Author: Saratoga TODAY

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Frances Young Tang Teaching Museum and Art Gallery at Skidmore College recently announced “See It Now: Contemporary Art from the Ann and Mel Schaffer Collection,” a sweeping exhibition that celebrates art and artists brought together over five decades by Ann Schapps Schaffer and Mel Schaffer. Featuring over one hundred artworks, See It Now highlights bold and incisive artworks that grapple with the complexities of contemporary life.

The exhibition foregrounds artists whose works probe questions of race, migration, loss, gender, belonging—issues at the center of today’s world. Drawing from the Schaffers’ renowned private collection—formed with a spirit of curiosity and a commitment to artists at pivotal moments—See It Now offers audiences a rare, in-depth opportunity to view works by artists who have shaped the last half-century of art.

Highlights include multiple works by Vik Muniz and Cindy Sherman, large-scale paintings by Jordan Casteel, Hugo McCloud, and Kehinde Wiley, a Nick Cave’s Soundsuit, as well as works by Robert Gober, Felix Gonzalez-Torres, Jim Hodges, Deana Lawson, Wangechi Mutu, Kiki Smith, Hank Willis Thomas, Kara Walker, Carrie Mae Weems, and many more.

“Ann and Mel have collected with empathy and curiosity—bringing together artists who explore identity, memory, and social justice with rigor and heart,” said Ian Berry, Dayton Director, in a news release. “By placing these works in public view during our 25th-anniversary year, we’re inviting audiences to engage with art that can be messy and vulnerable, complex and contradictory, joyful and alive; works that continue to speak to the urgencies of the present.”

“We’ve always collected with curiosity,” said Ann Schapps Schaffer. “Your soul has to run through a collection. We don’t just hang art; the pieces have to speak to one another—about life and death, giving and taking, and how we live together now.”

The exhibition is free and open to the public. The Tang Museum, located on the Skidmore College campus at 815 N. Broadway, Saratoga Springs, New York, is open noon–5 pm Tuesday–Sunday, with extended hours until 9 pm on Thursdays. For more information, call 518-580-8080 or visit tang.skidmore.edu.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) recently announced that its popular fundraising event, “SPAC in Conversation,” will return on Wednesday, Oct. 22 with a refreshed event format in the historic Hall of Springs, featuring award-winning journalist, former New York Times staff writer, and media ecologist Julie Scelfo. Founder and executive director of Mothers Against Media Addiction (MAMA), Scelfo will lead a discussion on “fighting back against runaway tech to protect our kids’ childhoods.”

A veteran journalist and mother of three, Scelfo founded MAMA after witnessing how screen addiction, exploitative algorithms, and a lack of regulation have created an increasingly unhealthy and unsafe media environment for children.

“At SPAC, we believe that the arts and our natural surroundings provide a vital refuge and a path to connection,” said Elizabeth Sobol, CEO of SPAC, in a news release. “Julie’s work resonates deeply with that vision, reminding us of the urgency to protect real human experience in a world increasingly shaped by digital forces. We are honored to welcome her voice to our community.”

The afternoon will feature a plated luncheon, boutique shopping, and a keynote presentation by Scelfo, who will share insights into the latest research, the legislative landscape, and practical tools for parents and caregivers. New for this year, the complete event will take place in the Hall of Springs while the Spa Little Theater undergoes renovation.

“I am so grateful for the opportunity to return to SPAC and the Saratoga Springs community for a conversation about how parents, educators, caregivers and policymakers are standing up to what may be the biggest public health challenge of our time — a crisis fueled by corporate greed and negligence,” said Scelfo. “I look forward to sharing the inspiring stories of people whose frustration with social media giants and AI companies putting profits before children’s safety led them to take action, and to exploring how we can work together to protect childhood by making changes in our homes, our communities and across the nation.”

Scelfo is returning by popular demand following her “SPAC in Conversation” debut in 2023, discussing her book The Women Who Made New York, an acclaimed collection that uncovers the untold stories of trailblazing women—from activists like Zora Neale Hurston and Audre Lorde to icons like Grace Jones—who shaped New York City’s cultural identity.

For more information or tickets, visit spac.org/events/2025-spac-in-conversation-julie-scelfo/.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) announced last week that Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana, one of the nation’s most prominent flamenco dance companies, will return to Saratoga Springs for a week-long residency Oct. 12–16, as part of Flamenco Certamen USA — the only competition of its kind in the United States. Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana will also bring educational workshops and a dance masterclass to the Spa City.

Founded in 1983, Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana has earned recognition for promoting flamenco as a living art form and new cultural voice in the U.S. The company’s Certamen competition not only provides a spotlight for emerging talent but also fosters the continued development and expansion of flamenco on an international scale.

Participants showcase their work in performance and compete to win scholarships to study in Spain, among other prizes. The Flamenco Certamen supports rising flamenco artists by providing professional mentorship, workshops, and access to a global network of artists.

The schedule is as follows:

Flamenco Certamen USA

Oct. 12-16

SPAC School of the Arts

In advance of the final performance in New York City on Oct. 18, finalists will participate in an intensive residency at SPAC’s School of the Arts. Over the course of the week, rising flamenco stars will work with live musicians, receive daily mentorship from professional artists, and refine their craft in Saratoga before taking the competition stage.

Arts Around the World workshop

Oct. 14, 4–5 p.m.

SPAC School of the Arts

Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana will lead an “Arts Around the World” class at SPAC School of the Arts, designed to introduce children to new nations through cultural activities, songs, dances, and performances. With regular visits from diverse local artists, students will receive firsthand knowledge and understandings of cultural significance and traditions while developing a greater appreciation of the arts and our world. This special workshop is only available to current, registered students.

Dance Masterclass with Flamenco Vivo

Oct. 14, 7:30–8:30 p.m.

SPAC School of the Arts

Open to the public

Participants will receive hands-on instruction in rhythmic handclaps (palmas), arm movements (braceo), body posturing (marcaje), and footwork (taconeo), tailored to the participants’ experience level. Designed for adults over the age of 18 years old, the class is supportive and fun, and flamenco technique is woven into a short choreography. By the end of the class the participants will be able to “perform” a simple choreographed dance. Learn more or register at spac.org.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Saratoga Springs Mayor John Safford officially appointed Jay Rogoff as the next Saratoga Springs poet laureate at the Sept. 16 city council meeting. Rogoff’s two-year term will begin in January, when he will succeed Joseph Bruchac, the city’s first poet laureate.

Rogoff will promote arts enrichment, conduct writing workshops for adults and children, write poems to commemorate city events and celebrations, and encourage people of all ages, perspectives, and skill levels to see the shared human experience in poetry. 

The author of seven books of poems, Rogoff has also published widely as a reviewer of poetry and dance, including coverage of the New York City Ballet for WAMC Radio. He is the recipient of a Pushcart Prize for poetry and the Lewis P. Simpson Award for criticism. His poems have appeared in leading national journals such as the “Kenyon Review,” “Ploughshares,” and the “Yale Review.” His poems have also been published internationally in “POEM,” “Poetry London,” and “Poetry Review.” For many years, Rogoff taught at Skidmore College. 

“I’ll be proud to continue the tradition Joe Bruchac has so enthusiastically begun,” Rogoff said in a statement released by the mayor’s office. “Especially in a divisive time like ours, poetry can offer a view into the workings of our minds and hearts, furthering our mutual understanding. In particular, as we anticipate the 250th anniversaries of the Declaration of Independence and the Battle of Saratoga, we can explore together how poetry can unite us by embodying the American ideal of free expression.”

“I cannot think of anyone better qualified to be the next Poet Laureate of Saratoga Springs than Jay Rogoff,” said Bruchac. “Considering the fact that Saratoga is the home of literally dozens of excellent, well-published poets, that is saying something. Jay is not just a gifted poet, but also a person widely at home in the world of the performing arts. His warm personality makes him an engaging reader of his poetry. As an ambassador for poetry and his hometown, I have no doubt that Jay will be exceptional.”