - $5

Electronic artist Varsity Star joins us from New York for a night of audiovisual synesthesia at the IFCI featuring acts from Pittsburgh musicians and visual projectionists that stretch the limits of electronic media

& : live coded noise + Pittsburgh analog glitch
: TDM/experimental/chillout +live visuals
Friendly Spinach & Luke Starcher: Experimental guitar + live coded visuals
Varsity Star: Electronic music + audio-reactive visuals from NYC

04/23/2024

Yoga this evening! 4.23.24 🧘‍♂️

In-person class 6:30-7:45pm, doors open at 6:15

$5-$20 sliding scale 🌕🌿

Join us in our spacious gallery (with heated floors!) IF YOGA invites you to stretch your body and mind 🧠✨ Explore the connection between breath and movement and your inner and outer worlds 👐

04/20/2024

04/20/2024

This Sunday! Drink & Draw is back!