The grants are part of nearly $45 million going toward over 1,200 arts organizations and 426 artists in New York State.

Chautauqua Institution is receiving $40,000 in funding as well as $10,000 toward the program, “Cerstin Johnson: The Trian of Millicent Owakhu,” and another $10,000 for the program, “Jimin Han: Mistaking Minari: Growing Up Korean American in Chautauqua County.”

The Chautauqua Regional Youth Ballet will receive $40,000. Infinity Visual and Performing Arts has been granted $30,000. The Reg Lenna Center for the Arts, which is the parent company of WRFA, is receiving $30,000. And the Roger Tory Peterson Institute will receive $25,000.

In 2021, NYSCA overhauled its funding strategies to allow greater access to art funding across the state and recommitted its support to artists. As a result, NYSCA increased its funding of artists by 400 percent and awarded grants to 83 percent of first-time applicants.

The Reg Lenna Center for the Arts’ programs are made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

The New York State Council on the Arts is distributing nearly $32 million in grants to 1,032 organizations. Statewide Community Regrants will promote local decision-making by art organizations.

Organizations receiving regrants in Chautauqua County include the Reg Lenna Center for the Arts, who is WRFA’s parent company, receiving $10,000 to increase staff hours. The Chautauqua Regional Youth Ballet will receive $10,000 to pay artists and $10,000 to increase staff hours. Infinity Visual and Performing Arts will receive $10,000 for marketing and the Roger Tory Peterson Institute will receive $10,000 to rehire staff.

Infinity Visual and Performing Arts‘ Artistic Director Jamie Lee Bonfiglio-Davis tells us about auditions for youth ensembles this month as well as plans for a re-opening event in November.

Infinity ensemble performing at the Reg Lenna Media Arts Studio

Infinity Visual and Performing Arts is holding auditions for kids who want to be part of an ensemble.

Infinity Artistic Director Jamie Lee Bonfiglio-Davis said the audition dates are Monday, September 12 and Tuesday, September 13 from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. at the Infinity Center located at 301 East Second Street.

She said part of the audition process is to find students for existing Infinity ensembles and to also find out ideas for new groups, “What are these teenagers practicing at home in their garage or in their bedroom? What do they want to play? Do they want to do Led Zeppelin, or do they want to do The Beatles? Or, I have someone who wants to do Motown, it is on his radar to do Motown. So, we decided to hold auditions to find out where students’ levels are, but also what they want to do.”

Bonfiglio-Davis said the auditions are open to current and new students. The new ensembles will begin rehearsals the week of September 19.

She said students should come prepared with one to two songs in the genre or style of the group they’d like to audition for, “If you were really interested in being part of a Motown group, learn a Motown song. Go ahead and find yourself a song by The Temptations, or The Supremes, or maybe something off the beaten path, but you really like it, something in that genre that you like. And come in and sing it, or play it based on your instrument, or maybe you want to do more than one thing, like we have students who play guitar but they also play the trumpet.”

People are asked to contact the Infinity Center at 716-664-0991 or email info@infinityperformingarts.org to let them know if their child will be attending auditions.

WATCH VIDEO

Infinity Visual and Performing Arts is a nonprofit organization in Jamestown, NY founded in 1998, with a mission to create and sustain an environment in which young people, based solely on their desire to participate, can grow, learn, and lead through active participation in the visual and performing arts.

ABOUT AOF LIVE: Arts On Fire LIVE brings you the very best of Chautauqua County’s local artists via a live, in-studio performance! The show is produced and broadcast by WRFA-LP 107.9 FM, Kranky Plate Productions, and the Reg Lenna Center for the Arts in Jamestown, NY. All 2022 Arts on Fire LIVE performances are made possible in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting’s American Rescue Plan Act Stabilization Grant.

The Reg Lenna Center for the Arts, which is the parent organization for WRFA, received $88,000 for sound, rigging and lighting system upgrades. Infinity Visual and Performing Arts received $10,000 for a display system installation, and the Roger Tory Peterson Institute received $10,000 for an access ramp installation.

The 116 Capital Projects that were funded across New York State range from innovative construction renovations to critical equipment updates that prioritize health and safety upgrades.

Caitlin Ross, Karen Suber

Infinity Visual and Performing Arts is welcoming two instructors.

Caitlin Ross will be joining as an Art and Dance Instructor. She recently relocated to the area from Seattle. She received her Bachelor’s in Dance from the University of Washington. During her time at UW, her studies included ballet and contemporary techniques, choreography composition, improvisation, cross-cultural styles, body mechanics, and somatic movement techniques.

In the visual arts, Caitlin’s experience includes drawing, painting, and design. Her primary focus is ceramics, and she produces her own line of porcelain tableware under the name Caitlin Ross Ceramics.

Karen Suber will be changing roles at Infinity to be an Infinite Exploration Instructor.

A lifelong musician, Karen has her board certification in Music Therapy. She has been trained as a pianist, guitar and ukulele, percussion, and vocal training. Karen also is a licensed Music Together teacher. After over a decade of teaching Music Together at Infinity, Karen will begin a new chapter as a private instructor.

For more information about Infinity, or to register for lessons with any of the instructor mentors at Infinity, visit infinityperformingarts.org/register.

Infinity is currently offering both in-person and virtual learning options.

NYSCA’s Round Three grants include Support for Organizations, Support for Artists, Special Opportunities, and Recovery Grants. All four categories of funding provide organizations and artists with dollars to boost their recovery process in response to the economic impact of the Pandemic.

Local recipients include the Fredonia Opera House receiving $59,500; the Reg Lenna Center for the Arts will receive $49,500 for theater operations and programming; the Chautauqua Regional Youth Ballet will receive $10,000; and Infinity Visual and Performing Arts also will receive $10,000.

NYSCA said more than 60% of their grantees have organizational budgets of $1 million or less.

Infinity Visual and Performing Arts will host their Annual Local Music Showcase and Art Market tomorrow from 12pm to 8pm at Basil and Bones in Frewsburg.

Infinity is combining their two largest fundraising events into an outdoor, single-location fundraising event that will feature food, live music, art and craft vendors, performance artists, classes for community members, and other family-friendly activities. Both fundraisers had to be cancelled in 2020.

All event proceeds make music and arts instruction for area children and teens possible at the Infinity Center. Despite COVID-19 and subsequent shutdowns, Infinity was able to provide more than 8,000 private lessons to area students, as well as more than 25 virtual performance opportunities to area youth last year.

Tickets are $15 on event day for adults, and all children will be admitted free with adult accompaniment.
The full schedule of events is available at infinityperformingarts.org.

WRFA’s Julia Ciesla-Hanley talks with Infinity and Visual Performing Arts Executive Director Shane Hawkins and Artistic Director Jamie Lee Bonfiglio Davis about a grant for a new teen after school program and more at the facility.