ARTA holds "Winter Storm"
The Association of Regional Theater Artists began with a grass roots membership of just ten has now swelled to nearly 250 members representing all facets of the Buffalo theater community.
Called "ARTA," the organization is member driven and involves artists of all disciplines, working in theaters across Western New York. With a common interest in the quality and value of their theatrical work and careers, the mission of ARTA is "to provide its members with community, advocacy, education and opportunity, in turn enhancing the richness of the live theater produced in our region."
The group held its inaugural Winter Storm event at Matinee February 16, 2020. The aim of the event was multi-fold: to introduce the organization to those not yet familiar, increase membership (currently free; just join the Facebook page), allow members to contribute ideas to ARTA's Council and support the Community pillar of ARTA's mission.
At the event, ARTA president Ben Michael Moran also introduced three additional pillars of Advocacy, Education, and Opportunity, as well as the initiatives under way for each.
For Advocacy, ARTA has begun compiling a list of cost-free theater standards, with the aim of formally recognizing and awarding theaters that show both accomplishment and effort.
For Education, a spring directing workshop taught by Chris Kelly and a summer branding workshop taught by Michael Walline will be offered for donation only to ARTA members. In addition, ARTA now maintains a free and permanent play exchange library at Matinee, so the next time you’re headed there, bring a play to share.
For Opportunity, ARTA will be launching an ongoing series of live Ask-Me-Anything (AMA) sessions for various disciplines that will be hosted on the ARTA Facebook page.
If you missed the event, but are still interested in ARTA, you can find more information and join their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/arta.wny
Photos by Mary Loliger
