Guitar societies traditionally serve as a hub for guitarists, concertgoers, teachers, guitar aficionados and other music enthusiasts. While the Guitar Society of Fine Art (GSFA) was founded to serve this core population, its program areas reach far beyond this by providing direct services to a broader cross-section of area residents. GSFA, through innovative programs and enthusiastic leadership, is working to develop the performance skills and provide employment to emerging musicians, improve the lives of at-risk youth, and increase the quantity and diversity of live music performances throughout our community.

The founding principles and underlying program goals of GSFAare based on a passion for music and the guitar. Its diverse programs and services provide social, economic, artistic, and educational benefit by engaging area residents in the appreciation, study, and participatory experience of music. Through its Concert Series, Membership Society, GIFT and Pittsburgh Live Music programs, GSFA seeks to generate an overall increase in musical activity within the region. Exposing non- traditional audiences and underserved youth, providing employment to young and emerging artists, and serving existing music and guitar enthusiasts are the key programmatic goals of the society. The overriding commitment to improving our community by promoting music, the guitar, and young artists has been the guiding force behind the success of GSFA in its first 2 years.

GSFA is dedicated to promoting the guitar and live music in Pittsburgh and GSFA's first program the Guitar Concert Series has been extraordinarily successful in that regard. It has attracted over 2000 patrons to 12 world-class performances by renowned artists such as Manuel Barrueco, David Russell, Muriel Anderson, Ricardo Cobo, Gene Bertoncini and Marija Temo.