named programs · 3 · from sources
What they call their work
FIT: Buffalo Fashion, Identity, and Transformation
Exhibition exploring Buffalo's creative evolution through fashion design, illustration, photography, and sculpture, highlighting cross-industry collaboration and sustainable design.
M&T Second Friday
Monthly community event featuring exhibition openings, live music, art-making activities, and special performances to engage the public with regional art.
Valeria Cray: Surface Tension
Exhibition presenting sculptures, drawings, and models from artist Valeria Cray’s 50-year career, emphasizing spiritual themes, community healing, and public art in Buffalo.
activities · 4 groups
What they do
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Local History Museum Operations 2 activities
- Manage and grow a permanent art collectionHolds a collection of over 12,000 works by more than 680 artists from the late 19th century to the present, including major donations and acquisitions such as 183 works by Charles E. Burchfield in 1994 and works by Western New York artists like Wilbur H. Porterfield. The collection includes fine art, decorative arts, Roycroft books and papers, and archival materials, with ongoing collecting efforts focused on the region’s cultural legacy.
- Operate a museum dedicated to Charles E. Burchfield and regional artistsOperates a museum focused on the art and vision of Charles E. Burchfield and distinguished artists from Buffalo, Niagara, and Western New York, maintaining accreditation by the American Alliance of Museums since 1994. The institution holds the largest public collection of Burchfield’s works, including over 10,000 pages of handwritten journals and 25,000 drawings, and features a scale re-creation of his studio.
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Curated Art Exhibitions and Public Displays 1 activity
- Curate and present rotating exhibitions of regional artPresents continuous and temporary exhibitions featuring significant works by Charles E. Burchfield and other regional artists, including recent acquisitions and career-spanning retrospectives. Exhibitions are supported by public programs, catalogs, and community events, such as the 2026 exhibition FIT: Buffalo Fashion, Identity, and Transformation and an exhibition featuring Valeria Cray’s sculptures and drawings.
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Art Appreciation and Public Engagement 1 activity
- Host public and educational programmingOffers ongoing public programs including concerts, literary readings, lectures, symposia, workshops, and special events. These include community celebrations, members-only previews, film screenings, and panel discussions tied to exhibitions, fostering engagement with regional art and culture.
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Artist Marketplace Operations 1 activity
- Operate a museum store featuring regional art and merchandiseRuns a museum store offering one-of-a-kind gifts by local artisans, artist reproductions, and merchandise celebrating Charles E. Burchfield, Buffalo, and Western New York, including exhibition catalogs for sale.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$2.93M
Contributions & grants$2.18M74%
Program service revenue$278K10%
Investment income$255K9%
Other revenue$215K
expenses
Total expenses$3.22M
Program expenses45%
Admin / overhead35%
Fundraising20%
Salaries & benefits$1.87M
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$21.93M
Cash$400K
Investments$20.80M
Liabilities$787K
Net assets$21.14M
Liquid reserves78.9 mo
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +1.8%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 3
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| SCOTT PROPEACK | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 45 | $217K |
| JEN MERLETTE | CHIEF ADVANCEMENT OFFICER | 45 | $128K |
| DAVID STACHURA | FINANCE MANAGER | 45 | $68K |
board members · 22
- AMITRA A WALL PHD — DIRECTOR
- BONITA R DURAND PHD — DIRECTOR
- CYNTHIA BAIRD STARK — DIRECTOR
- CYNTHIA CIMINELLI — DIRECTOR
- DAVID FLYNN — DIRECTOR
- DON ELICK — DIRECTOR
- FRANK MENDICINO — DIRECTOR
- GINA O'NEILL — DIRECTOR
- GREG HYATT — VICE-CHAIRMAN
- JANET WETTER — CHAIR PERSON
- JOHN DARBY — DIRECTOR
- LINDA MAGGIO — VICE-CHAIRMAN
- LYNN STIEVATER — TREASURER
- LYNNE MARIE FINN — DIRECTOR
- MARGARET KAISER — DIRECTOR
- MARK GAULIN — DIRECTOR
- MARY JO HUNT — SECRETARY
- NIREL PATEL — DIRECTOR
- ODIE PORTER — DIRECTOR
- PAULA JOY REINHOLD — DIRECTOR
- RAMONE ALEXANDER MD — DIRECTOR
- REBECCA COLLINS — DIRECTOR
relationships · 26
Who they work with
- American Alliance of Museums Government — Accrediting body for the Burchfield Penney Art Center
- American Alliance of Museums Network — Accredited member of the American Alliance of Museums, undergoing reaccreditation every 10 years.
- BSUC Foundation Partner — Receives donations of works by artists for the collection; works donated to the foundation during 1967–1969 were later integrated into the Center's development strategy.
- Cameron and Jane Baird Foundation Funder — Private foundation providing financial support for exhibitions and programming.
- Charles E. Burchfield Partner — Primary artist represented in the collection; the center holds the largest public collection of his works and personal archives.
- Charles E. Burchfield Foundation Partner — Represents the foundation in managing the copyright of Charles E. Burchfield's works.
- Charles Rand Penney Partner — Major donor whose contributions led to the museum being renamed in his honor.
- City of Buffalo Government — Municipal supporter of the center’s programs.
- City of Buffalo Government — Provides generous public support for the Burchfield Penney Art Center.
- Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo, Inc. Funder — Manages the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Designated Inclusive Arts and Culture Organizations Endowment Fund, which supports the center.
- Delaware North Funder — Provided generous support for the Valeria Cray: Surface Tension exhibition.
- Erie County Government — Local government entity providing public support.
- Erie County Government — Provides generous public support for the Burchfield Penney Art Center.
- Gwathmey Siegel & Associates, Architects Partner — Designed the new Burchfield Penney Art Center building opened in 2008.
- Hodgson Russ LLP Funder — Provided additional support for the Valeria Cray: Surface Tension exhibition.
- James & Dorothy Pappas Funder — Provided generous support for the Valeria Cray: Surface Tension exhibition.
- Margaret L. Wendt Foundation Funder — Foundation providing leadership-level financial support.
- Margaret L. Wendt Foundation Funder — Provided generous support for the Valeria Cray: Surface Tension exhibition.
- National Endowment for the Arts Government — Federal funder providing public support to the center.
- National Endowment for the Arts Government — Provides generous public support for the Burchfield Penney Art Center.
- New York State Council on the Arts Government — Provides public support for Burchfield Penney Art Center programs with support from the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.
- New York State Council on the Arts Government — Public funding agency supporting the center's programs.
- SUNY Buffalo State University Government — Formal affiliation through which the organization encourages learning and community engagement.
- SUNY Buffalo State University Government — Host institution and provider of public support for the Burchfield Penney Art Center.
- SUNY Buffalo State University Government — Provides generous public support and is the host institution for the Burchfield Penney Art Center.
- shop.burchfieldpenney.org Partner — Operates the Museum Store offering artist reproductions and locally made goods.
strategies · 5
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Art as Spiritual and Communal Upliftmethodology: art-as-spiritual-practiceBy framing art as a spiritual practice that connects to the soul and embraces human duality, the center fosters deeper emotional and communal resonance because this approach transforms aesthetic experience into a unifying, identity-affirming force that transcends passive viewing.
- Artist-Centric Legacy Preservationmethodology: artist-centric_preservationBy preserving and reconstructing the physical and archival context of Charles E. Burchfield’s work—including his studio and copyright management—the center provides immersive historical understanding, ensuring authentic transmission of his artistic legacy because material and environmental fidelity deepens public connection and scholarly integrity.
- Culturally Inclusive Narrative Transformationmethodology: cultural-narrative-transformationBy using fashion and multidisciplinary art to explore identity and urban transformation, the center redefines cultural narratives in Buffalo because creative expression rooted in lived experience enables communities to reimagine themselves and challenge dominant perceptions through collaborative, sustainable design.
- Institutional Accountability Through Peer-Reviewed Accreditationmethodology: accreditation-through-self-study-and-peer-reviewBy undergoing self-study and peer review for accreditation, the center ensures institutional accountability and continuous improvement because external validation and reflective assessment strengthen professional standards and public trust.
- Regional Artistic Heritage Developmentmethodology: regional-artistic-heritageBy expanding curation beyond Charles E. Burchfield to include diverse artists and craft traditions from Western New York, the center strengthens regional cultural identity and inclusion because localized representation fosters community ownership, engagement, and a more complete narrative of place-based creativity.