Ensure another 50 years of Hallwalls!

Dear Hallwalls Supporter,

As Hallwalls approaches its 50th year, we have so much to celebrate—especially the impact we've had on artists, the community, and contemporary culture in Western New York and beyond. Over the past five decades, we’ve supported more than 8,000 artists, produced over 6,500 events, and brought accessible, boundary-pushing art to Buffalo from around the globe. Our mission remains as important as ever, and as we look to the future, we invite you to play a critical role in sustaining our work.

Your support ensures that Hallwalls continues to be a place where artists can grow and thrive. We want to share a story with you—one that reflects the heart of our mission and how we’ve impacted an artist throughout their career. Artist Julian Montague shares how Hallwalls impacted him...

I first discovered Hallwalls in 1989 at 16, attending a performance by a “cool” substitute teacher from the Buffalo Academy of Visual & Performing Arts as part of the “Ways in Being Gay” series. It offered a glimpse into another world. Returning to Buffalo in 1997, I knew Hallwalls would be part of my learning. In 1999, I started designing event mailers, had my first public show at the “Artists & Models” event, and soon won an ISCP residency. The work I developed there and for my solo show at Hallwalls marked the beginning of my art career. Within a year and a half, I had been reviewed in the New York Times, represented by a New York gallery, and signed with Abrams to publish my Stray Shopping Carts project as a book. Hallwalls gave me these critical opportunities based solely on the quality of my work. Designing its 50th-anniversary identity was especially meaningful, realizing I’ve been part of half its history. - Julian Montague

As we look ahead to the next 50 years, we need your help to continue this legacy of supporting artists at every stage of their careers. With your donation, we can keep offering low-cost, high-quality programming, provide stipends to artists, and create space for the next generation of creatives to thrive in Western New York.

Please consider making a gift to Hallwalls before the end of 2024. Your support—whether it’s $50, $100, or more—will directly impact our ability to nurture and sustain artists like Julian. Together, we can ensure that Hallwalls remains a vital, vibrant space for contemporary art and free expression for years to come.

Thank you for being a part of our story.

With gratitude,

Parrish Gibbons

Deputy Executive Director

Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center