CFA to Host "The Most Trusted Stranger in America" on Oct. 9

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The Center for the Arts at the University at Buffalo will present Frank Warren -- PostSecret Founder at 8 p.m. on Oct. 9 in the Mainstage theater in the Center for the Arts on the UB North (Amherst) Campus.

A book signing will follow the presentation.

Called "the most trusted stranger in America," Warren is the sole founder and curator of the PostSecret Project: A collection of over 100,000 highly personal and artfully decorated postcards mailed anonymously from around the world, displaying the soulful secrets we never voice, and the creator of the phenomenally successful, New York Times best-selling PostSecret books: PostSecret, The Secret Lives of Men and Women, My Secret, and A Lifetime of Secrets: A PostSecret Book.

The deeply devoted and ever-increasing following of the PostSecret books and Web site has made him one of the most sought after public speakers. He gives a moving presentation about how he became an "accidental artist" and the power of secrets. Warren's program is a multimedia presentation in which he shares many of the secrets that were kept out of the books.

In 2006, Warren's PostSecret Web site (http://www.postsecret.com -- which receives more than 3,000,000 visitors every month) was awarded six weblog awards including Best American Blog and Blog of the Year. PostSecret was also awarded the Webby Award for best NetArt. The National Mental Health Association presented PostSecret with an award for Outstanding Contribution in raising public awareness about issues of mental health and suicide. His traveling exhibition of PostSecret cards was called by The Washington Post, "One of the five best art shows in 2005."

He has appeared on the Today Show, Good Morning America, 20/20, CNN, MSNBC, CBC, NPR and Fox News. USA Today called Warren, "An award-winning Blogger, a first-time author, an artist with a traveling exhibit, a possible documentary subject, the inspiration for a music video and the all-around media 'it' boy of the moment."

In 2005 the All American Rejects approached Warren about using images of actual PostSecret images in its "Dirty Little Secret" music video.

They offered Warren $1,000, but he instead asked them to donate $2,000 to 1(800)SUICIDE where Warren is a volunteer. The donation was made and the music video became one of the most requested on MTV. The National Mental Health Association presented Warren with an award for his work in raising public awareness of Suicide. The PostSecret project has now raised over $75,000 for 1(800)SUICIDE.

He continues to receive between 100 and 200 postcards every day, and he updates his Web site every Sunday. Warren continues to call himself an "accidental artist" because he does not have an artistic background or training.

"I have been asked many times why I started this. It still feels to me as though this project found me. All I try to do is make the right decisions every day to protect the integrity of the project -- and learn to trust the journey."

Warren was born in Arizona and went to high school in Illinois. He later graduated from UC Berkeley with a degree in the social sciences and moved to the Washington D.C. area to start a business. Fifteen years later, Instant Information Systems, his small business, takes up less of his time as he devotes more time and energy on the project that thrust him into the public eye.

Tickets for Frank Warren -- PostSecret Founder are $20, students $15. Tickets are available from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the Center for the Arts Box Office and all Ticketmaster locations including ticketmaster.com. To charge tickets, call 716-852-5000; in Canada, call 416-870-8000. For group sales, call 716-645-6771. For more information call 716-645-2787. Students (of any school) must present valid student ID at the Center for the Arts Box Office to receive discount.