Andrés Franco Returns to City of Asylum as Executive Director

QED's Jim Cunningham ventured to City of Asylum's campus to speak with their recently appointed Executive Director, Andrés Franco, about his transition, the organization's mission, and their 2026 Jazz Poetry programming. Andrés previously served as the organization's Executive Director from 2020-2023, and comes back to City of Asylum after wrapping up his role as Executive Director of Attack Theatre. He recounts the story of the global City of Asylum movement, which was started by writer Salman Rushdie, and the founding of its Pittsburgh chapter. City of Asylum is currently presenting their Jazz Poetry month, a long-standing tradition which combines the improvisational nature of jazz music with multi-cultural poetry readings. Performances are at 7:00pm on May 7th, May 14th, and May 21st. You can learn more about City Asylum on their website. Tickets to all City of Asylum programs are free; RSVP to the Jazz Poetry performances and more here. Thanks for tuning in to WQED's Voice of the Arts, Pittsburgh's trusted source for arts and culture in our region. Whether you're passionate about classical music, film, theater, opera, or local music, we’re here to bring you closer to the heart of Pittsburgh's local arts scene.Don’t miss our musician interviews, the latest local music news, and performing arts insights from across the Southwestern Pennsylvania region. Subscribe and follow to stay connected with the vibrant voices shaping Pittsburgh’s creative community. Visit https://www.wqed.org/ to see what else WQED is doing in our community. Until next time, keep supporting the arts and keep listening to Voice of the Arts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.