WAM Encourages Mingling Among Buffalo Artists

By Naomi R. Spencer

There's a new arts movement in Buffalo. It's called WAM. Translation: Writers, Artists, Musicians.

WAM is a monthly event focusing on live and local music, spoken word and art. One of the neat things about it is that it's completely free. Yes, free.

The next WAM event is happening this Wednesday night, July 29th, from 7-10PM at the Stillwater, 481 Delaware Ave. (There will be drink and food specials all night long)

The objective of WAM is to initiate mingling and collaboration between artists in Buffalo area and to further enrich its already vibrant cultural scene - what's cooler than that?

"We want to give a chance for writers, artists and musicians to come together to celebrate hard work," says co-host for the event Derek Presti. "We want offer an outlet for the grassroots movements in Buffalo. We want to give artists visual and audio, giving them an outlet for their works, giving them the opportunity to network and mingle, basically to give them a chance."

The idea for WAM was conceived of at the opening of NOMAD, a new literary magazine in Buffalo that came about as a result of a few friends talking.

"Basically myself, Alex Foot, and Erika Eichelkraut got talking one night at the magazine opening," says Presti. "It really stemmed from our conversation. We talking with other friends and they too expressed interest, so we saw a market for it."

Presti and Foot are members in the band Free Henry, a Buffalo based band, and Eichelkraut is in charge of NOMAD. They decided to combine their love of the arts to create an event where other artists are able to express themselves.

The first event was so successful, they decided to have a second one-this Wednesday night. If all continues to go well, there will be a WAM each month.

"We're stressing it's live, and it's local," says Presti. "It gives writers a chance to speak some of their works, artists to showcase photography and an open mic for poets and Buffalo's musicians."

The main performance of the evening will be by Free Henry. During the night the mic will be opening for poets, and visual art will be projected onto a screen. Representatives from the Albright-Knox will be at the event, too.

"It really just started as an experiment, and it turned into an arts movement," says Presti.

Let's make sure the movement continues.