Saratoga Arts Brings Statewide CHARM Mural Initiative Home to Saratoga Springs

A new large-scale mural is coming to Saratoga Springs’ Beekman Street Arts District this September. The 16-by-19-foot mural will be created by Saratoga Springs-area artist Juliana Haliti, known professionally as Monarch, on the Living Resources building at 70 Beekman Street. Installation will begin September 16 and is expected to be completed by September 27.

The project is part of Cultivating Havens for the Arts through Regional Murals (CHARM), a statewide creative placemaking initiative of Governor Kathy Hochul administered by the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA). 

After Saratoga Arts’ participation in the inaugural round of CHARM, the organization has received $100,000 to facilitate seven new mural projects in 2026 — one in each of the six Mohawk Valley counties in its service area, plus an additional project in Saratoga County.

“This really feels like a milestone for the arts in our city. It’s so fulfilling to see all these different institutions come together to support the efforts of a local artist to make such a prominent change to the aesthetic of our community,” said Spencer Sherry, Saratoga Arts Project Manager. “I hope this installation inspires more cross-pollination within our cultural leadership and reaffirms the importance of creativity in our public spaces.”

Haliti is a local artist and is also part of the team at Spa Fine Art Gallery on Broadway, creating another connection between the project and Saratoga Springs’ established visual arts community.

Unlike a traditional public-art commission built around a prescribed theme, Saratoga Arts’ approach to CHARM places creative control with the artists themselves. Artists are selected because of their connection to the communities in which the murals are created and are encouraged to make work that best represents their individual artistic voice.

“Having grown up near Saratoga, and now living close to and working on Broadway, I am so honored to be able to create this mural here. Especially in the iconic Beekman Street Arts district, which has and continues to cultivate a beautiful community for local artists,” said Haliti. “My practice focuses on the relationships between people, history of the land, and ecology, so to be able to create a piece that allows me to honor my own relationship with these things is incredible.”

A free public mural workshop led by Haliti is scheduled for September 20 at 70 Beekman Street. Community members and artists will have an opportunity to learn about the mural-making process and contribute directly to the work. Registration will open to the public on August 30 on Saratoga Arts’ website.