On Sunday, June 7th, 2009, the Buffalo Mural Arts Program (BMAP) will host a fundraiser and visual arts show at the Buffalo Central Terminal. A free concert, featuring local bands Type Relevant, The Broadcast, The Incurables, Chris Brown and more, will be held outside the event.
Last year, Kimberly Moore, a UB graduate, worked for council president David A. Franczyk through the UB Inner City Internship program. Through her internship, Moore created the Buffalo Mural Arts Program in an effort to help revitalize the Broadway-Fillmore area. The BMAP aims to enliven the city through visual art.
"We look at high-visibility sites that through mural painting will create a buzz and lead to increased interest in the area, and eventually economic reinvestment," said Mark Byrnes, an interim manager of the BMAP. "We understand murals alone will not revitalize Buffalo, but can be the conversation starter that gets the ball rolling again," he said.
The BMAP works in conjunction with the B.E.S.T. Community Association, a non-profit, grassroots organization located on the east-side of Buffalo, that aims to empower residents and revitalize the community.
"Mural Art, when done well and at the right site, can transform the image of a neighborhood," Byrnes said. "To see a neglected area is indeed cared for can truly help spark community activism, and even lead to new economic investment. That is what we are trying to achieve through this project," he said.
The organization relies on artistic and volunteer efforts to create mural art that celebrates the history of Buffalo and conveys a bright future for the city. The BMAP and local artists, who have volunteered their time, plan to paint various buildings in the Broadway-Fillmore area. Artist Anna Knudsen, a UB graduate with a bachelor's degree in fine arts, will be painting a mural at 1105 Broadway Street (above) over the summer.
The fundraiser event will include a raffle. Among the great prizes are gift certificates to local restaurants and passes to the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, the Albright-Knox Art Gallery, the Burchfield Penny Art Center, and Darwin Martin House
All proceeds from the upcoming fundraiser will provide the organization with art supplies, insurance and a small stipend for participating artists.
The event will take place at the Buffalo Central Terminal located at 495 Paderewski Drive from 10 AM until 4 PM.
If you would like to volunteer for this event or make a
donation, please contact Mark Byrnes at buffalomuralarts@gmail.com for more information.
Terrific idea! Diego Rivera would be proud.