Genesee and Orleans County nonprofit organizations and artists seeking funding for arts related programming, events, and public art are encouraged to apply to the 2025 Statewide Community Regrant Program (SCR), administered by Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council (GO ART!) through a partnership with the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA). GO ART! will be accepting applications September 15 - November 1.
GO ART! will be holding free informational SCR workshops in August and September at various locations throughout Genesee and Orleans counties.
New applicants and previous applicants who have not attended an SCR workshop in 2023 or 2024 are required to attend, prior to submitting an application for the 2025 cycle.
All applicants are encouraged to attend. Registration required.
SCR Workshop Schedule:
Monday, August 5, from 6 - 7 p.m. at GO ART!, 201 E Main St, Batavia
Tuesday, August 6, from 6 - 7 p.m. at Hoag Library, 134 S Main St, Albion
Monday, August 12, from 6 - 7 p.m. on Zoom
Monday, August 26, from 6 - 7 p.m. at Hollwedel Memorial Library, 5 Woodrow Dr, Pavilion
Tuesday, August 27, from 6 - 7 p.m. on Zoom
Monday, September 9, from 6 - 7 p.m. at Lee-Whedon Memorial Library, 620 West Ave Medina
Tuesday, September 10, from 6 - 7 p.m. at Haxton Memorial Library, 3 N Pearl St Oakfield
Monday, September 16, from 6 - 7 p.m. at Woodward Memorial Library, 7 Wolcott Street, Leroy
Tuesday, September 17, from 6 - 7 p.m. on Zoom
For more information on the 2025 SCR program or to register for an upcoming workshop visit www.goart.org/grants
The Batavia Society of Artists will host its annual art show at GO-ART, located at 201 E. Main St., from August 12 to October 1. The event is open exclusively to members of the Batavia Society of Artists in good standing.
Artists are invited to submit up to three paintings of any size for a $15 entry fee. Each additional painting will incur a $5 fee. All submitted works must be recent, created within the last three years, and not previously exhibited in any BSA member's show. Paintings must also have a wire hanger; works lacking this requirement may not be displayed.
The entry deadline is August 9. Entry fees and forms should be mailed to Teresa Tamfer at 157 Hutchins Street, Batavia. For additional information, Teresa can be reached at 585-506-2465.
Artists can drop off their paintings at GO-ART on Thursday or Friday, August 8 or 9, between 11 a.m. and 9 p.m., or Saturday, August 10, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Alternate drop-off times can be arranged by calling 585-343-9313.
The art show will have an opening reception on Thursday, August 15, from 5:30 to 8 p.m.
Artists must pick up their paintings on Thursday or Friday, October 3 or 4, from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., or on Saturday, October 5, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Arrangements for alternate pick-up times can be made by calling 585-343-9313.
Paintings sold during the show will incur a 20% commission, payable to GO-ART.
Le Roy native Andy Rich in action during filming. Submitted Photo
When Andy Rich was a teenager, he daydreamed of becoming an actor and showing up in television or movie productions, except for one small detail.
A small-town boy from Le Roy getting anywhere in Los Angeles seemed like a foolhardy pursuit.
“I told myself that was like a silly dream and that I should get a real job,” Rich said during an interview with The Batavian. “So I just gave up on it until I turned 25 or 26. And then I started finding commercial work. I’m 37 now and have probably been in 100 commercial films and television productions. The biggest thing I’ve done recently is I produced a film with Alicia Silverstone.”
His portfolio includes “Pretty Thing” as a producer; movies “Halloween Inferno Part 3” and “The Ultimate Playlist of Noise” as an actor; and commercials for Rozwell Park and Independent Health.
A 2005 Le Roy High School graduate who was involved with Batavia Players and was on the group’s board of directors in 2022, Rich now wants other aspiring actors who may be reticent about working in the field of acting or are making an attempt but with no clear road map to get some tools to help them out.
Supported by a grant through the state Council on the Arts, and locally administered by GO Art!, Rich is offering two workshops of Acting for Large Markets from noon to 2:30 p.m. on Aug. 3 and 4 at Main St. 56 Theater, Batavia. Residents of Genesee, Livingston, Orleans and Wyoming counties may pick one of the sessions to attend for free.
“The reason I’m doing this is because when I got started, there just weren’t any resources for this type of thing. No classes, no one to explain to you how to get started, you were here to figure it out on your own. It took me the better part of 10 years to figure it out. How can I make this dream something real? So that’s the point of this class, is to essentially give people the tools that they need to get started. It is like a jumping-off point.”
There will be two others from the field providing their expertise:
Educator, coach and casting director Amy Gossels will talk about Mastering your Camera Auditions and offer lessons about “innovative on-camera audition techniques that will elevate your auditions and gain coveted industry insight to boost your career.
Gossels has cast more than 1,500 commercials and has been the casting director and, in many cases, a producer for more than 100 film and television productions during her 25-year career in the industry.
Andria Schultz is a brand strategist and consultant for entertainment professionals and organizations. She has worked on the production team for a variety of popular television programs, including “America’s Funniest Home Videos” and Disney Channel’s “Bizaardvark.”
Participants will learn more about honing their actor’s brand — for example, do you have that villain look?
“A lot of casting directors nowadays look for the look first, and then they’ll look at your audition if they’re interested,” he said.
Gossels will also offer tips on how to properly do a casting audition, Rich said, “and she’s not easy to get ahold of,” so making the connection with her is also a plus.
“This is going to give you all the work you need to do to get ready,” he said. “They’re going to get the opportunity to learn a lot of things that they maybe didn’t know as well and they’re gonna be able to make connections with people who have more industry connections than I do.”
He considered not promoting the class and just hoping for the best that people would learn of it and sign up. But then, he thought, “What a waste for it not to be full.”
He has learned the hard way about what not to do or say on set and in auditions, he said, and this is someone’s opportunity to start off on the right foot.
People can make innocent mistakes — say by talking too much on set — that gets them banned from future projects, and they may never know why. It’s a tough business, and the more you learn upfront about what’s expected of you, the likelier it is that you’re called back for other gigs because casting directors will remember you as the cooperative actor, not the difficult one.
And the really good news is that you don’t have to live in Los Angeles to get acting jobs, he said. Western New York is a burgeoning region for the field; there are commercials made for insurance and other familiar companies that are always looking for people of various ages.
New York State makes some eight I Love New York commercials each year, he said, and directors are always looking for people to serve as families in those projects.
Getting more interested? Registration will close by the end of July. To sign up, email iamandyrich@gmail.com with your preferred date of either Aug. 3 or 4. He hopes to see you there.
“I still have a really soft spot for small-town living, and Le Roy means a lot to me, and I just think that people in the region, the Western New York region, deserve more opportunities," he said. "I think a lot of people grow up thinking that there’s only a certain amount of options that are available to them. And I just want people to think differently, that the world is their oyster if they try hard enough.”
Andy Rich in a commercial with Yancey's Fancy cheeses. Submitted Photo
The Ramble Team is once again partnering with the Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council (GO ART!) to bring the Batavia Ramble and Explore Art Festival to Jackson Square and Jackson Street, on Saturday, July 6, from 10 a.m. - 9 p.m.
This fun-filled festival has something for everyone, including 25+ bands performing on two stages, an Explore Art tent for kids, street performances, food, and much more!
The Festival Team thanks local sponsors, Casella, Cedar Street Sales & Rentals, Edward Jones, ESL Federal Credit Union, Genesee Production Group, R.A. Haitz, L & L Transmission, Logan Music, and OATKA Milk Products for their generous support.
GO ART! also receives grant funding from the New York State Council on the Arts, Rochester Area Community Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Arts to support our Explore Art activities.
Stephen Kowalcyk, Ramble Coordinator, says, “We are looking forward to another great year! We have a lot of returning bands from last year as well as some new acts performing at The Ramble for the very first time.”
Ramble performer David Knaudt says, “The Ramble never disappoints! Such a fun time and how lucky are we in Batavia to have a music festival.”
In the time-honored Ramble tradition, local and regional classic and newer bands will entertain from morning to night.
This year’s lineup includes The Royal Halls, Sons Of Luther, Bad Sign, Prospect, Dave Knaudt, Indigo Flow, David Holnbeck, Don Thomas, Steve Fisher, Tom Ryan and Friends, Distant View, Groove, The Real News, Lonesome Road, Driven, The Cowboy Vampires, GumShoe, Surging Motion, Soulshine Band, Paul K Almeter, PD3, The Remediators, Jack Waite, Shotgun Pauly, and The Rock-A-Bully’s.
For decades, the Ramble has been an annual reunion to welcome musicians back who once called Batavia home, while celebrating our continued local and regional musical talents.
From the festival start to 5 p.m., the Explore Art tent will offer hands-on workshops in diverse arts, crafts, and dance, with several mini-concerts and demos. Come make your own bracelet with Ukrainian beadworker and pysanky artist, Irene Grassman (10:15 a.m. and 2:45 p.m.), or craft a clay medallion of Arabic calligraphy and designs with Nada Odeh (11:15 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.).
You’ll see a colorful and exciting demo of Afro Panamanian dance at 11:00 a.m., followed by a workshop at 12:30 p.m. to create a Carnival mask or headdress with the artists from Grupo Cultural Latinos en Rochester.
Local favorites, Troupe Nisaa, will present Middle Eastern dancing at noon. Try easy and fun old-time dancing at 1 p.m. with the Orleans County String Band, who will continue afterwards with a mini concert.
To cap off the day, the Allegany River Seneca Dancers will show and teach you how to do a traditional hoop dance at 2:30 p.m., with a cornhusk doll making workshop at 3:45 p.m.
Everyone is invited to help create our new Explore Art banner throughout the day. Created by local artist, Jill Pettigrew, the banner features dozens of famous artworks in coloring-book design, ready for you to color in to your imagination’s delight. All of our Explore Art activities are family friendly and can accommodate all ages.
Arts vendors on Jackson Street will offer a variety of handcrafted wares including woodcrafts, jewelry, painting, health and beauty products, home decor, ceramics, paper arts, and needlecrafts. Attendees can enjoy caricatures and face painting as well.
Street food includes hot dogs, hamburgers, sausage, chicken fingers and ice cream, with neighborhood restaurants and customary beverages available.
Put Saturday, July 6 on your calendar and come down for a few hours–or the whole day–to enjoy music, arts, food, and fun.
GLOW OUT! is excited and proud to announce multiple events, with the potential for many more throughout Pride Month across the GLOW region. We welcome the LGBTQ+ community, allies, friends, and loved ones to the 2024 festivities.
This year's theme is "Be Your Passion. Be Your Pride."
On Friday, June 7 all are welcome at Eden Cafe’s First Friday Art Opening featuring Buffalo artist Janna Willoughby-Lohr and an exhibit from LGBTQ+ youth superstars from 5:30 - 7 p.m. Eden Cafe is located at 242 Ellicott St in Batavia.
Also on Friday, June 7 those 21 and over are invited for a Professional Happy Hour at GO ART! from 4 - 6 p.m. Meet your peers, make some friends, and get ready for Pride! GO Art! is located at 201 Main Street, Batavia.
Finally on Saturday June 8, join us for our Pride Parade, Festival, Vendor Fair & Story Hour. The afternoon begins with the Drag Queen Story Hour event for families in Jackson Square at 3 p.m.
Then the Pride Parade will line up at Batavia First Presbyterian Church, with marchers assembling at 4 p.m. and stepping off at 5 p.m.
The route will cross Main Street, turn left onto Washington Avenue, and again onto Bank Street, finishing at Jackson Square for the Pride Festival, featuring family-friendly drag performances from 6 - 10 p.m. While waiting for the parade, enjoy the vendor fair on Jackson Street from 4 to 8 p.m. featuring eclectic artisans, local non-profits, and a variety of food trucks!
The principal talent and lead character whose name has yet to be disclosed for producer James DiLullo's upcoming film "Kitty," this feline poses like a pro. Photo submitted by James DiLullo
What can you accomplish in six and a half minutes with a photographic feline, some choice hometown architecture and a $5,000 grant?
Batavia native and film producer James DiLullo will answer that soon enough with his self-penned work, “Kitty,” which he plans to shoot in his hometown next month with a local cast and crew.
Meant to pique the curiosity and imagination of an audience, this short film is based on DiLullo’s childhood experiences with pets and how perceptions may differ from those of adults.
“I weave that into a cute thriller story featuring a child whose turn it is to watch the class pet, and what could go wrong?” the recently turned 35-year-old said from his Los Angeles home. “You know, it’s a shorter film, six minutes or so, six and a half. It’s gonna be shot entirely in Batavia this time, so that’s great, showcasing some local architecture and some scenes at some local businesses.
“So we always had a household animal and always cherished them and stuff, but sometimes our perception as children is different than the perception than that of an adult, especially with certain behaviors that pets can exhibit. As a child, you may not understand that complex of a behavior. So that’s kind of the crux of the movie.”
He was willing to elaborate on that notion. As a kid, one of his cats often licked him clean, which to him felt like something much more sinister and destructive. He’d scream out in the middle of the night that the cat was biting him, perceptions his mom, Cecelia Lullo, would have to dispel for him.
Speaking of mom, she plays a pivotal role in this film, being the pet parent of the lead character talent, whose name isn’t being disclosed as of yet. Suffice it to say, she’s a gorgeous-haired, big, round-eyed looker with a temperament that any director would kill for.
“It’s an innocuous cat in real life, tame and gentle,” he said, flinging out tidbits of the plot. “What’s the true perception? There are different viewpoints; it’s a funny story.”
All fluffy goodness aside, the cat has required some light training to keep its attention, he said, and ensure that it will remain safe and comfortable amidst a typical bustling studio filming atmosphere. Talent selection will be done through Susan Aser of Rochester-based agency Two Sues casting once DiLullo returns to Batavia for the four principal actors of two children and two adults. There will also be a crew of lighting, sound and makeup people, he said.
He has appreciated the Western New York vibe of a connection on either side of his native city, tying the Rochester and Buffalo regions together, he said. His professional needs for craft services and amenities have been met so far locally by securing a private residence and a business, a city park, a Batavia City School building, a parking lot, and tentative agreements between city administration and police to ensure everyone’s safety and freedom from filming disruptions.
“I am always looking. I come from a real estate family, so it's just the markets and financing and numbers, and film is a unique industry where success breeds attention, and a lot of times that attention is financial attention," he said. "So it's just kind of waiting and finding the right opportunities."
"Batavia, Buffalo, Rochester, and, really, all of Western New York have many ideal places for film production, he said. These include the commercial studio system type of big warehouses and soundstages, but also the communities themselves.
"They are generally quiet communities with low crime but responsive emergency services and lots of utilities. And then they have the scenics. They have the architecture and the intangible things that are very expensive to build on the studio … they have these iconic and beautiful natural locations throughout that whole region, in various ways, from Niagara Falls all the way down to, let's say, New York, is great for these things," he said. "And repurposing the architecture as well, that's cool. Big warehouses that have sat empty for two years being used again is what you're seeing in a lot of the metros, and a school. Syracuse has a school that they turned into a movie studio. That's cool.”
Who knows what and where might pop up in his project while filming in Genesee County, which also boasts a few such pieces of vintage architecture-turned-repurposed property. He's not spilling just yet.
Those half-dozen minutes and eight-page script may be short by comparison to larger-scale productions, which DiLullo includes in his portfolio, but they will be “impactful,” he said.
“It’s about having pride in the community, cheering your hometown,” he said. “My last film (“Goldenrod”) was at the global level; we know we can reach that audience. I’m planning to hire all local talent, about 12 to 15 people depending on the time and days, on the needs for the days, the special effects and visuals.”
Who is his audience for such a brief piece of work? This film will go to the Buffalo International Film Festival along with its debut in Genesee County before the end of this year, he said. Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council awarded him a $5,000 Reach grant, which will be reinvested into the community through the casting and filming of the “Kitty” project, he said.
His home base these days is California, where he operates a 425-acre film production studio named Beauty View Ranch in Cattaraugus, NY. The 2007 Batavia High School grad also returns to his hometown enough to consider himself bi-coastal.
His film “Goldenrod” premiered at the 2022 Buffalo International Film Festival, and he went on to produce “Unbelievable” in 2023, a feature-length “what could go wrong” comedy, only this time about a group of die-hard Buffalo Bills fans that come together to watch their beloved team play in the biggest game ever with some ticklish results.
He has been mulling ideas about where to debut the film, possibly at Stuart Steiner Theatre or other venues, however that’s not the foremost priority at this point. Di Lullo will be hanging out with his favorite four-legged — Renata, an American Staffordshire Terrier — until he boards a plane to get the main job done.
“You can’t just make it; you have to show it,” he said. “But our focus right now is to get it shot.”
GO ART! is running a 4 week Saturday morning kids Culinary class starting May 4.
This class is tailored to students in grades 1-6. Each week we will be baking, cooking or learning about proper safety in the kitchen. All supplies will be included.
Submitted photo of Leadership Genesee 2024 participants hear from Kathy White about what it takes to present a live performance at Main St. 56 Theater, home of the Batavia Players.
By Peggy Marone LG ‘02, Director
Press Release:
How many times have you driven in downtown Batavia and never noticed there are more than 20 murals between Jackson, Ellicott, and Bank Streets? The Leadership Genesee (LG) Class of 2024 discovered them during a ‘scavenger hunt’ activity on March 27, LG Arts & Culture Day.
One participant shared, “The scavenger hunt allowed us to really observe the murals. How often I drive by these murals and don’t really notice the detail or the extent of artwork on display. Some of the murals I have never seen or noticed (like the one on the fire hydrant). Art can be made anywhere!”
Leadership Genesee Our Arts & Culture Day works to raise awareness about arts initiatives and activities in Genesee County and reveal some of our cultural history and traditions. “This month's topic really encouraged me to think about my personal background and heritage. Our community is so diverse!” said one participant.
The group met at Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council (Go Art!) for the morning hearing from Gregory Hallock LG ’18, Executive Director, about how the organization has grown over the past several years. The organization is dedicated to developing the cultural life in Genesee and Orleans Counties by facilitating the creation, presentation, and experience of art, heritage, and traditions. The facility has a dance studio, podcast studio, displayed art, open mic sessions, Tavern 2.o.1 as well as offering community events. The class had the opportunity to tour the facility and participate in a Bollywood Dance session.
Terry Abrams LG ’07, Curator/ Collections Manager, Niagara County Historical Society, shared information about The Tonawanda Seneca Nation, our neighbors in Genesee County. Terry spoke of Seneca's history and culture and how their values remain strong and intact. Language, song, art, dance, and sports are all vital aspects of Seneca culture.
After a tour of Main St. 56 Theater and learning about the initiatives from Batavia Players to bring additional live theater to Genesee County and offer options to kids for theater camps, the group visited The Harve in the Harvester Center. The Harve is a 7,000-square-foot hidden gem of art and music! Nestled within The Harvester Center with its entrance just through Pub Coffee Hub this vibrant venue is a haven for creativity and entertainment.
After sharing stories of their cultural heritage, the group participated in a drum circle led by Jackie Swaby, Executive Director of the Arts Council for Wyoming County. Jackie not only shared her expertise in drumming but the background and significance of drumming. The group ended the day by participating in activities to create their own stories through art.
Leadership Genesee is a program of Cornell Cooperative Extension of Genesee County, an employer, and educator recognized for valuing AA/EEO, Protected Veterans, and Individuals with Disabilities, and provides equal program and employment opportunities.
For more information, visit LG’s website at http://genesee.cce.cornell.edu/leadership-genesee; “like” LG on Facebook at www.facebook.com/leadershipgenesee; or contact Program Director Peggy Marone at (585) 343-3040, ext. 118 or mem77@cornell.edu.
Submitted photo of members of the LG Class of 2024 pose in front of the downtown Batavia mural they discovered during the scavenger hunt activity.
GO ART! is excited to host the Western New York Steel Band Festival for its second year on Saturday, April 13, at 2:30 p.m., in the Batavia City Centre. Organized by teaching artist and percussionist Ted Canning, the event welcomes everyone to enjoy steel pan bands performing on this instrument developed in Trinidad and Tobago.
Admission is a $5 suggested donation, and ample parking is available at the City Centre. The Western New York Steel Band Festival is being presented as part of the activities of GLOW Creatives, a group of 10 artists (including Canning) at GO ART! who received a grant from the Creatives Rebuild New York Artist Employment Program, supported by the Mellon Foundation.
GO ART! programming is also made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts, which has the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.
Doors open at 2 p.m. for the public. Attendees can view a new City Center statue created collaboratively by GLOW Creatives artists Bill Schutt, Dan Butler, and Jill Pettigrew.
Ithaca College’s IC Steel, Steel Alchemy Community Steelband, Rochester Institute of Technology’s Tiger Steel, Lancaster High School Carnival Kids Steel Orchestra, and Panloco Steelband are featured bands.
The bands will showcase Caribbean music while also illustrating the many genres and rhythms that steel bands commonly perform. The concert will conclude on a high note with a joint performance of all the bands—about 70 players in all!
Carnival Kids Steel Orchestra was started by John Marone in 1974 and is the third oldest established continuing steel drum program in the United States. The group performs numerous concerts and events annually in the greater Buffalo area, has produced several recordings, and has traveled from Philadelphia, Chicago, Disney World, and Trinidad.
IC Steel was established in the 1990s by percussionist Gordon Stout and continues to offer students the opportunity for a diverse ensemble experience at the college.
The RIT Tiger Steel band is an ensemble offered through the School of the Performing Arts, a campus-wide initiative to enhance the arts experience for all students. They have represented the university at events off campus and were featured in the 2022 holiday video card for the university.
Steel Alchemy was formed in 2001 as a community-based band, open to anyone ages 13 and older. With an emphasis on intergenerational group learning, the band performs at town festivals, concert series, and private events throughout the Genesee Valley.
Established in 1995, Panloco Steelband explores the unique musical qualities of the pan from its traditional Caribbean roots to pop, jazz, classical, and styles from around the world. They perform at private and public events in the region and with international performances in Sicily, Mexico City, and Siena, Italy.
“I’m excited to bring this festival to Batavia again,” says Canning. “It might be surprising for people to learn that our part of the state has a significant connection to the Trinidadian steel band tradition and its founders, from the groups featured at the festival as well as Paul Ferrette’s Caribbean Extravaganza in Buffalo, Al St. John’s Trinidad and Tobago Steel band in Rochester, and a history of school bands in Rochester, Randolph, Ithaca, Naples, and Dundee. I’m looking forward to sharing this music with our community—it will be a great time!”
Some students pictured above during K-6 Creative Arts Camp during April break with eclipse-themed art. Photo by Steve Ognibene
During Easter vacation, students enjoyed working on many eclipse-related projects during youth camp.
Jodi Fisher, program director of GO ART!, said the program had two dozen students create solar systems, landscape universe models, and transform chocolate-covered pretzels into aliens. They also worked on various planet projects, along with making solar systems out of clay and paper drawings.
Creativity and art kept the K-6 kids learning more about the upcoming eclipse, Fisher said.
Local artists displayed eclipse-themed art in the various galleries.
The Batavia Society of Artists is hosting artist Jody Ziehm on Tuesday, April 9 at Go-Art/Seymour Place, 201 E. Main St., Batavia starting at 7 p.m. Jody will be demonstrating watercolor painting.
Non-members are welcome for a $5.00 fee. Accepting new members, all medium and skill levels. 2024 memberships are $30 per person, $50 per couple, and $10 for students or veterans.
Light refreshments will be served. Tavern 2.o.1. will be open for cash purchases.
Jody Ziehm
Jody Ziehm
Residing in the town of Wheatfield, I am a full-time watercolor artist. I have a love of painting and am devoted to watercolors. Inspired by my surroundings. I enjoy plein air (painting outside on site) and whenever possible, work from live models.
Much of my work is done in my studio from photos taken. My work is distinguishable by its vivid colors and dynamic compositions. I also enjoy teaching and hold weekly classes at both Partners in Art in North Tonawanda and the Amherst Museum.
I also travel extensively throughout the summer months to outdoor art festivals throughout New York I am a member of the Buffalo Society of Artists, Niagara Frontier Watercolor Society, Buffalo Niagara Art Association, Fine Arts League of Buffalo, and Tonawanda Council of the Arts.
I am represented by Kittenger Gallery in Williamsville, Finger Lakes Gallery, and Frame in Canandaigua, Gallery Morada in Islamorada Florida, Barton Hill Resort and Spa in Lewiston, and The Mansion in Buffalo.
The Peruvian Outreach Project (POP) is a local 501(c)(3) non-profit working in Tarapoto, Peru for two major initiatives, the Hogar Hermelinda Home for Young Women and the Aldea Infantil Virgen del Pilar.
This project is hosting its second annual Dinner and Basket Raffle fundraiser April 6 at the Genesee Orleans Council on the Arts located at 201 E. Main St., Batavia to help support these initiatives.
There will be a cash bar and basket raffle as well as a delicious meal. The meal includes authentic Peruvian cuisine, including chicha Morada ( a drink made from purple corn), Causa Rellena ( potatoes layered with chicken and avocado), lomo saltado ( beef with rice) and suspiro limeña ( a delicious custard).
The Hogar Hermelinda is a home for young women established by POP in 2022. It is a safe home for six young women who come from rural areas of the Amazon who otherwise would not have the opportunity to study after high school.
POP provides room and board for these young women who are all studying to become nurses. They will graduate next year! The second focus for POP is to improve the quality of life for the children living at the Aldea Infantil Virgen del Pilar Orphanage.
Recently POP has provided a music workshop and a sewing workshop. Also POP purchased three new computers to replace the computers the children were trying to use in their school. They also received new school uniforms, school supplies and an annual Christmas Celebration.
Organizers of this event have come to realize that this is a busy weekend with the upcoming eclipse, and they promise that the meal is worth it as an authentic and enjoyable experience.
Tickets must be pre-purchased for $25 per dinner at www.wnypop.org or by check, sent to: Peruvian Outreach Project, P.O. Box 234, East Pembroke, NY, 14056.
Doors will open at 6:30 p.m., dinner starts at 7 p.m., and basket raffle winners chosen at 8:30 p.m.
Please consider joining us to celebrate with a delicious and unique Peruvian meal.
GO ART! announces a call for artwork for its 7th annual juried exhibition, Art of the Rural. This year, organizers have added a twist with the theme, ‘Total Eclipse of the Art.’ Artists are encouraged to explore the theme through their interpretation and are welcome to think outside the box.
The exhibition is open to all artists. All work must be original, created by the submitting artist, and not previously exhibited at GO ART! All media is accepted. Artwork must be properly wired, ready to hang, and no larger than 36 x 36.”
GO ART! members may submit up to 5 works for $30, $5 for each additional work. Non-members may submit up to 3 works for $30 and $5 for each additional work. Artists can drop off submissions at GO ART! located in Seymour Place, 201 East Main Street, Batavia.
Artwork will be accepted from March 20 - 23 and March 27 -29 between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. No entries will be accepted after March 29.
Art of the Rural: Total Eclipse of the Art will be on display from April 3 – June 1. The winners will be announced at the artist reception, which will take place April 6 from 5 - 8 p.m.
For a complete list of rules and entry forms, visit www.goart.org/galleries. Contact Mary Jo Whitman at mjwhitman@goart.org with any questions.
The Batavia Society of Artists is hosting artist David Burke at GO ART! Seymour Place on Tuesday, March 12 starting at 7 p.m.
David will be demonstrating a more intuitive painting for this demo, using a new squeegee technique with dots of paint to easily create cool designs. Light refreshments will be served.
The 2.o.1. Tavern will be open for cash purchases. Non-members are welcome for a $5 fee. New members are always welcome, all mediums and skill levels. The yearly Single membership is $30, Couples $50, and Students/Veterans $10.
GO ART! Seymour Place is located at 201 E. Main St. Batavia.
GO ART! is hosting a Creative Arts Camp during April Break Eclipse Themed(April 1 - 5).
This camp is tailored to students in grades K-6. Grade school students will create and maintain positive connections while enjoying hands-on exploration of various disciplines including culinary arts, visual arts, performing arts, and literary arts.
Participants will work on a variety of Eclipse-themed projects using different mediums and art forms. They will build upon problem-solving and critical thinking skills while increasing their knowledge about different mediums and forms of art in a safe, inclusive, and structured environment.
In the past we have done visual arts projects while learning about famous artists and art movements, created puppets and put on plays, played in the musical garden, learned about different styles of dance, as well as various arts and crafts projects.
Please drop off your camper between 8:45 and 9 a.m. and pick them up between 2:45 and 3 p.m. GO ART! will provide snacks and water but don’t forget to send your camper with lunch.
Registration is required to attend Creative Arts Camp and spots are limited. https://goart.org/programming/exlporeart/exlporeart-children/, call (585) 343-9313 or email Jodi at jfisher@goart.org.
Learn How to Audition with Maryanne Arena at GO ART!
GO ART! is hosting a ‘Learn How to Audition Workshop’ with GCC Director of Fine and Performing Arts Maryanne Arena on Saturdays in April (6, 13, 20, and 27) from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Classes will include: Picking appropriate material, contrasting monologues, cold readings, and improv). Nail that next audition by working with Maryanne and learning the essentials!
The class will cost $180 for the 4 week session but the knowledge you will come away with will serve participants for years to come. Pre-registration is required and spots are limited. This workshop is for high schoolers to adults only. To register and reserve your spot visit www.goart.org/programming/exlporeart/exploreart-adult/.
Professor Bio: Maryanne Arena is a professional entertainer who has taught acting and other theatre subjects for over 30 years. She has been the Director of Fine and Performing Arts at Genesee Community College for twenty years. Maryanne holds an M.F.A from Brooklyn College where she was mentored by Academy Award winner F. Murray Abraham and has studied with some of the world’s greatest professionals. Maryanne has won the prestigious SUNY Chancellor’s Award twice.
She is a published author and has won awards for her acting and directing. She is a judge for the KCACTF organization and has participated in and conducted workshops for The Theatre Association of NYS. She is a voting member of the Screen Actors Guild, and before embarking on a teaching career, she was a professional actor, singer, dancer, choreographer, and director. Maryanne was a resident member of the LORT Company P.A. Stage and performed many leads in professional summer stock. Her students are currently performing on Broadway, nightclubs, children’s theatre touring, cruise ships, television, and movies. She knows what it takes to successfully nail that audition for any venue (conservatory auditions, Broadway, touring, improv, and community theatre.
GO Art! Executive Director Gregory Hallock shares the good news of receiving more grant money during the Human Services meeting this week, along with the caveat that some of the online community complains about taxpayer dollars being spent. "We're excited they're being spent here, as opposed to everywhere else in the state," he said. Photo by Joanne Beck
Genesee Orleans Regional Arts Council received the second largest funding in New York State, falling only behind Manhattan, of $336,000, which will be dispersed to artists in both counties, Executive Director Gregory Hallock says.
He considers that a pretty major deal, and rightly so. The money will go somewhere, and he figures it might as well go into the hands of local people for their creative projects.
“So we were pretty ecstatic about that. Hoping to continue to increase that. When I came in, we were about $47,000 that we were giving out, so we've jumped up dramatically. And last year was $210,000. So we did a big leap from last year to this year. We had nearly $400,000 in requests this year, so I would like to give credit to the community for jumping up to put on more stuff, but a big credit goes to our statewide community regrant coordinators at GO Art,” Hallock said while presenting his annual report to legislators this week. “We have two of them now that the state funds. We stressed that in our area, it's not just about putting an advertisement out there that people might not necessarily see, but even if they see that, grants scare people. They see grants, and they run. So our coordinators basically hold hands all the way through. They answer every question that anybody has, they basically help with anything but write the grants. But if you write the grant, they will review the grant afterward and give you suggestions and all that.”
He said the nonprofit’s goal is to continue asking for more money and “make more of that happen out here,” which has recently also meant a spate of responses online.
“We'll continue to get more of the negative comments on social media and everywhere else. And we're okay with that. It was a harsh year for that for us. But, people getting upset saying ‘our dollars being spent, our tax dollars being spent,’ but we're excited they're being spent here, as opposed to everywhere else in the state,” he said. “So we're gonna keep pushing for that to happen here. We really like to stress, I don't think most people know that if they're going to something that's arts related, that generally GO Art! is funding that. The $336,000 doesn't go a long way, but it goes quite the way out here, so we will continue to do that.”
He said the agency had more than 100 events this past year in Genesee and Orleans counties and is planning to do the same volume with new types of programs, such as a capital campaign that will draw more use out of the basement. The basement has an entrance and will include an emergency exit that will open up into the music garden portion of the building at 201 E. Main St., Batavia. That expansion will add about 4,000 square feet to GO Art!’s use, he said.
“We’ll be putting a whole bunch of studios and space down there. We just got a grant called black space. We’ll be working with the community and Black architects out of Brooklyn to bring in the Black community to help them help us design something that will be inviting to them to come into our space,” he said. “We’re putting in a dark room, pottery studio, wood shop, and a whole bunch of other studios to expand our happenings and our classes. Our classes have been doing really well; the last four that we’ve offered have all completely sold out. And we’ve had to add additional classes that have also sold out. So we’re really finally starting to get up there, and people know about us.
“We’re really excited about the expansion. It includes an elevator, somebody who can’t get up and down the stairs … I think that’s our major thing.”
He also mentioned The Harve, where artists MaryJo Whitman and Brian Kemp “took a space and artified it” to make use of an industrial building by painting and decorating walls directly or using them as backdrops for exhibits and live musical performances. “We’re going to keep doing cool things,” Hallock said.
It takes money to do those cool things, and the agency runs on a budget of nearly 62 percent public support, or $601,050; $200,661 in Foundation support; $107,334 from individual and corporate donations; and $64,272 from events and earned income. Expenses for the year were $225,800 for grants, $166,190 for programs and events, $16,773 toward fundraising efforts, and $324,744 for administration costs.
The Batavia building includes dance, podcast, film, and music studios, a library and cabaret theater, a darkroom, a pottery studio, a cultural culinary kitchen (used for demonstrations), a gallery with seven exhibition spaces (maintaining a collection of donated and permanent on loan works by highly esteemed local artists), and a bar area that is also used as a small gallery space.
GO Art! has hired a consultant to put out a request for proposal as part of a GLOW region cultural plan, he said. He submitted a grant application last year for $150,000 that was turned down for a larger scope of Western New York that he fine-tuned down to opening a new space in Medina, expanding in the space currently in Batavia, and adding a cultural garden. Hallock hopes to receive a more positive response to the request this year.
“This is possible by the relationships we have already forged and the ones we hope to build. Through our arts education initiatives, workshops, events, and outreach, we continue to establish new and growing community relationships,” he said in his annual letter. “The accomplishments of the past year make our members, board of directors, and dedicated staff excited about the thriving and diverse arts in Genesee and Orleans Counties. Together we will continue to ‘Make Art Happen.’
"We already have everything ready to get that moving, so that we can put together our cultural plan and figure out how we're going to progress, and bringing tourism into the glow region for arts and culture, and continuing to expand upon what we have for our region,” he said.
County Manager Matt Landers, in his yearly allocations request for GO Art!, asked for $7,500 — the same amount as for 2023 and 2022. That total was increased by $1,000 from 2021, when it was $6,500 since 2018. Funding for the nonprofit was at all-time high in 1997 of $10,000, including a $4,000 matching funds state grant. Before that, county funding was $2,500 in 1993, but it took a big leap four years later and has hovered around the $6,500 to $9,000 mark.
Genesee County Legislature is to vote on the request during its meeting on March 13.
GO ART! is hosting a Creative Arts Camp during February Break (Feb. 19 - 23). This camp is tailored to students in grades K-6.
Grade school students will create and maintain positive connections while enjoying hands-on exploration of various disciplines including culinary arts, visual arts, performing arts, and literary arts.
Participants will build upon problem-solving and critical thinking skills while increasing their knowledge about different mediums and forms of art in a safe, inclusive, and structured environment.
In the past, we have done visual arts projects while learning about famous artists and art movements, created puppets and put on plays, played in the musical garden, learned about different styles of dance, as well as various arts and crafts projects.
Please drop off your camper between 8:45 and 9 a.m. and pick them up between 2:45 and 3 p.m. GO ART! will provide snacks and water but don’t forget to send your camper with lunch. Registration is required to attend Creative Arts Camp and spots are limited. https://goart.org/programming/exlporeart/exlporeart-children/, call (585) 343-9313 or email Jodi at jfisher@goart.org.
During his talk Tuesday evening at GO Art! in Batavia, artist Bryan Wright shows how he uses a plasma cutter for precision cuts in metal to create pieces of artwork. Photo by Joanne Beck
Of the sundry tools that artists gravitate toward, from chalk and colored pencils to watercolor and acrylic paints and brushes, Bryan Wright has chosen a lesser-known and more expensive pursuit.
Wright, a Batavia resident who was first introduced to his ever-increasingly favorite method to create art during a BOCES basic-advanced welding class 15 years ago, has fallen for the plasma cutter.
"I got this machine in 2008. I made mostly Christmas gifts for family and have been making things for people, I was just kind of giving a lot of the stuff away,” Wright said to a group of about 15 people that attended his Batavia Society of Artists talk Tuesday evening at GO Art! in Batavia. “So, just this last year, I've started putting stuff in exhibits and trying to make some money, because this is not cheap. It's not cheap.”
He made a major investment with his first plasma cutter — a heavy-duty welding torch that can cut through steel, aluminum, and similar materials with precision — for $1,000, and said that related supplies of a cap and electrodes go for $10 and $15 each, respectively.
Parts of the torch include the electrodes, a narrow piece of copper that receives the electrical current, a retaining cap, and a shield cap. Batavia Society of Artists hosted him for a demonstration that didn’t pan out due to the cold, snow, and wind, Teresa Tamfer said.
He instead offered a video that illustrated what he did and how he did it, followed by a question and answer session with many of his supplies and pieces of equipment on hand.
An audience member asked how long his materials last.
"So what I have found is that it's really up to you to determine when you think you need to replace this. But I would probably say, I could probably go through … in a five pack, it probably maybe lasts like six or seven months, I don't know, maybe once a month you might go through a new set," he said. "But the problem that you have is when you don't have a new end and a new electrode, the cut is a little more dispersed, it's kind of, it's not a very clean, precise cut. And you just can't compare a used one to a brand-new one right out of the box. So you’ve really got to be picky and choosey on when you want to change this, and when is it appropriate to just need to make that change?
“If I'm cutting something purely on the outside, it really doesn't make a difference. But if you want to cut like an eyeball out or something in the middle, you really want to make sure that cut isn't just splattering out and kind of making a mess. So there's an appropriate time to replace it,” he said.
Other considerations are having a compressor, which goes "hand in hand" with the plasma cutter, and the height of the materials because that can distort your cutting line, he said.
“Because if you pull back, you're not really sending that amount of heat directly to that material. So if you're not back far enough, you're not really going to have a nice precise cut, but the closer you are to that material, you will get that nice cut,” he said.
Samples of his work are on display and available for purchase through March 30 in the 2.o.1 Tavern Gallery at GO Art!, 201 E. Main St., Batavia.
Bryan Wright with his plasma cutter and several materials on display. Photo by Joanne Beck
Bryan Wright artworks at the GO Art! gallery through March 30. Photo by Joanne Beck
Bryan Wright artworks, here and below, on display at the GO Art! gallery through March 30. Photos by Joanne Beck
Artwork by Bryan Wright Photo submitted by Batavia Society of Artists
The Batavia Society of Artists is hosting artist Bryan Wright on Tuesday at Go-Art/Seymour Place, 201 E. Main St. Batavia starting at 7 p.m. He will be showing how to do his metal artwork, which is said to be “very unique!”
Light refreshments will be provided, and the 2.o.1. Tavern will be open for cash purchases. Non-members welcome for a $5 fee. We are always open to new members, all skill levels and mediums! Dues are single $30, couple $50, veteran or student $10.
Bryan Wright was born and raised in Charleston, S.C., and lives in Batavia with his “amazing wife and two beautiful children.” As a child he would spend countless hours drawing, and says that “if I had a pencil and paper, the sky was the limit and I was content.”
“As I grew older I developed a love for tinkering with computers and digital art and went to college to pursue this new passion and still unsure about my future career I saw that BOCES had a basic-advanced welding class, and signed up immediately,” he said in a press release. “Totally unsure what to expect, all I knew was I loved working with my hands and kept an open mind for this, was the first time I was introduced to a Plasma Cutter and as the class ended I started saving up my hard earned money for a used one.
“Over the past 15 years I have been using this same machine and collecting scrap junk metal as my new blank canvas,” he said. “At the end of a busy work day or week, I can't wait to get out to the garage, even in this ridiculous WNY weather and create something special.”
Wright is even more excited to be able to demonstrate his craft and extend this invitation to others who might be interested or are just looking to learn about something new, he said.
GO ART! is seeking submissions for an upcoming exhibit, This Art is Garbage which provides artists an opportunity to explore the possibilities of garbage and waste as a medium for creativity. Artists are asked to redirect items that would normally be thrown away, into works of art.
Open to artists of all skill levels, we are actively seeking submissions from students, emerging artists, and professionals. Garbage is a theme that connects us all and we hope to showcase a wide variety of skill levels and perspectives.
Location:
Oliver’s Gallery, GO ART! Seymour Place, 201 E Main Street, Batavia.
Dates:
Work Drop Off: Feb 7 - 10, 2024, 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.
On View: Feb 14 - Mar 30, 2024
Artist Reception: Feb 15, 2024, 5 - 8 p.m.
Theme:
This Art is Garbage
Eligibility:
Open to all levels of artists: students, emerging, and professionals
Guidelines:
Works of art may include a component of garbage in the finished piece, garbage may be used in the art making process (for example, creating texture and pattern), or garbage as the subject of the piece (for example, creative photography of discarded objects). “Upcycled” items, such as painted furniture, are not accepted.
Work must not exceed 36”x 36”
Artwork must be wired and ready to hang (GO ART! reserves the right to turn away any submitted work that is not properly wired and ready to hang.)
Entry:
There is no entry fee
Each artist may submit up to two works.
Exhibit applications can be found here: https://forms.gle/QSzPYNLg2xe3h2fC6
For more information visit goart.org/galleries.
This exhibition is organized by Leigh LeFevre and Rebecca LeFevre. Feel free to reach out with any questions or follow us on Instagram for updates. Contact Leigh at leighlefevre@icloud.com or @takeastepback_podcast. Contact Rebecca at lefevre.studio@gmail.com or @rebeccalefevre.art.
