Curtis Lovellat the 9th Ward on Nov 1
The leaves are changing/ed and a chill is in the air – but we want to keep you warm! Stay inside at some of the awesome arts & culture events happening all around the city this month. Here are some of our favorites:
1. Make Media Matter Opening Reception
Thursday, November 1, 5 – 7 pm
University at Buffalo Art Gallery, 201 Center for the Arts
The idea of making media matter might not make sense in an age when we all carry cellphones in our back pockets and get our news from social media. No worries – this exhibit takes a fresh approach to thinking about the way humans interact with the machines all around us, as well as the way machines and technology are a kind of art in themselves. Ever think about the artistic quality of a video glitch? Yeah, us neither – which is why we’ll see you at this exhibit! Check out cutting-edge work by current Ph.D. candidates in the UB Department of Media Study while enjoying this free opening, which includes food and non-alcoholic beverages. Learn more about the artists being showcased & find general event info here.
2. WNY Refugee Film Festival (WNY RFF)
Thursday, November 1, 6 pm AND Friday, November 2, 7:30 pm
Journey’s End Refugee Services, 2495 Main St.
Calling all film fans! This film festival celebrates our local refugee community with two evenings of double-features. On both Thursday & Friday nights, catch screenings of “Renga for the West” and “The Refugees of Shangri-La.” We are super excited for “Renga for the West” – this is its debut screening in Buffalo, and the word “renga” means a poem that is written by a community. How beautiful is that? The festival takes place at Journey’s End Refugee Services located in the Tri-Main Building. This WNY RFF actually takes place over several months, with different movies being screened throughout the winter. Check out a full schedule & watch trailers for this month’s features here.
3. Curtis Lovell at The 9th Ward
Thursday, November 1, 7 pm
Babeville, 341 Delaware Ave.
Okay, so we throw a lot of events at you every month but if you are going to get out to any of these – make sure it’s this one. Curtis Lovell is a trailblazing local artist who writes and performs original, stunning songs. With influences like Jill Scott, Nina Simone, Nat King Cole, and Patsy Cline, how could you go wrong? Lovell has a beautiful voice that she expertly layers during her live performances to create harmonies that will give you goosebumps in places you didn’t even know you could get them. Tickets are only $20 and trust us – so, so worth it. Learn more about Lovell and get your tickets here.
4. 1st Annual BraVa! WNY
Friday, November 2, 5 – 8 pm
Five Hundred Seneca, 500 Seneca St.
Ladies – the struggle is REAL when it comes to bras. Many of us know the hassle of measuring, finding the right size, balancing price point with cuteness… but did you know that bras are one of the most in-demand clothing items for women in need? Lear more about the place of bras in our lives at BraVa! WNY. The event will feature artists from throughout the community sharing personal experiences on the place of bras in their lives. Admission is $35 plus a bra to donate, and includes hors d’oeuvres, two drink tickets, and performances by the artists. Learn more about this awesome new event here!
5. Poetry Reading with Just Buffalo Writing Center
Friday, November 2, 7:30 – 9:30 pm
Albright-Knox Art Gallery, 1285 Elmwood Ave.
Get out to the Albright-Knox for their First Friday festivities and enjoy stellar poems by some of Buffalo’s youngest poets while you’re there! The Just Buffalo Writing Center (JBWC) offers writing workshops for teens, and their poems are raw, honest glimpses of the world through young eyes. This reading will center on the theme of “We The People,” which is the overarching theme of night throughout the Gallery. The poems will explore how we define our identities, form our communities, and confront the forces that shape our life. Admission to the Gallery & this reading are free! Learn more about First Friday and JBWC here.
6. Heritage Walk: Buffalo’s Underground Railroad
Sunday, November 4, 1 – 4 pm
Just Buffalo Literary Center, 468 Washington St.
Did you know Buffalo was once a major stop along the Underground Railroad? The famous Michigan Street Baptist Church was one of the stops along the Railroad, along with a number of other locations around the city. Join local poet and artist Annette Daniels Taylor on this unique walking tour to hear some of the stories of people who passed through Buffalo on their way to freedom. Participants will be encouraged to expand what they learn on this tour into their own stories inspired by their personal family histories. Don’t consider yourself a writer? Never fear! Daniels Taylor is a pro at getting people to feel confident finding ways to express themselves. Learn more about the Heritage Walk & purchase tickets here.
7. Voting Eve
Monday, November 5, 7 – 9 pm
The Historic Colored Musicians Club, 145 Broadway St.
Who’s voting this month?? Hands up, fam! Celebrate your right to vote with sweet sounds from the Historic Colored Musicians Club. The CMC is an absolute icon in Buffalo’s music scene, and if you haven’t been there yet then here’s a perfect chance! The George Scott Big Band will be performing celebratory tunes all night & getting the crowd in the mood to head to the polls the next morning. Learn more about this jazzy event here, and view your voting guide here.
8. Meejin Yoon: Bethune Lecture
Wednesday, November 7, 6 – 7:30 pm
University at Buffalo School of Architecture & Planning, 403 Hayes Hall
Ever think about the way the building you’re sitting in influences the way you speak, talk, move, and breathe? Get ready to. This event features Meejin Yoon, an architect, designer, and educator based at MIT. Yoon’s talk will focus on the way that the spaces we inhabit influence the way we interact – which is some mind-blowing stuff if you ask us! This series is named after Louise Bethune, the first professional-recognized female architect in the U.S. who was based right here in the Queen City. Don’t miss “Signal to Noise,” a talk which is sure to change the way you think about literally every building you step into. Learn more here.
9. Peach s03e01
Thursday, November 8, 7 – 9 pm
Just Buffalo Literary Center, 468 Washington St.
Peach season isn’t over yet! Join Peach Mag, a Buffalo-based online literary magazine that has been absolutely slaying the poetry world, at this reading featuring poets both home-grown and imported. Peach Mag’s readings always strike a perfect balance between funny, introspective, and smart. With poets from Montreal, NYC, and Cambridge, MA, this reading is sure to be just as perfectly balanced. This event is free – learn more about the readers poets here.
10. Entropy: THE POETEXPO
Saturday, November 17, 1 – 6 pm
Burchfield Penney Art Center, 1300 Elmwood Ave.
Author Anaïs Nin once famously said, “In chaos, there is fertility,” and Entropy: THE POETEXPO is so here for that. This half-day long festival features workshops, readings, and literary arts vendors – a perfect combo for poetry connoisseurs and newbies alike. Featuring local poets Megan Kemple, Julio Montalvo Valentin, Robin Jordan, and Eve Williams, this event will explore the chaotic loveliness of poetry. Listen to the readings, browse goods from local vendors, make your own pamphlet-stitch journal, and more – but don’t miss this event! Find a full event schedule here.
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