2021/22 ANNUAL
HIGHLIGHTS Just Buffalo Literary Center’s mission is to create and strengthen communities through the literary arts. For over 45 years, the organization has brought the world’s greatest writers to Buffalo, hosted poetry events and readings, and supported the development of young writers.
REACH 193,150 98,556 5,010
Literary articles, information & news
BABEL Presentations by authors Aminatta Forna, Chang-rae Lee, Alison Bechdel & Colson Whitehead brought the return of in-person audiences for readings & conversation at Kleinhans Music Hall, joined by more than 1,000 virtual attendees who tuned in from around the world. This year’s Civil Writes Project again challenged our community to find pathways toward a more just and equitable future through the power of literature. Community partner events were held throughout the spring, and Colson Whitehead’s Babel appearance included meeting with students before his evening presentation.
Website, e-newsletter & social media
Readings, writing workshops & presentations including Babel
1,287
Writing Center education programs & workshops for youth
350
collaborating partners including businesses, community-based nonprofits, funders, media, schools & all levels of government
298,360
Total reach through all programs and activities
LIT CITY: ON THE MOVE This public art collaboration with the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA) brought over 50 poems by local writers to bus shelters, rail stations, and buses throughout the city of Buffalo. The design for this project, which included entire bus wraps, was completed by Buffalo-based artist Julian Montague. Funding for this project was made possible through in-kind support from NFTA and an Arts Impact grant from the New York State Council on the Arts through the Regional Economic Development Council (REDC) initiative.
SILO CITY READING SERIES: A DECADE OF POEMS IN GRAIN SILOS
JUST BUFFALO WRITING CENTER Along with a dynamic year of hybrid (in-person and virtual) workshops free to young writers near and far, JBWC continued to develop its Youth Ambassador program. YAs developed their skills by leading JBWC workshops, performing and publishing their work in the community, introducing Babel authors at student events, and engaging with younger writers at our summer camp. Applications for the YA program open in December!
Fueled by the collective power of imagination in one of our city’s most unique spaces, the tenth season of Silo City Reading Series included three multi-genre art events pairing national touring poets—writers destined to define the genre for future generations—with talented local writers, musicians, and artists for one-ofa-kind evenings. The anniversary was celebrated with a limited-edition anthology featuring poems by each poet from the series’ first ten years.
$282,948
Paid out in direct support of writers, artists, graphic designers, videographers, photographers and other independent workers, small businesses & in regrants to literary organizations.
INCOME & EXPENSES: 2021/22 OVERVIEW Just Buffalo 990s are available for review at guidestar.org
REVENUE: $1,107,314 Earned Revenue
14%
Contributions
12% 27%
Foundations Public/ Govt grants Total Income
47%
EXPENSES: $1,029,067 Literary Arts & Education Programming
14%
86% Administrative & Fundraising
Total Expenses
100%
12%
100%
NET INCOME $78,247 Just Buffalo is fiscally healthy, carefully balancing income and expenses to achieve break-even operating budgets. The organization has worked strategically for well over a decade to strengthen the balance sheet and create a small strategic reserve (held in savings and investments) to respond to risks & opportunities. Revenue surplus reflects restricted grant funding for activities in the coming year.
2021/22 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Elizabeth Pascal, President Pauline Muto, Vice-President Thomas Hewner, Treasurer Sandra Block, Secretary Michael Angelucci James Bachwitz Paul A. Battaglia Melissa (Missy) Baumgart Kanika Durland Mary Farallo Collin Gehl Geraldine Grossman Janet Kaye Steve Peraza Maria Scrivani
CONTACT
468 Washington St. #2 Buffalo, NY 14203 716.832.5400 / justbuffalo.org
@justbuffalolit
We believe in the love of reading, the art of writing & the power of the literary arts to transform individual lives and communities. We invite you to join us in the year ahead.