Author: Nicole Murray Hispanic Heritage Month is the annual celebration of the history and culture of the Hispanic and Latin communities in the United States. The tradition began in 1968 as “Hispanic Heritage Week ” under Lyndon B. Johnson and later expanded to encompass a month-long span, September 15th to October 15th, under Ronald Regan in 1988 (read more). Today’s spotlight is Michele Agosto: If you are involved in the art scene in Buffalo, NY the odds are that you have seen Michele Agosto (Lead image: fifth from left) out and about. Michele’s background in the arts is vast and her…
Author: Arts Services Inc. (ASI)
Author: Nicole Murray Hispanic Heritage Month is the annual celebration of the history and culture of the Hispanic and Latin communities in the United States. The tradition began in 1968 as “Hispanic Heritage Week ” under Lyndon B. Johnson and later expanded to encompass a month-long span, September 15th to October 15th, under Ronald Regan in 1988. The start date of September 15th is significant because it marks the anniversary of independence for five Latin American countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. Mexico and Chile celebrate their independence days on September 16th and 18th respectively. While the…
Back-to-school season is just around the corner and already backpacks and school supplies line the shelves at local department stores. The start of a new school year is the traditional signifier of a clean slate and an opportunity for self improvement for students from elementary school through college, but what about the rest of us? The older adults who have been out of school for decades or the young folks who may find themselves outside of the traditional school structure. At what point should our “education” start or stop or at the very least, our commitment to bettering ourselves? This…
Author: Nicole Murray Back-to-school season is just around the corner and already backpacks and school supplies line the shelves at local department stores. The start of a new school year is the traditional signifier of a clean slate and an opportunity for self improvement for students from elementary school through college, but what about the rest of us? The older adults who have been out of school for decades or the young folks who may find themselves outside of the traditional school structure. At what point should our “education” start or stop or at the very least, our commitment to…
Applications for new and renewed Arts Access passes are now open for our 2021-22 season. ASI and our more than 30 partner organizations are committed to making the arts accessible to the entire community. We understand that there are many barriers to accessing arts and cultural experiences, including financial limitations. The Arts Access pass is available to anyone in Western New York who receives income-based public assistance and provides free or reduced admission and tickets to arts and cultural organizations across the region. Due to the changing nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, this list is being updated frequently and an…
Author: Anh Dao Truc Lam, 2021 Cornell High Road Fellow When it comes to the American Dream, people have mixed opinions. To some people, it represents the promising land of opportunities, modernity, social mobility, better education, and guaranteed quality of life. Yet, to some others, it’s more like a pipe dream, wherein still existed racial injustice, discrimination, police brutality, labor exploration, and so on. When the Vietnam War ended, the world entered the Cold War, and Vietnam became an alliance with the Soviet Union. In the 70-the 80s of Vietnam, believe it or not, there was only the Soviet Union…
The Joseph Giambra Legacy Fund is fiscally sponsored by Arts Services Inc and all donations will be accepted through ASI’s Pay Pal account to be distributed by the Joseph Giambra Legacy Fund. Be Part of the Legacy The Joseph Giambra Legacy Fund is committed to inspiring, entertaining, and integrating arts and culture in our community as modeled by the life of Joey Giambra, often called Buffalo’s Most Beloved Citizen. Joey Giambra’s contributions are heralded through print media outlets, radio, television, and virtual platforms. From compelling and entertaining anecdotes, compositions, poems, music, and performance, his legacy brings us closer together and…
Author: Nicole Murray Just a short journey away from Ellicottville, an enchanting experience awaits those who visit Griffis Sculpture Park in East Otto, New York. The sculpture park was founded in 1969 by Larry Griffis, Jr. who was an exceptional businessman as well as an avid sculptor. Taking inspiration from watching his children play around the sculptures in Hadrian’s Villa in Italy, he returned to Buffalo with the idea of making art an interactive and immersive experience. After receiving a gift of 125 acres of land from his mother in Ashford Hollow, the park began with exhibitions of Larry’s sculptures, many of…
Author: Nicole Murray The North Shore Arts Alliance was founded about thirteen years ago by a group of artists with the mission to promote, mentor, and encourage visual artists of all disciplines in Chautauqua County. The organization has grown significantly since then and membership in the alliance includes local artists and community members who can join for a nominal fee. All administrative work is done by volunteers and the funds that are raised go directly to the promotion of Alliance artists and to arts scholarships for local college-bound seniors. Their signature event is the Chautauqua-Lake Erie Art Trail, a driving trail that…
Author: Nicole Murray All too often, “Western New York” is a term used to describe the city of Buffalo and its immediate suburbs. Maybe names such as Clarence, Orchard Park, Tonawanda, and Lancaster come to mind. But if you take just a short 45 minute drive outside of any of these places, you’ll find that you’ve left the suburbs and hustle and bustle of city life far behind and entered the beautiful rural areas of Western New York. These types of rural settings have historically attracted artists of all disciplines who have packed up their crowded city studios to seek…