The Staller Center for the Arts is the main arts building at Stony Brook. It opened in 1978 and was renamed in 1988 for the Staller family after a $1.8 million donation. It was the largest-ever private donation to the university at the time. The Staller Center is home to the Stony Brook Film Festival, an annual event which provides a program of independent films shown in the building's Main Stage. The festival draws crowds of over 14,000 and takes place over ten days. The Staller Center contains three black box theaters, a recital hall, and a professional 1,000-seat performance stage (the Main Stage) with a 40-foot movie screen. The screen is the largest on Long Island. Roughly 500 events take place in the Staller Center during each season. The Staller Center has hosted speakers and entertainers ranging from Bob Woodward, Bob Saget, Bill Cosby, David Sedaris, Stephanie Kelton, Spike Lee and Yo-Yo Ma. The Staller Center is also home to the Paul W. Zuccaire Gallery, a 5,000-square foot space that showcases professional and student exhibitions.
