BUFFALO, N.Y. — Culture and creativity took center stage at Shea’s Smith Theatre on Saturday evening, as artists, educators, and industry leaders gathered for a free panel discussion titled “Creative Power and the Business of Black Music.”

The event celebrated the Black experience in show business while also offering strategies for protecting art and building sustainable careers.

“It’s one that’s of resilience, love, and I think a motivation to keep going, and that we inspire each other all the time,” Naila Ansari Catilo, co-founder of AnsariSaxon Productions, said during the discussion.

Organizers said the conversation aimed to empower creators by highlighting both the challenges and opportunities in the music industry, particularly for Black artists.

The panel also served as a lead-in to the upcoming production of “Dreamgirls,” which opens next week at Shea’s 710 Theatre.