When many students think of the Center for the Arts, located on UB's North Campus, the aspect that most likely comes to mind is the numerous performers and speakers that perform over the course of the academic year. What they don't realize is that the CFA does much more for the community of Buffalo than meets the eye.
The Arts in Healthcare Initiative, which was founded in September 2008 due to a $287,000 local grant from the John R. Oishei Foundation, is the perfect example of this. The AIHI is a program that contributes to Roswell Park Cancer Institute as well as Women and Children's Hospitals.
According to Dave Wedekindt, Director of Marketing at the CFA, the AIHI "brings hands-on arts activities to patients, families, and staff on a year-round basis." The goals of the program include "opportunities to optimize wellness and reduce stress through creative expression and diversion" and to "enhance the hospital experience for patients."
Recently, the CFA was the recipient of a $30,000 grant from the National Endowment of the Arts (NEA), a sum that will be used by the AIHI to bring two different performers to the hospitals as a part of the program.
The performing artists will each spend two weeks working for the program and include Doug Varone & Dancers, who will be here March 2012, and cellist Stephen Katz, who will take part in the fall of 2012, most likely in September. The award was the first of its kind the CFA has received after applying unsuccessfully three previous times.
"I think this was the best project concept that we've approached them with for support…we may have had to educate the NEA panelists a little more about us before we could start to receive awards with, hopefully, more regularity," said Rob Falgiano, Assistant Director of the CFA.
Falgiano went into more detail about what each performer will be doing. Varone developed "Blind Eye Choreography."
"Which involves the use of descriptive language, and often times dream imagery, to help create dance," Falgiano said "The experience helped Varone discover a new way of working creatively that will translate well to the hospitals since some of the patients will not be particularly mobile or energetic."
Stephen Katz, on the other hand, wants to "capture audio – from and with patients/family/staff; of himself performing in rooms/units; and of people in the environment. Katz plans a musical response to the sounds as they exist: people, ambient noise, and machines all have pitch, tonal, harmonic, and rhythmic qualities to explore," according to Falgiano.
Both performers will be filming and recording their interactions throughout their stay, creating pieces that will be presented in front of an audience. Mr. Falgiano anticipates "the inclusion of approximately 50 patients, family, staff in the hospitals portion of the project, plus audiences between 800-1200 for the culminating performances. The emphasis will be on repeat, quality interactions with patients, as opposed to raw numbers served."
Falgiano also stated that the entire $30,000 grant will be used for these two performers in order to pay their required fees as well as to provide local housing and ground transportation during their time in the area.
Email: arts@ubspectrum.com
