Officials cut the ribbon for the opening of Pearl City Clay House (January 24, 2023)

Infinity Performing and Visual Art‘s new venture, Pearl City Clay House, held a ribbon cutting ceremony Tuesday.

Infinity Executive Director Shane Hawkins said while they offer youth programming, they often received requests to offer programming for adults, “For a long-term sustainability plan, Infinity needs to bring in more funds that aren’t grant-based or fundraising. So we thought, why not start something for adults and for families to do together that will help benefit the youth program at Infinity? So, thus the idea for Pearl City Clay House. We’ve had excellent support from funders, both federal, local, and regional, so there’s just a lot of people that went into making this a success.”

Clay House Program Director Debra Eck said a lot of different activities are available at the facility, “Starting from paint your own pottery, and going all the way up to making and firing your own pottery. We also offer workshops in contemporary crafts like felting, or embroidery, or bookbinding, or modern mending.”

Eck said there also is a gallery space that can be rented out for events that includes a kitchen and its own restrooms.

She added they will be doing a special craft for Doors Open this Saturday, January 28 where people can paint a tile or make their own clay fortune cookie.

Pearl City Clay House is located at 220 East Second Street.

For more information, visit pearlcityclayhouse.org

EDITOR’S NOTE: As a point of transparency and disclosure to our audience, Infinity Performing and Visual Arts is a corporate underwriter for WRFA and has provided a financial contribution for the general operations of the station within the past year. Funding we receive for General Operations is not used to fund our coverage of local news in the community. That is only made possible through a Community Service Grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. 

Tory Irgang, Chautauqua Region Community Foundation executive director; Sydney Maggio, JHS Class of 2024; Jeffrey Hughan; Sara Rafaloski; Ella Storms, JHS Class of 2024; and Shane Hawkins, Infinity executive director announce the creation of Infinity’s Lexy Hughan Memorial Fund

A fund in memory of the teenager who died following a hit-and-run accident on December 31 has been established at the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation.

Infinity Performing and Visual Art’s Lexy Hughan Memorial Fund will be administered by CRCF and will distribute grants annually to the arts organization. This is the first fund at the Foundation that is set up to directly benefit Infinity.

According to Infinity’s Executive Director Shane Hawkins, the fund will support classes and additional programming, with input from Hughan’s parents, as to what would have been important to Hughan.

Lexy Hughan began taking piano and dance lessons at Infinity at the age of 3. Over the years, she expanded her artistic journey with a variety of instruments, dance classes and art.

Lexy was only 15 years old when she died.

Proceeds from Infinity’s fundraising event, featuring autographed sports memorabilia, has led to the creation of an agency endowment fund to enrich the lives of future Infinity students.

Contributions to the fund were also raised by Hughan’s classmates at JHS through a flower sale at the high school. Class representatives also reached out to all the Jamestown Public School buildings to take up a collection in Hughan’s memory. In total, they raised $2,000 to be added to the fund.

Donations to Infinity’s Lexy Hughan Memorial Fund can be made through the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation by mailing a check to 418 Spring Street, Jamestown or online with a credit card at crcfonline.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.

Infinity Visual and Performing Arts

Artistic Director Jamie Lee Bonfiglio Davis said she’s concentrating on bringing in teens to find out what they want, “I’m super excited to get started and get their thoughts and opinions. And I’m going to let them take the lead and go from there. In addition to letting teens design any time of program they want here, we also have a really cool option to do some field trips with teenagers. So we’re not only going to say ‘Hey! What type of programs do you want to see here at Infinity?’ but we’re going to say, ‘What do you want to see?'”

Tune to “Community Matters” at 5pm tonight on WRFA to learn more about the new teen program and other things happening at Infinity Visual and Performing Arts.

Organizer say the grassroots fundraising initiative comes on the heels of the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused the cancellation of all of Infinity’s 2020 fundraising events, including their Annual Campaign, Art Market and Auction, Spring Student Showcase, and Local Music Showcase.

Infinity Phoenix Fest will take place online between August 21 and August 30, 2020 with the goal to involve as many community members as possible to help spread the word, spark excitement for Infinity’s mission, and ignite the power of grassroots, local giving. Visit Infinity’s website and social media pages for an event schedule and additional opportunities to help spread the word! Up to date information can be found online at www.infinityperformingarts.org and www.facebook.com/infinityvisualandperformingarts

Infinity Phoenix Fest will take place completely virtually, and all events will be visible by the public through Infinity’s Facebook page, as well as a variety of participating local musician and artist pages.

Local musicians and artists will host live performances, demonstrations, and creation of art. Infinity will showcase a series of pre-recorded videos, and live student performances, and all events will utilize shared donate buttons to raise funds to support Infinity and their youth arts education programming.  Infinity is also encouraging supportive community members to create peer-to-peer fundraisers through their online giving platform, share posts and events to help spread the word, or even sponsor lesson rooms at the Infinity Center. Phoenix Fest will also feature an online auction and basket raffles featuring local goods.

“Each year, our team at Infinity conducts more than a dozen fundraising efforts and events to raise $60-70,000 towards Infinity’s annual operational costs. The COVID-19 pandemic caused the cancellation of nearly all Infinity fundraising initiatives this year,” explained Infinity Executive Director Shane Hawkins. “Phoenix Fest is a collection of our favorite parts of many of our cancelled fundraisers. It is a community event, it incorporates our musician and artist community, and it provides a virtual performance venue and show for everyone in our community. We miss our students, we miss our performances and audiences, and we hope this event will celebrate community, set the stage for Infinity’s comeback after COVID, and bring everyone who tunes in a week of engaging Phoenix Fest entertainment.”

All funds raised will support programming at the Infinity Center, which has continued to serve students with virtual private lessons, small virtual group classes, and even online student performances during the shutdown. Infinity continues to offer enrollment for virtual learning opportunities as well as temporary and long-term scholarship options for families in need. Infinity’s new program year begins on September 1, 2020!

About Infinity

Infinity is a music and arts education and performing arts center that offers private lessons, group classes, and an array of arts experiences and performance opportunities in music, art, dance, and theater.  Infinity offers something for all ages and experience levels.

Join us, and Explore, Experience, and Excel in the arts!

New student orientations take place once a month at 301 East Second Street Lynn Building, Suite 101, Jamestown, NY  14701.

For more information, call 716-664-0991 or visit www.infinityperformingarts.org.

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WRFA’s Jason Sample talks with Shane Hawkins, executive director of Infinity Visual and Performing Arts, about Local Music Showcase 2019, happening in Downtown Jamestown on Saturday, Sept. 7 from 6pm to 2am.

More info

Local Music Showcase is an event that futures local musicians volunteering their time to play at participating venues in an effort to raise money for Infinity Visual and Performing Arts. This is the 16th year the event has taken place downtown.

Dubbed as, “The Night Music Reigns”, Infinity’s Local Music Showcase will take place at:

• Brazil
• Forte
• Labyrinth Press Co.
• Pearl City Hops
• Shawbucks
• The Beer Snob
• The Pub
• The Spire Theater
• and The Wine Cellar.

According to Infinity executive Director Shane Hawkins, it takes more than 200 individual volunteers from the community to make Infinity’s Annual Local Music Showcase event a success.

All funds raised directly benefit area students and support music and arts education for area young people at the Infinity Center through private lessons, group classes, active learning experiences, ensembles, and performance opportunities.

Presale wristbands for Local Music Showcase are currently available at $10 through the end of today. Wristbands purchased the day of the event are $15.

f you do wait to purchase all access wristbands on Saturday, you can pay for them with credit or debit card at Shawbucks, otherwise you can pay cash at Shawbucks, Pearl City Hops, Labyrinth Press Company, The Wine Cellar and Forte.

For a full schedule of events please visit www.infinityperformingarts.org or find Infinity’s 16th Annual Local Music Showcase on Facebook.

JAMESTOWN – Students from Infinity Visual and Performing Arts have been working since October to prepare for this year’s annual Spring Showcase, scheduled for 7 p.m. on Saturday, June 8, at the Jamestown High School Auditorium.

According to organizers, Infinity students have the opportunity to practice and hone their talents through various performance opportunities at the Infinity Arts Café and throughout the community. The Spring Showcase, which is again sponsored this year by Shults Auto Group, serves as the largest student performance of the year.

Infinity Ensemble, The Currents, with instructor Jeremy Bunce will be performing on stage at this year’s Spring Showcase, along with a number of talented student performers under the direction of Infinity instructor mentors.

“The Spring Showcase is a well-rounded evening of student performers featuring various music ensembles and soloists, as well as dance and theater performances,” explained Infinity executive director Shane Hawkins. “You will be amazed at the amount of talent displayed on the stage, and the amount of hard work the students put in to this event.”

Infinity students have had the pleasure of working with instructor and area musician, Steve Davis, who has served at this year’s Artistic Director of the show. Steve has been a piano and drum instructor and ensemble director at the Infinity Center since 2003 and is also one of the original seven Infinity students.

Also working with students is Instructor Dylan Carlson who recently competed in the widely known “American Idol” national competition. Dylan is using his performance experiences to coach vocal students participating in the opening and closing numbers.

Area favorite Adam Owens will be the Stage manager for the event and coordinating the event this year is Infinity’s Program Coordinator, Kate Rinko.

”This event is so important because it incorporates every aspect of the arts disciplines we offer and involves so many students who work with a variety of our wonderful instructors!” Rinko said.

The cost to attend the Spring Showcase is $10 dollars for adults ($7 pre-sale). Children under 18 are free. Tickets can be purchased in advance from the Infinity Center, located at 301 East 2nd Street, Suite 101 in Jamestown, or online at www.infinityperformingarts.org/shop. Tickets will also be available at the door on the evening of the event.

In addition to great performances by our area youth, Infinity will be offering the chance to win one of three gift baskets. This year’s prizes include $150 cash, $300 in gift certificates to area restaurants, or a $300 Value Grab Bag Basket. Tickets are five dollars each or four for just ten dollars, and can be purchased at the Infinity Center, online, or from any of Infinity’s board members.

“This event is a celebration of youth empowerment, talent, and the mentorship bond between our students and their instructors. It is one of our favorite Infinity events each year. Thank you to everyone who comes out to support the kids’ and instructors’ hard work!” Hawkins said.

More information about Spring Showcase, including a list of performers, can be found on Infinity’s Facebook Page.

For questions or more information, please call the Infinity Center at 716-664-0991.

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JAMESTOWN – Infinity Visual and Performing Arts will be hosting its 5th Annual Art Market and Auction on Saturday, March 9 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Infinity Arts Café in Jamestown. This event will be a mid-campaign celebration to Infinity’s Step Up for the Arts Annual Campaign event.

WRFA’s Jason Sample recently talked with Infinity executive director Shane Hawkins and associate director Mariah Melendy to get more details about the event.

The art market will feature work for sale from an eclectic variety of talented local artists, an art auction of locally made art (auction proceeds to benefit Infinity), and an array of fun, family and arts-based activities including an Infinity student art show. Infinity’s Art Market and Auction will features 20 or more artists.

This year’s Art Auction will feature a private collection of pottery and ceramic art created by the late Douglas Hay as well as pieces from local artists. Douglas’ wife Carol Hay generously donated these auction items to Infinity for the Art Market and Auction event. All proceeds from the auction will support music and arts education experiences for young people at the Infinity Center.

Auction items can be viewed online at Infinity’s Local Artist Showcase Facebook page at: www.Facebook.com/LocalArtistShowcase. Online pre-bids are also being accepted until Friday, March 8.

“With all of the talented artists, both at Infinity, and throughout the area, I feel fortunate to be able to bring so many of them together for this event,” said Infinity Associate Director and event coordinator Mariah Melendy. “Come check out the incredible arts and craftsmanship associated with Infinity.”

Featured artists for the 2019 event include:

• Ashley Ordines
• Jacob Swanson
• Kate Rinko
• Lisa Offhaus
• Catherine Walsh
• Susan Schwartz
• Laurie McGrath
• Linda Certo
• John Andrea
• Renee Pye
• Mariah Melendy
• Daniel Marchini
• Marie Stewart
• and more.

Tickets for Infinity Art Market and Auction are $5 per person, and will be available for purchase at the door on the day of the event. Children 18 and under will be admitted free of charge. Family friendly activities such as face painting, art activities, a student art exhibit, and live music will also take place during this year’s event.

For more information call (716) 664-0991 or visit InfinityPerformingArts.org.

The Infinity Arts Café is located at 300 East 3rd Street in the Lynn Building in Jamestown. Look for the neon blue guitar.

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JAMESTOWN – Infinity Visual and Performing Arts will host its 15th Annual Local Music Showcase on Saturday, September 8.

The Showcase is described as a night full of music and fun for the community while also raising funds and awareness about the Infinity program.

Dubbed as, “The Night Music Reigns”, Infinity’s Local Music Showcase will take place throughout 8 venues in Downtown Jamestown and features more than 40 local musical acts.

This year’s venues include: Brazil, Forte, Labyrinth Press Co., Shawbucks, Tarmac Café, The Chadakoin Club, The Pub and The Wine Cellar.

Events begin at 6 p.m. Saturday and end at 2am.

Pre-sale tickets for Local Music Showcase are currently available at a discounted rate of $10. They can be purchased online at www.infinityperformingarts.org or in person at the Infinity Center through the end of today. $15 wristbands will be available at 5 ticketing kiosks on the night of the event.

We’ll have more details on the LMS later today during Arts on Fire, which begins at 5pm.