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.