Buffalo Academy for Visual and Performing Arts
“The new facility physically supports our programs. In the old building, form did not follow function,” Kazmierczak said. “Once you go inside, you don’t know that you’re in the school. From the start, you can experience students' artwork.”
The programs at the BAVPA go beyond the arts, as the faculty strives to develop a curriculum that includes art-influenced academics, and conversely, finding academics--such as math and social studies--inside art projects. “It is fantastic to be able to walk into any classroom and see these typically separate aspects all working together,” Kazmierczak said. Students have the benefit of the expertise of the teachers, and that of community organizations such as Hallwalls, the current partner of BAVPA in the Empire State Partnership (ESP) program.
The ESP program identifies, supports and develops partnerships between local cultural organizations and schools, with a focus on bringing—and at times returning—the arts into classrooms across the state. The collaboration between the school and the organization partner typically allows students to participate and learn from cultural events in the area.
“Students can really gain from the community and events [held by the organization partner], through not only access, but participation in the events as well,” explains Jam Vafai, who is part of the Media Communications department at BAVPA.
While not part of the Empire State Partnership program, the BAVPA has partnerships in the community with other organizations as well, such as the Albright-Knox Art Gallery, and the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, with several other informal partnerships pending. Partnering with community organizations has allowed more of the hands-on access to art and artists than ever before.
Last month, Michael Ludwig, a renowned Classical Violinist, held a recital in the BAVPA’s new auditorium. Ludwig was also on hand to interact with the students, giving them some of his unique insight to his craft.
“There has always been a concert or a masters class for the students, when an artist visits the school. However, in the past, artists would go on to perform at another venue in the city,” Kazmierczak said. “Now we have the ability to hold that evening concert here at the school as well, allowing the community and students access to the event.”
Kazmierczak explains this as a “Three Pronged Approach” to success for the school: First and foremost is the education and growth of the students, including master's classes with visiting artists. Secondly, the Evening Concert series provides ticketed special events that help support the Arts Academy Foundation. The AAF was founded by Buffalo native, and BAVPA alum Ani DiFranco. The Foundation supports the school by funding purchases of instruments and other art supplies for the students, in order to ensure that the students always have the tools to succeed despite any possible future issues with the Buffalo School District’s funding, since the foundation is a separate organization.
The final part of the “Three Pronged Approach” for BAVPA’s success comes from the community. “The Masten and Ferry area used to be a destination,” explains Kazmierczak. “One of our challenges is to remind the community that this still is a destination.”
Reaching out to the community with the evening concerts and events such as last month’s performance of The Wiz, and the upcoming production of Dead Man Walking—which includes a talk by the novel’s author, Sister Helen Prejean, after one of the performances—are excellent examples of how the BAVPA distinguishes itself amongst the arts community in Buffalo.
By attracting artists with the use of the new facilities to speak or perform, the BAVPA engages not only the students, but also the community. Each event will strengthen the school’s reputation and the Arts Academy Foundation, solidifying the school for the student’s—and Buffalo’s—future.
“We’ve been getting good comments from our events,” Kazmierczak begins. “One parent said to me: ‘My son wants to audition if these are the kind of events you hold here.’ People are discovering…or re-discovering us.” It seems the BAVPA may not be a secret for much longer.
For more information regarding the Buffalo Academy of Performing Arts, including admissions and upcoming events, visit bavpa.org or call 816.4220.
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RisingDamp666
Could we please drop the "BAVPA"? That sounds like a laundry detergent in Estonia.
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chris69
For whatever it is worth, let me put my two cents in and play off of the success of the Central Terminal art shows.
1) I agree, get rid of BAVPA it sounds like PRAVDA the Soviet Communist newspaper
2) open this school up to partnerships! Everyone knows the life of an aspiring artist is not an easy one nor is it a secure one which is why so many parents cringe when their kids decide to point their life in that direction.
But as far as partnerships are concerned there is alot of avenues that Buffalo simply refuses to consider and offer such as:
A) partnerships with the Roycroft for artisinal arts and crafts. As far as I know the Roycroft has no onsite artisanal glass makers for example.
B) Burchfield Penny, Central Terminal and Albright Knox could do an annual show on local artists from the school.
C) a lesson from Rochester? Rochester puts their high school plays and musicals on local TV every year. Where are the civic promotions of local TV and Radio stations when it comes to local performing arts in theater and music and other performing arts.
D) partnerships with UB Performing Arts, Buffalo State, etc? As with technology, I see no partnerships between local high schools and local colleges in the arts either!!!!
E) do we ignore our budding playwrights, stage crafters, journalists, writers, correspondents, reporters, documentary writers and researchers, etc? They may not be performing artists but they straddle the info/news/entertainment hybrid that is our modern media
F) and where exactly is Buffalo in the 21st century arts of programming video games, video art, special effects programming, animation, etc?
G) and where exactly is Buffalo in the various forms of 20th and 21st century expressions on canvas, paper, computer, radio, tv, film, etc.
NONE OF OUR LOCAL ARTS AND ARTISTS CAN BE SUCCESSFUL IF IT STANDS ALONE!!!!!
NONE OF OUR LOCAL ARTS AND ARTISTS CAN BE SUCCESSFUL IF THEY ARE NOT PROMOTED!!!!!
NONE OF OUR LOCAL ARTS AND ARTISTS CAN ACHIEVE THEIR POTENTIAL IF WE SUBSCRIBE TO THE SAME MONDANE COOKIE CUTTER ARTS AND PERFORMING ARTS THAT ARE DUPLICATED IN EVERY OTHER HIGH SCHOOL IN EVERY OTHER CITY! AGAIN, THAT DOESNT PROMOTE CREATIVE EXPRESSION AND TALENT BUT SIMPLY NEEDLESS COMPETITION IN THE SAME GENERIC FORMS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN EXPLORED.....WHICH PRODUCES THE TALENTLESS VOMIT THAT CAN ONLY FIND VALUE IN SHOCK LIKE WARHOL AND MAPPLETHORPE.
WE OWE MORE TO OUR KIDS AND DONT YOU THINK ITS ABOUT TIME WE THOUGHT OUTSIDE THE BOX AND GAVE IT TO THEM! ESPECIALLY WHEN THESE PARTNERSHIPS NEED NOT ADD THAT MUCH COST TO THE BOTTOM LINE!
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theansweris42
A not so well kept secret about the school is that the building principal moved out of Buffalo last year to Amherst and pulled his own kids out of the school he manages. You have to wonder just how much he really cares about the school he has been in charge of for over seven years and yet is a "best kept secret".
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Lovejoy99
The school used to have partnerships with many of the places mentioned. BAVPA is a shell of its former self and really has suffered at the hands of the current principal.
@theansweris42
You are so right about that.
The new building is amazing but a shiny happy new building is nothing unless the program contained inside the school matches it.
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chris69
thanks for bringing this to the attention of all
We all know the complete sit on your arse incompetence of civil servants sucking at the teets of the taxpayer at the expense of children.....sounds like this public school is ideal for conversion to a charter!!!!!
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sbrof
Residency laws for teachers should be a must. Sorry if it might reduce the selection of teachers for a couple years but somehow I would rather have larger classes and fewer teachers that actually cared than a bunch of people who could care less about the children's future because their own kids are safe and educated outside the city system. It is the biggest crock of s&*t and pulls the whole district down and the city with it.
I had several friends who went through the city system and talked about these teachers, it was obvious to the kids that the teachers didn't care and often would tell the children as much. I also have friends that teach in the system now who don't live in Buffalo and some that do. I also had friends who lived int he city but went to suburban schools (illegally). It is a real problem but unless people are willing to get invested to a place they will always consider their kids as someone else's 'problem.' They don't need to make sure they teach children how to read because they are not their children of their friend's child. They know they will drive home and everything will be fine.
The other option to a residency requirement is to create a county wide school system. Probably the best but hardest to accomplish task. One where all our children have an equal opportunity for a good education. Everyone knows the scales, funding, quality are different between city and suburb. Everyone realizes the school district problems go to the heart of Buffalo's ability to retain the middle class. What bothers me so much is the lack of action to do anything about it. Years ago the school system made huge efforts to improve itself now all that seems to come from the board is political pandering that tries to show the people how much they are doing. Ohh longer school hours, ohh smaller class sizes. Political moves that in the end won't do any good for the system or its children. HUGE shame.
I am getting to the age where children are starting to become a question in my head. What will I do with my children. Will I be able to get into one of the good schools? Pay extra for a private school education? Will I just be forced to leave the city like so many people I know because their wives refuse to take a chance on their education. Who can really blame them? It's sad but I don't. Who knows... end of rant...
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YesOrNo
Get out the pooper scooper! Has the Disney Partnership arrived that was promised at Parent Orientation for new students entering Arts Academy school year 2001-02. How about the the communication dept state of the art equipment, oh thats right it has not arrived! Ask former students what they experienced,current students will respond when will those experiences arrive for us. Time to really see what is not happening at Arts Academy. Well there is always the suburbs where you can find a program that is offering what has not arrived.
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theansweris42
“The new facility physically supports our programs. In the old building, form did not follow function,” Kazmierczak said. “Once you go inside, you don’t know that you’re in the school. From the start, you can experience students' artwork.” You may see some artwork if you attend an event and the Ferry Street entrance is open but if you go in the visitor's entrance on Masten Ave. the lobby is devoid of any artwork or anything that might hint you are in a school of the arts. Parents & students tell me that the Ferry lobby is off limits unless there is an event and that the rest of the school is pretty bare. I've been in McKinley for events and the walls are covered in artwork, college posters (including art colleges), banners promoting school spirit, articles about students and alumni, awards, trophies, pictures, etc. But at BAVPA, nothing. The old building on Clinton had lots of artwork and photos on the walls but apparently the form and function of this new facility is to go with a minimalist look. Or maybe there isn't a whole lot of encouraging of the students going on? I wonder if the suburban school where the principal now sends his kids also lacks school spirit and student decor?
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reflip
The New York State public school system exists to encourage and reward mediocrity. Whatever "education" you get at a public school is purely social. You don't learn how to think critically or adapt to a changing society. You learn how to drone on, day in and day out, without asking questions or demanding too much of yourself. In return, nothing much will be demanded of you beyond minimal competence. In that sense, the system was designed to prepare us for factory jobs and other occupations that no longer exist in the United States as we know it. Those who excel do so basically on their own - not because they recieved a superior education in ...whatever... district, and they would have crashed and burned elsewhere.
You cannot find "the best education" in a school that administers Regents exams. Period. Suburban schools can be just as mismanaged as the city schools. Similarly, they can both be well run. And they both teach the same material in the same manner, with individual differences between teachers, of course. The only difference is in the student body. If you have the means, you pick who you want your kids to grow up around. Old-fashioned book larnin' has nothing to do with it.
I'm not judging that act. I'm just defining it. This isn't "city vs. suburb." The city schools and the suburban schools are all part of the same system. The are all, technically, beholden to the same standards and practices as governed by the the State.
Nevertheless, city schools tend to fall victim to educational fads and the whims and fancies of people with PhDs in education but no experience 'educating' anyone or anything. We are more willing to experiment with city schools (draw your own conclusions there) while the suburban recipe remains largely unchanged through the years. Hey, when are they going to open the Amherst Academy of Visual and Performing Arts?
I had plenty of teachers in HS (downstate, public suburban district with a good reputation) who did not care, were coasting towards retirement and told us as much. Bad teachers and selfish, arrogant administrators exist in every district. I never met the principal of my HS except when he wanted to shake my hand for a photo op. He didn't know my name and couldn't tell you anything about me other than what I did to justify his exorbitant salary. And as some teachers retired, I began to notice an influx of...ahem...attractive, blonde teachers. But I'm sure they were just the most qualified applicants. The chair of our English department didn't know which half of the 19th century witnessed the Civil War. There were routinely fights in the hallways, someone pulled the fire alarm almost daily, etc. The AP Biology class had no lab equipment. It wasn't exactly the educational Nirvana people make of the suburbs.
Similarly, I'm sure someone could regale us all with idyllic tales of educational bliss at their public school. It varies. Everywhere. Day to day. Class to class. District to district.
Does anyone really think that New York State, which can barely even govern itself, is going to offer you "the best" education?
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davvid
I always wished BAVPA would become a regional school with a much more rigorous selection process.
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theansweris42
We can all agree on the dysfunctional state of NY. But moving on, Lancaster is setting up a HS for the Visual & Performing Arts and if you see what those students create for Art Alive! at the AK each year you are blown away. Good luck to them..another reason for someone to move out of Buffalo to attend the new LAVPA! Bottom line is that BAVPA has so much potential, especially at the new school facility and yet it has become less than it's stellar past would expect it to be. I've met many alumni from the school's glory days who are astounded by the state of the current program. Blaming NYS or the BOE is just an excuse to maintain the current status quo. It is sad. Students like Jesse L. Martin and Ani DiFranco and many others flourished in a school that was nurturing and encouraged creativity and unconventional thought, you don't need the NYS Ed Dept. to write that into the curriculum. You need the right mix of teachers, students and parents willing to see that that happens. Unfortunately without dynamic, proactive leadership and vision it all grinds to a halt. Maybe the principal will start to invite others to the table to plan for a new BAVPA, trouble is his table is out in Amherst. BAVPA needs more than a fluff piece on BR from the current principal talking a big game now, after 7+ years at the helm. "Small deeds done are better than great deeds planned". - Peter Marshall
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red
KUDOS to any group who is willing to focus resources (time, $$$, supplies, energy, etc) to support the Arts in our schools. I heard about the Lancaster Academy of the Visual & Performing Arts too... holy cow! Way-Impressive... I wish the best to Buffalo and Lancaster in their endevours. FYI, I found this link to a short video which promotes LAVPA... check it out!
http://candlelight-productions.com/demo/LHS_LAVAPARTS256.wmv
Cheers! --Red
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