Center for the Arts

What Center for the Arts does

The Center for the Arts (CFA) at the University at Buffalo is a non-profit university arts center operating within the State University of New York (SUNY) system. Established in 1994, it operates a $50 million, 250,000-square-foot facility designed by Gwathmey Siegel Architects on UB's North Campus in Buffalo, NY, housing five primary venues: a 1,748-seat Mainstage Theatre, a 378-seat Drama Theatre, a 120-seat Black Box Theatre, a 210-seat Screening Room, and an 800-capacity Atrium. The Center serves a heterogeneous audience comprising university students and faculty, touring arts patrons, regional community members, and external renters, with approximately 150,000 guests hosted annually and nearly 4 million lifetime visitors since opening.

The Center operates a diversified revenue model combining earned and contributed income: ticket sales processed through Ticketmaster, venue rentals to external promoters and community organizations, event catering through authorized caterers (e.g., Three Pillars, Falletta's, Rich's), university budget allocations, and donations and sponsorships. Educational programming includes student employment, internships, and the Concert Production Intensive. The Center invests in broadcast and digital content production, including the award-winning "Music is Art LIVE @ the Center" television series (40+ episodes, State Emmy and National Telly Awards) and the "How Art Gets Made" video series, alongside annual community events such as Art in the Open and Spring into Art. Technical infrastructure includes 1080p HD projection, 7.1 surround sound, and full production facilities spanning video, sound, digital, print media, and sculpture.

The Center is led by Executive Director Jamie M. Enser (appointed July 2019), supported by Associate Director Katherine Trapanovski, Business Manager Jeremy Kersten, Events Manager Moriah Bolinsky Hegmann, Ticket Operations Manager Mark Perkins, Technical Director John Saunders, Director of Photography Paul Calandra, and Production Manager Ally Jindra. Strategic partnerships span university units (UB Asia Research Institute, UB Arts Collaboratory), community organizations (Guitar Reach Buffalo, PLUS1), and corporate sponsors (Fox Run at Orchard Park, in its seventh year as of 2025-2026).

Name

Center for the Arts

Legal name

Center for the Arts, University at Buffalo

Website

https://ubcfa.org

Company type

Public

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Center for the Arts at the University at Buffalo is a non-profit university arts center operating a multi-venue performing arts complex that hosts approximately 150,000 guests annually through ticket sales, venue rentals, catering, university funding, and sponsorships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts Venue

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131), Performing Arts Companies (7111), Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (711110)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture Theaters (7830)

akta.pro primary industry

Performing Arts & Cultural Event Venues (Theaters, Museums) (THAHAAAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Performing Arts Centers & Presenters (Programming/Booking) (MPAGABAM), Conference Centers & Dedicated Meeting Venues (THAHAAAB)

Keywords

• Performing arts venue
• Live event hosting
• Theatre venue rental
• Concert production services
• University arts programming

Headquarters

HQ city

Buffalo

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue from ticket sales for performances, concerts, theatre, dance, comedy, and film events. Tickets sold through Ticketmaster, UBCFA Ticket Office, and on-site box offices.
2. Venue Rental: Rental of theatre spaces and venues for university departments, community organizations, and commercial presenters for events including performances, receptions, dinners, galas, weddings, conferences, and seminars.
3. Catering Services: Food and beverage service through authorized caterers for events held at the venue, with alcoholic beverage service requiring UB approval.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Center for the Arts operates a 250,000 sq ft multi-venue performing arts complex at the University at Buffalo hosting national touring productions, concerts, dance, comedy, theatre, and film screenings. It also rents venues to community organizations and commercial presenters, runs art galleries, delivers video production services, and provides educational programming that connects UB arts departments with the Western New York community.

Product overview

The Center for the Arts at the University at Buffalo is a multidisciplinary arts venue and academic hub that operates as a unified portfolio of performance venues and educational programs. The core offerings include four primary performance venues (Mainstage Theatre, Drama Theatre, Black Box Theatre, and Screening Room) plus the Atrium event space, all supported by production facilities and support spaces. The venue portfolio is complemented by UB Art Galleries (CFA Gallery and Anderson Gallery), student employment and internship programs, video production services, and free community events (Art in the Open, Spring into Art). The How Art Gets Made video series provides digital content showcasing the artistic process. The Center serves both as a premier public performance venue hosting touring productions, concerts, and comedy acts, and as a vital resource for UB's arts departments where students gain hands-on experience in production, performance, and exhibition management.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mainstage Theatre A 1,748-seat theatre, the largest venue at the Center for the Arts, ideal for national touring concerts, comedians, dance, theatrical productions, and presentations.
• Drama Theatre A 378-seat intimate performance space for plays, musicals, dance, and presentations, featuring an adjustable-width proscenium, 40 line-sets, a fully trapped stage, and an orchestra pit for 40 musicians.
• Black Box Theatre A flexible theatre accommodating up to 120 seats in various configurations, suited for avant-garde productions, experimental theatre, music, multimedia, and intimate events such as luncheons, dinners, and receptions.
• Screening Room A 210-seat venue for digital screenings, film festivals, video art, speakers, panel discussions, poetry readings, and press conferences, featuring 1080p HD projection capability with 7.1 surround sound.
• Atrium A spectacular two-story event space with vaulted skylight and glass walls, accommodating up to 800 people for standing receptions or 400 for elegant dinners, with LED lighting system for atmospheric events.
• Venue Rentals Rental program offering CFA facilities (theatres, atrium, meeting spaces) to university departments, community organizations, and commercial presenters for performances, receptions, dinners, galas, fundraisers, weddings, conferences, seminars, and screenings at market-based rental rates.
• UB CFA Gallery A 5,000 sq ft gallery across the first and second floors of the Center for the Arts presenting contemporary art exhibitions and works from a collection of over 4,000 items, regularly featuring UB student work. Open Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• UB Anderson Gallery A second gallery location at 1 Martha Jackson Place, Buffalo, NY, extending exhibition space and accessibility for the university art community. Open Wednesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday 1-5 p.m.
• Video Production Services Creative team providing video production services supporting student projects, university events, and public performances, including multi-camera live event production.
• Student Employment and Internships Programs offering UB students hands-on experience in arts and entertainment across administrative, event, ticket operations, staging, lighting, sound, and video production departments, with non-paid internships in video production, photography, and website/social media requiring academic credit.
• Concert Production Intensive An advanced production student program providing leadership roles working directly with national artists and touring professionals, part of project-based learning opportunities designed to launch graduates' careers and build portfolios.

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Guitar Reach BuffalocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 March 2025Partnership with Guitar Reach Buffalo to host the Buffalo International Guitar Festival, a community-oriented event focusing on cultural enrichment and educational opportunities for guitarists of all ages. Festival includes concerts, youth/collegiate competition, education workshops, and ensemble programs.
• Fox Run at Orchard ParkcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsors the UB Theatre and Dance season. Celebrating seventh year of support in 2025-2026 season, providing funding that enables diverse programming.
• PLUS1minorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership for Punch Brothers concert where $1 per ticket goes to supporting organizations working for equity, access, and dignity for all.
• UB Asia Research InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner for the Buffalo International Guitar Festival 2025, contributing to international and cultural programming.
• UB Arts CollaboratoryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with UB Art Galleries for exhibitions such as Annie Bielski's 'Strutting, Fretting' in the Center for the Arts Atrium.
• Three Pillars CateringcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerUniversity-affiliated catering service providing food and beverage for events at UB Center for the Arts.
• Falletta's RestaurantminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerAuthorized off-campus caterer for events at UB Center for the Arts, located in East Amherst, NY.
• Rich's Catering and Special EventsminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerAuthorized off-campus caterer for events at UB Center for the Arts, located in Buffalo, NY.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Krannert Center for the Performing Arts: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign performing arts center offering multiple theatres and programming across music, dance, and theatre. Closely comparable in mission, university-embedded operating model, and multi-venue programmatic scope.
• Walton Arts Center: Northwest Arkansas performing arts center presenting national touring artists, Broadway, and education programming. Comparable scale, mixed presenting/venue-rental model, and emphasis on community engagement programming.
• Shea's Performing Arts Center: Historic Buffalo-based performing arts venue hosting national touring Broadway productions, concerts, and comedy. Direct local competitor serving the same Western New York audience for many of the same touring acts that route through the CFA.
• Strathmore: Bethesda, MD-based multidisciplinary presenting organization with a 1,976-seat Music Center plus smaller venues and education programs. Highly comparable multi-venue, multi-disciplinary presenting model with strong educational and community programming.
• ASU Gammage: Arizona State University performing arts venue designed by Frank Lloyd Wright with a large main-stage theatre hosting Broadway tours and concerts. Comparable university-affiliated presenting model at similar scale to the CFA.
• Kleinhans Music Hall: Buffalo's primary classical and community music venue, home to the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra. Comparable local performance venue operating in the same Western New York market with overlapping classical, jazz, and touring programming.
• Tobin Center for the Performing Arts: San Antonio performing arts center with a 1,750-seat main hall, multiple smaller venues, and rental/event services. Closely comparable in capacity profile, multi-venue configuration, and breadth of programming categories.

Broad incumbents

• New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC): One of the largest performing arts centers in the U.S. located in Newark, NJ. Operates as a larger-scale, broader-incumbent peer with multiple venues, presenting programming, education, and community engagement at significantly greater scale than the CFA.
• Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall / Portland'5 Centers: Portland, OR performing arts campus featuring multiple venues under one presenting umbrella. Broader incumbent peer with similar multi-venue configuration, presenting programming, and rental operations in a comparable mid-sized U.S. city.

Regional players

• Buffalo AKG Art Museum (formerly Albright-Knox): Buffalo's premier art museum with adjacent gallery operations. Regional peer in the same Western New York cultural ecosystem, providing complementary (rather than competing) visual-arts programming and serving overlapping audience demographics.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/UBCFA
• Facebookfacebook.com/UBCenterfortheArts
• Instagraminstagram.com/ubcfa
• Xx.com/ubcfa
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ub-center-for-arts

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Center for the Arts