Buffalo Academy for Visual and Performing Arts - BAVPA

Grades 5 - 12
Excellent educational preparation for careers or future study
in music, dance, theatre, visual art, and media!
Competitive and extracurricular sports for boys and girls!

Advance Placement courses (college level) in English, Social Studies,
Science, Math, Foreign Language, and the Arts!

The Buffalo Academy for Visual and Performing Arts was founded as part of the desegregation plan in 1977. The goal was simple: provide an exciting college preparatory program for students in the arts and academics that will attract all races and ethnicities. Since our beginnings at 333 Clinton Street, the school has grown in numbers and in depth. In September 2007, we moved to our new location at 450 Masten Avenue into an arts facility that is both beautiful and up-to-date with technologies to give our students a competitive edge. We are proud to claim many very successful alumnae, including Jessie L. Martin (Law & Order, RENT), Ani DiFranco (recording artist, founder of Righteous Babe Record label and "Babeville"), Claudine Ewing (WGRZ-TV), Pete Gallivan (WGRZ-TV), Stefan Mychajliw (former TV reporter for WGRZ/WKBW, former Public Relations Officer for BPS), Ramona Thomas-Reynolds (Principal of MLK Multicultural Institute), Jody Covington (Assistant Principal at Arts Academy), Carmen Intorre (percussionist/drummer, graduate of Juilliard School of Music), George Davis (current music teacher at Arts Academy), Nicole Jones (current dance teacher at Arts Academy), and many more.



Currently, our students continue to exceed NYS targets for academic performance in similar schools from grades 5-12. Our students produce award-winning visual art work, participate in All County and all WNY musical groups, perform with the Buffalo Philharmonic, dance in the NYS School for the Arts summer program (competitive), and are recognized for excellence in various aspects of theatrical work.



The school is presently partnered with Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Centre through an Empire State Partnership grant (NYS Council on the Arts). This most important partnership focuses on integrating the various arts experiences as well as helping students and staff to discover where artistic knowledge and other knowledge naturally intersect. Please support our major partner, Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Centre.