2020 Initiatives

2020 Community Agenda

In 2020 FAB dedicated its efforts to public art, ensuring that there was equity in the selection, creation, and representation of public art in our city. FAB was able to earn a spot in the 2020 Partnership for the Public Good Community Agenda.

Our plank read as follows:

The City of Buffalo should verify that it is holding capital improvement projects to Chapter 409-3 of the City of Buffalo Code, requiring projects in excess of $1 million put aside 1% of the total budgeted construction and design cost to create, repair, and maintain works of public art. The City should take these steps:

a) Create an amendment to ensure that public art funds from the Arts Commission and its Art in Public Places Committee are accessible to frontline arts organizations;

b) Increase representation on both committees from frontline arts communities;

c) Update the catalog of the City’s art collection (last updated in 2004);

d) Lower the capital improvement project threshold to $500,000;

e) Increase transparency around the oversight of this funding

Erie County Cultural Funding Process

Frontline Arts Buffalo addressed the funding process with Erie County. With the support of Legislative Chair April Baskin, and the Department of Environment and Planning, changes to the annual Erie County Cultural Funding process were made. The funding process simplified the process for organizations with a budget under $50,000. The process also prioritized and called out attention to diversity and inclusion in organizational leadership, racial, environmental, and social justice programming.