SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Saratoga Community Arts Center is moving forward with a revitalization project to further provide a visually vibrant and sonically enhanced experience for creatives of all kinds in the region.  

“We have set a robust plan of renovation and revitalization to bring this building and the services offered to meet the demands for top-notch arts and culture in a central hub,” said Saratoga Arts Executive Director Louise Kerr. 

During the past three years, the organization engaged in talks with the Department of Public Works and the Office of the Mayor that have resulted in “friendly, and sometimes … spirited discussions,” Kerr said, with a laugh, adding that both city offices have been “incredible partners.”

In 1996, Saratoga Arts signed its first lease with the city for 320 Broadway. Located at the edge of Congress Park, the building had served as the former home of the Saratoga Springs Public Library. By 2000, the organization raised more than a half-million dollars through a capital campaign and invested in the building. 

“Dee Sarno transformed the old library into an interdisciplinary arts center,” Kerr said. The funding allowed the specialization of spaces conducive to creating and presenting art across all genres. 

Last year, the organization embarked on a fundraising campaign to stabilize and upgrade the entire building with an eye to energy conservation and efficiency. It would replace old redundant ineffective systems, install energy-efficient windows, and address numerous drainage and roofing issues as well as upgrade power and internal wiring systems.

“In November, when we announced that we needed to raise $2 million, Stewart’s Shops and the Dake Family Foundation immediately stepped up,” Kerr said. Earlier this month, Saratoga Arts announced it was awarded a grant totaling $766,000 from the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) to help support the Saratoga Community Arts Center Revitalization.

“We’re thrilled to have received this grant from the New York Council on the Arts. It helps us get close to closing that gap in funding needed for the major structural, technological and desperately overdue rejuvenation of the community arts center,” Kerr said.  “We do have a little bit of a gap still, but incredibly it’s much smaller than I anticipated it to be at this juncture. We’re looking to raise an additional $266,000. But that means that this Phase One of this project will be fully funded.”

Plans call for the reconfigure of classroom spaces at the arts center to provide indoor/outdoor access, specializing some spaces and creating flexibility in others to better serve artists of all genres and skill levels; renovating the gallery spaces to be energy efficient; upgrading the 100+ capacity black box theater to enable a flexible space for performing artists of all levels, film, music, exhibitions, artist talks and lectures.

The action plan for moving into the future includes the potential addition of an exterior patio space adjacent to Congress Park to be used for performances and classes, and the modification of interior classrooms to include a digital creative lab, print shop, rehearsal studio and a recording studio – open to all and providing musicians access to the space on a secure, 24/7 basis.      

Currently, Saratoga Arts welcomes more than 30,000 visitors and appreciators of art annually. It hires local artists and teachers who engage over 500 students in all levels of arts education, and hosts over 70 exhibitions and special events allowing more than 700 artists to showcase and sell their work. As a regrant site, it also distributes over $140,000 dollars in direct funding from the New York Council on the Arts to Fulton, Montgomery, and Saratoga Counties.

In all, Saratoga Arts has brought the arts to over 1 million people through its programs and provided performing and visual artists opportunities to earn more than $3 million in art sales and performance fees.

“A round of applause to Saratoga Arts, your transformative project will ensure that our vibrant arts and cultural anchors continue to grow and thrive.” NYSCA Chair Katherine Nicholls said, in a statement.  “These capital project grants are an investment from the people of New York to the people of New York and will have positive impact on our communities for many years to come. I congratulate Saratoga Arts and look forward to seeing all that will flourish from this project.”

For more information about Saratoga Arts, visit saratoga-arts.org

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Waldorf School of Saratoga Springs presents a community contra dance at Gavin Park, 10 Lewis Road, Saratoga Springs, from 4-6 p.m. on May 20.

The event features an afternoon dancing and community. Music and dance calling provided by Peter (Davis), Paul (Rosenberg) and George (Wilson) playing fiddle, banjo, clarinet, guitar and more, for dances from the U.S. and many cultures the world around.

Advanced Tickets – $20; Child Tickets (age 3-18) – $5; Tickets at the Door – $25; Children 2 and under are free. 

Ticket Link: secure.givelively.org/event/waldorf-school-of-saratoga-springs/waldorf-school-of-saratoga-springs-contra-dance. 

The Waldorf School of Saratoga Springs, a preK – grade 8 institution, is committed to fostering the joys of movement, discovery, unlimited imagination, self-confidence and creativity in the Early Childhood years… in every season and all kinds of weather. Visit www.waldorfsaratoga.org to learn more.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Freihofer’s and Saratoga Performing Arts Center have teamed up for a sweepstakes for the 46th Annual Freihofer’s Saratoga Jazz Festival. The lucky grand prize winner will receive a VIP Experience for two, and a one-year supply of bread from Freihofer’s.

The 46th Annual Freihofer’s Saratoga Jazz Festival will be held on Saturday, June 24 and Sunday, June 25 at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center, featuring 21 musical groups. 

The line-up is headlined by Bonnie Raitt, Pat Metheny, Angelique Kidjo, Tower of Power, and Chucho Valdes. Additional artists include: Snarky Puppy, Cory Wong, St. Paul & The Broken Bones, Hiromi, Cindy Blackman Santana, Samara Joy, Kurt Rosenwinkel, and Emmet Cohen. 

From jazz to roots, funk, blues and beyond, the festival will bring its signature blend of top-notch artists and ensembles, solidifying its place as an international destination and a ‘must-stop’ on the 2023 festival trail.

The grand prize winner of the Freihofer’s Saratoga Jazz Festival sweepstakes will enjoy the ultimate jazz experience with a VIP package for two that includes two amphitheater tickets for each day of the festival, 2-day access to The Pines Terrace, and a gift pack for two, including festival T-shirts, posters and hats.

 Sweepstakes participants can enter at www.SPAC.org/VIPsweepstakes until 5 p.m. on June 9. The sweepstakes is free to enter and open to legal residents of MA/NY/NJ/CT, who are 21 years of age or older at the time of entry. A purchase will not improve your chances of winning.

 The grand prize winner will be randomly selected from all eligible entries on or about June 12.. Five runner-up winners will be selected in another random drawing, on or about June 14 and each will receive a pair of 2-day lawn passes to Freihofer’s Saratoga Jazz Festival.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Family Saturday programming at the Frances Young Tang Teaching Museum and Art Gallery at Skidmore College continues May 13 at 2 p.m. with Family Saturday: Decorating Frames.

After viewing photographs in the Tang collection by artist Malick Sidibé, with painted glass frames by Checkna Touré, participants will take Polaroid pictures and create their own decorative frames. See Sidibé’s work in the Tang collection online. 

Family Saturdays, which are suitable for children 5 and older accompanied by an adult, aim to foster multigenerational creative cooperation through looking at artwork, discussing it, and engaging in a hands-on art-making activity. The programs run from 2 to 3:30 pm and are free and open to the public. No registration required; supplies provided on a first-come, first-served basis.

The May 13 Family Saturday is the last of the spring season. Future Family Saturdays will be June, July, and August. For more information, visit the Tang website at https://tang.skidmore.edu or contact the Tang Visitors Services Desk at 518-580-8080.

Albany — WMHT Public Media, a multichannel public communications organization serving Eastern New York and Western New England, announced the launch of its latest multiplatform project, “Reframing an Empire,” which explores the history of New York state and the nation during the lifespan of noted landscape painter Thomas Cole.

Founder of the nation’s first major art movement, now known as the Hudson River School of landscape painting, and subject of the Thomas Cole National Historic Site in Catskill, Cole’s life and work coincide with a pivotal period in American history. 

Before Cole’s eyes and on his canvas, the newly formed nation would find a vision of its identity born and its future questioned. American history fixates on 1776 and 1865, but in the period between lies a rich and under-explored territory. Reframing an Empire acknowledges Cole’s paintings as a timeless treasure of the Catskills, and explores the people and context that extends beyond his canvas.  

The 10-part digital and on-air series examines the history and significance of New York state between the Revolutionary War and Civil War – a time that saw the abolition of slavery, the active possession of indigenous lands, major events around women’s suffrage, and the construction of engineering feats such as the Erie Canal. 

Two episodes of Reframing an Empire are now available online. The first looks at the creation of the American identity, specifically New York: The Empire State; the second delves into Cole’s life, exploring the influences behind his work and the lasting impact of his legacy. Additional episodes will premiere through the spring and summer, both on-air and online.

To watch episodes, and for more information on Reframing an Empire, use the hashtag #ReframinganEmpire and visit wmht.org/reframinganempire.