After a year of hard work, UB’s talented artists displayed their work for the UB community at the Center for the Arts (CFA) on Wednesday, April 28. At the free Spring into Art event, pieces that students have been working on since fall are showcased, sold and performed. Collaboration between the departments of Art, Theater and Dance, Music, and Media Study created a multi-disciplinary creative experience that covered all three floors of the CFA.
On the main floor, the UB Galleries exhibit “Martha Jackson in Paris,” “Born of the Burden,” and selections from Media Study students, as well as an art-making activity for guests. Free refreshments and a make-your-own tote bag station were also offered.
“[Spring into Art] offers a glimpse into what makes the Center for the Arts so special, which is that it is a building that houses people from every…art department on campus,” CFA Events and Operations Associate Julia Miskines said. “It's one of the only events [where] you can come see live performance, but also experience visual art.”
The Department of Theatre and Dance presented “Into the Woods,” which recently closed, performances by the Zodiaque Dance Company and Choreolab and student-led performances were showcased throughout the event on a stage in the Atrium. Visual artists, such as photographers, painters, illustrators and more, showcased and sold their personal pieces at tables around the Atrium.
Junior photography major Anastasia Kuczka described the feeling of selling her work: “It's very confirming for me, and validating that I'm able to achieve something that I had always thought of growing up, and that people actually do appreciate the work that I've done.”
Upstairs, on the second floor, selections of work done by Media Study students were exhibited, and PhD students Dana Hunt and Rina Zhang’s studios were open to visitors.
“I just love when our buildings open and you're actually allowed to go into classrooms,” Grace McDowell, a Public Health masters student and CFA employee said. “We open and give a little bit behind the scenes to what our artists…and our students get up to in this building, which is super cool.”
Senior thesis pieces were exhibited in the lower gallery and the costume and set shops were open to visitors. The senior thesis exhibition included the partially-completed work of Jiaye You, a Fine Arts senior at UB who was detained by ICE in March of 2026 after an immigration hearing in New York City. There were also QR codes to the GoFundMe created to help with his legal fees.
“The art department has been all over trying to raise money in GoFundMe, trying to bring attention to causes like this,” Milo Lauria, a junior communication and graphic design student, explains. “[A] lot of the artwork in the senior thesis is personal, heartfelt stories that relate to these people's lives. It's important to learn and be critical of each perspective of life and not… you know, insult anyone.”
The set shop displayed set pieces from “Macbeth” and some small props from “Into the Woods.” The costume shop exhibited the costumes from the recently closed “Into the Woods” production. Student designer Alexandria Connolly, a junior theater design and technology major, shared similar sentiments to student sellers upstairs about her work being on display.
“It's real,” She explains. “Like, this is my baby.”
Spring into Art gives students an opportunity to present their work, and the community an opportunity to appreciate it. The event gives visitors a special look into the CFA and artists’ process that is truly invaluable.
Spring into Art is put on every year in the Spring, following the Art in the Open event during the Fall.
The arts desk can be reached at arts@ubspectrum.com
Photo: Courtesy of UB Women's Rugby
