Center for the Arts

Center for the Arts Receives Five Telly Awards

The Center for the Arts at the University at Buffalo announces that it has been selected to receive five Telly Awards in recognition of the television productions: Music is Art LIVE @ The Center; Bullseye; and The Mystical Arts of Tibet.

Thomas Burrows, Executive Director of the Center for the Arts states, "In less than three years, the television productions initiated by the Center for the Arts have already achieved national recognition.  This is a testament to the fine work performed by the professional staff involved in this enterprise, and we are grateful for their special talents."

The television productions and related Telly Awards are as follows:
Music is Art LIVE @ the Center -- Three Telly Awards for entertainment, editing, and lighting
Music is Art LIVE @ The Center celebrates Western New York's best contemporary musicians and visual artists in a series of weekly live performances in the Center for the Arts at the University at Buffalo. Each episode highlights the intimate original musical performances, visual arts demonstrations and the stories behind the artist's work. To date Music is Art LIVE @ The Center has presented 41 free shows with 10,000 total attendees.  The program has reached one million households. The programs have featured 81 Musical Artists representing over 25 music genres, and 125 Visual Artists are featured representing over 25 different mediums.  The Center has received a total of seven Telly Awards for this program to date.

The Mystical Arts of Tibet -- Telly Award for cultural programming
Actor Richard Gere and other Tibetan experts share their insights on the ritual ceremonies and culture of Tibet, as seen during a visit by the Dalai Lama to the University at Buffalo in 2006.  In celebration of the historic visit, a group of Buddhist monks in residence at the Center for the Arts create a traditional sand mandala and perform sacred music and dance, sharing their unique cultural heritage.

Bullseye -- Telly Award for sports documentary Produced from August 2007 - March 2008, Bullseye features UB Bulls football, basketball and other team sports. The Center for the Arts is dedicated to the cultural enrichment of the University at Buffalo and its surrounding communities through the presentation of public arts and cultural events of the highest quality. Celebrating the creative process through innovative programming, the Center crosses socio-economic, cultural, and disciplinary boundaries.  The Center nurtures excellence and innovation in the arts through education, presentation, community service, and research in the visual and performing arts, while broadening the base of understanding, appreciation, and support for the arts through meaningful community partnerships.

Center receives Telly Award

Music is Art LIVE @ The Center television series honored with Bronze Telly Award for Lighting Design
Buffalo, NY – The Center for the Arts at the University at Buffalo’s television series, Music is Art LIVE @ The Center has been chosen as a recipient of a Bronze Telly Award for Lighting Design. 

With a record 13,379 entries from all 50 states and around the world, this year’s competition is regarded as the most competitive and successful in the 27 year history of the Telly Awards. Founded in 1979, the Telly Awards is the premier award honoring outstanding local, regional, and cable TV commercials and programs, as well as the finest video and film productions. Winners represent the best work of the most respected advertising agencies, production companies, television stations, cable operators, and corporate video departments in the world.

This year's winners include companies, agencies and organizations of all sizes, from large multinational media companies to small ad agencies and local production houses. A sample of other winners includes: BET Jazz, CNN, Disneyland Resort, FX Networks, GEICO, HGTV, Marshall Field's, Microsoft, MSNBC, NBA Entertainment, NBC Universal Global Network, Nickelodeon, Nike, QVC, and The History Channel.

A prestigious judging panel of 27 accomplished industry professionals evaluated entries to recognize distinction in creative work.  Entries do not compete against each other - rather entries are judged against a high standard of merit.

In March 2005, the Center for the Arts and the Music is Art Foundation (led by Robby Takac of the Goo Goo Dolls) began collaborating on a new project entitled Music is Art LIVE @ The Center.  The free weekly series features a unique blend of cutting-edge musicians performing and visual artists working in a coffeehouse atmosphere.  Each event showcases two musical groups and up to seven visual artists, while a multiple-camera crew captures footage for a half-hour television episode.  Seasons #1 and #2 have aired on Sunday evenings on WNLO-TV to strong ratings.  Season #3 is currently being edited for broadcast, and there are plans to continue the live series this fall.

Thomas Burrows, Executive Director of the Center for the Arts states, “We have always felt a deep commitment to this project and are pleased with the way the community has rallied behind it.  This award emphasizes the standard of excellence upheld by our production staff and opens more possibilities for televised events originating from the Center for the Arts.”

This project has generated great excitement by infusing Western New York arts and campus life into the community.  More than 6,000 patrons have attended the live events and 300,000 households have watched the television series on WNLO-TV (UPN 23) to date.  The series has featured 46 musical artists representing over 20 music genres with 90 visual artists representing over 20 different mediums.  The Center has also provided 43 students educational opportunities by way of its professional internship program. 

To learn more about the Telly Awards, please visit www.tellyawards.com.

Center for the Arts website: www.ubcfa.org

Spring Magazine Awarded Gold

The University at Buffalo Center for the Arts 2006 Spring Magazine won a Gold Award in the Buffalo Club of Printing House Craftsmen Superb Printing Awards competition. The Gold Award was announced at the 49th Annual Printing Awards Banquet held Thursday, March 23 at Salvatore's Italian Gardens. The Spring Magazine competed in the "Sheetfed Offset, More than Two Color, Brochure" category. The annual competition showcases work from the best printers serving the $800 million Western New York printing market. The brochure was printed by Digicon Imaging, Inc. of Buffalo, NY.

Executive Director Thomas Burrows Receives Arts Council Award

Buffalo, NY – The Arts Council in Buffalo & Erie County has selected Thomas Burrows, Executive Director of the Center for the Arts to receive this year’s Arts Administrator Award. Burrows and other award recipients were honored on Tuesday, March 21 at the 20th Annual Arts Awards Luncheon at the Buffalo Convention Center. The award honors individuals, businesses and organizations that demonstrate exceptional support, achievement and excellence in the arts and cultural community of the Buffalo Niagara Region.

Mr. Burrows has served as Executive Director of the Center for the Arts since 1996.  During this time he has implemented numerous programs, one of which was to support underserved art forms in the community.  Noting that the presentation of national and international dance was very limited, he worked to achieve this goal through corporate sponsorships, grants and revenue generation to keep ticket price affordable for professional dance presentation.  He also began a dance residency program whereby visiting companies, staying for extended periods, work not only with UB students but with thousands of children in local primary and secondary schools to introduce young people to dance.  Another objective was to introduce thousands of local children to the performing arts through the Center’s School Time Adventure Series.  The Center’s transportation stipend program helps absorb the cost of buses so that children in underserved communities may attend these events. 

Prior to his appointment at the Center for the Arts, his distinguished career in the performing arts began in New York as Production Manager at Circle in the Square, while studying directing with Jose Quintero.  He later served as General Manager for The Establishment Theatre Company.  His other career achievements include: Managing Director of Theatre Operations at Yale University, School of Drama; General Manager of Shaw Festival Theatre, Niagara-on-the-Lake; General Manager of O’Keefe Centre (currently Hummingbird Theatre) in Toronto and prior to coming to the Center, General Manager of Hamilton Place, Hamilton, Ontario.  He is past President of the Board for the Irish Classical Theatre Company.

He is also affiliated with: Artpark & Company (Board of Directors), Shaw Festival (Governor’s Council), Asian Studies Advisory Board, Film Advisory Board of Buffalo and Erie County and Canadian Studies Advisory Board.  Mr. Burrows is also a member of ATPAM, the International Association of Auditorium Managers and ISPA, International Society of Performing Arts Foundation.

More information on the award and recipients may be found at www.artscouncilbuffalo.org.