Councilmember Joel Feroleto, winner of this year’s Spark Award for Supporter of the Cultural Sector, serves on the Buffalo Common Council representing Delaware District and volunteers as a Board member for the Bair Foundation and Save the Michaels Organization. Born and raised in Buffalo, New York, he attended Canisius College and the University at Buffalo Law School before going on to become an attorney at Feroleto Law.

Since his election to the Buffalo Common Council in 2015, Councilmember Feroleto has worked diligently alongside community organizations and artists to champion public art in North Buffalo. To enhance Hertel Avenue, he launched the “Hertel Walls” project in collaboration with the Albright Knox and several local and international artists, and in 2019, he cofounded the Hertel Alley Art Fest with help from 15 participating artists. Under his leadership, the alley has transformed into a conglomeration of color and expression.

Councilmember Feroleto has been previously recognized by a variety of organizations for his efforts to improve our community. In 2015, he received the Sarah G. Metzger Award for his contributions to further human rights, and in 2019, he received the Amherst Chamber of Commerce Community Revitalization Award for cofounding the Hertel Walls public art project. The Feroleto family also received the Good Government Club Achievement Award in 2019, which recognizes the contributions of Italian Americans in public service.

This year’s presentation will be streamed virtually on Monday, November 16 at 7:00 pm on our YouTube page. Learn more about ASI’s seventh annual Spark Awards.