Buffalo Toronto Public Media Receives Spark Award

Arts Services Initiative of Western New York named Buffalo Toronto Public Media the "Advocate for the Cultural Sector" at the 4th annual Spark Cultural Awards May 10, 2017.

Buffalo Toronto Public Media takes its commitment to arts and culture very seriously, utilizing its airwaves to promote the region's Cultural assets locally and nationally.

WNED PBS is the WNY home of PBS and specifically PBS Arts, which aims to "spark a resurgence of arts in the United States, helping to make all Americans more award that the arts are accessible to everyone and ensuring all Americans understand that the arts are not only for them but also about the." Programs such as Great performances, Live from Lincoln Center, American Experience and Soundstage give viewers access to performances by great artists and exposure to the world class art, music and architecture which helps to cultivate audience members and supporters for cultural organizations.

WNED PBS original productions such as Frank Lloyd Wright's Buffalo, Shaw Festival: Behind the Curtain, and Buffalo's Houses of Worship have introduced and showcased our cultural assets to regional and national audiences.

Through NPR shows such as Morning Edition, All things Considered and Fresh Air, WBFO brings authors, artists and musicians to its audience on a daily basis, encouraging listeners to embrace art in their daily lives. Locally WBFO has aired Theater Talk for 25 years, offering the only weekly on-air exposure for Buffalo's thriving theater scene and encouraging listeners to enjoy local theater. The station regularly features local arts organizations and recently enhanced its arts coverage by introducing the Arts & Culture News Desk through which a dedicated reporter will bring 50 more local arts stories to listeners.

WNED Classical is celebrating 40 years on the air in 2017. By making classical music more available and accessible, the station is creating new classical music fans every day who also support the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra and other cultural organizations. By previewing concerts and featuring interviews with JoAnn Falletta, WNED Classical has been proud to have played a supporting role in the BPO's success for four decades.