| Center for the Arts | |
| City: | Amherst, New York |
| Country: | United States |
| Architect: | Gwathmey Siegel & Architects Associates |
| Owner: | University at Buffalo, The State University of New York |
| Capacity: | Mainstage: 1,748 Drama: 378 Black Box: 150 |
| Type: | Performing arts center |
| Opened: | 1994 |
The Center for the Arts at the University at Buffalo is a cultural institution established in 1994 on the University at Buffalo North Campus in Amherst. This multidisciplinary arts center is a public venue for theatrical and artistic performances, exhibitions and events, and also is a teaching facility for students in arts disciplines such as media studies, art, theatre, and dance.
The Center for the Arts presents a wide range of high quality performing arts and visual arts for the University, the State and the region, and enhances and augment the academic activities of the fine and performing arts departments at the University at Buffalo.
Through its facilities and programs, the Center for the Arts plays a significant role in accomplishing the mission of the University, presenting enriched educational and cultural opportunities through University performances, state and regional events, and national and international touring productions and exhibits.
Designed by Gwathmey Siegel & Architects Associates LLC, the building was erected for $50 million. The 236500square feet facility was opened by the fall semester of 1994 as the Fine Arts Center, and was renamed the Center for the Arts, its current name, later that year.[1]
Seating 1750, the Mainstage is the largest theatre in the Center. Featuring entirely professional productions, this theatre features a computer-tunable wall system for acoustics, a movable proscenium, a custom built orchestra shell, and a large 106feet wide by 48feet deep stage.[2]
The Center's other proscenium theatre, the Drama Theatre is a smaller theatre (seating 400). Like its larger companion, it too features a movable proscenium. It is fully trapped. It is 69feet wide by 34feet deep.[3]
The smallest of the theatres in the facility, the Black Box Theatre, is designed with the standard flexibility of a Black box theater, supporting 175 seats in various configurations.[2]