Buffalo, NY – Today, the Albright-Knox Art Gallery announced a new project from its Innovation Lab: The Society for the Advancement of Construction-Related Arts (SACRA), in collaboration with artist and University at Buffalo professor of architecture Dennis Maher.

Building upon the legacy of artistic and design excellence demonstrated by Buffalo’s architectural heritage, SACRA has two main goals:

• Create teaching/learning opportunities where exceptional quality and richness of imagination in design and construction are encouraged.
• Teach the necessary skills for employment in the fields of carpentry and woodworking.

With a focus on high-level craftsmanship, SACRA will create an environment where a culture of new construction excellence can flourish, while also helping to satisfy a current need for skilled labor in the region. The City of Buffalo is well known for its historic architecture and, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, has the oldest housing stock of any major metropolitan area in the country. This statistic alludes to the city’s dire need for housing maintenance and repair at a time when the artisanal skills and craftsmanship that gave birth to this architectural heritage are disappearing. As a museum of modern and contemporary art, the Albright-Knox has a substantial interest in not only preserving the architectural and design heritage of Western New York, but also laying the groundwork for the heritage of the future to emerge. 

SACRA instructors will be artisans, contractors, and tradespeople who are local practitioners with specialized expertise. The program will have a project-based curriculum, focusing on the design and construction of signature projects that have the potential for high impact and visibility within the community. Every participant will have an opportunity to use new tools and learn new skills while working cooperatively toward a common goal. By bringing together participants from diverse backgrounds and with varying degrees of experience, SACRA will help to bridge the social and economic gaps that exist in our community.

SACRA will also work closely with local developers. This will enable the project to nurture the specific skills and resources that developers require for their work. It will also provide a direct pipeline for students and tradespeople trained through the program to more easily secure work, as the training is designed to respond to the needs identified and requested by developers who are potential employers.

The project will deliver job training, retraining, and technical skills. Students will work towards becoming skilled laborers, ultimately advancing their craft through the influence and expertise of master craftspeople. Developers will find a rich pool of affordable talent to create and implement designs beyond the current standards of construction. SACRA will ultimately have a broad impact on the Buffalo community, empowering those within the program and restoring the city’s unique heritage.

The Albright-Knox Innovation Lab engages a broad-based series of intellectual collaborations across an array of disciplines in the arts, sciences, and technology to explore new ideas and develop solutions to challenges confronting museums and societies locally, regionally, and globally. The Lab strives to define new models for museums in the twentieth century as productive and engaged creative hubs at the center of social and civic vitality, having positive impacts on diverse communities.

The AK Innovation Lab is made possible, in part, through the support of The Seymour H. Knox Foundation, in conjunction with The John R. Oishei Foundation, an anonymous family foundation, and by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Legislature.

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