Saratoga Springs

BELINDA COLON’S IMMERSIVE WORLD OF ART AND COMMUNITY

August 26, 2025 By Corey Aldrich

I met Belinda Colón several years ago through founding Executive Director of ACE!, Maureen Sager. Belinda was working with her at Spring Street Gallery in Saratoga Springs where she has now taken over the reins. Since then, we have crossed paths in many places including in Troy at the Arts Center of the Capital Region where where we both individually do freelance project work and The Hyde Collection in Glens Falls where she is a Trustee. She has to many irons in the fire in our region not to give her the talking stick for a spell and so…here we go!

Belinda Colón : Gallery Director and Freelance Curator of Exhibitions and Public Art | Image: Provided

Please state your name, title(s), and organization(s).

My name is Belinda Colón and currently I wear several hats. These vary between regular gigs and more project based freelance work. Currently I am involved as a Freelance Curator of Exhibitions and Public Art, Director and Curator at Spring Street Gallery. Owner and Founder at The Art Sheet, a Trustee at The Hyde Collection, a Member of the Saratoga Arts Commission and soon to be Owner at a Private Gallery in Troy.

Awakening Spring Exhibit at the Spring Street Gallery in Saratoga Springs New York | Image: Provided

Can you also tell us a bit about your history, including education, other jobs of note, and other special accolades?

I started my education at CUNY Hunter College with a focus on Theology and History. Being exposed in NYC to all its cultural resources and accessibility, my historical and religious research opened my eyes to the History of Art and its connection to the humanities. I continued my path to the arts at CUNY Queens College with a major in Art History. After moving North to Saratoga Springs, I landed a job at Palio Communications, a medical advertising firm, as administrative support, then as a project manager. Working with multiple types of artists at the firm, I was saddened to see so much amazing art being torn apart by clients. Becoming more aware of the exceptional talent at the firm, I decided that I needed to support artists like those at the firm who needed to be seen for how talented they are, outside of their day jobs, leading me to go back to school and finalize my Associate’s Degree in Liberal Arts with a focus on Gallery Management at Hudson Vallery Community College. I then enrolled in Empire State University and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts with a focus in Art History.

During my time in academia, I was given an opportunity at Spring Street Gallery to organize and install an art exhibition raising funds for the East Side Recreational Skatepark in Saratoga Springs, NY. The funds raised were to resurface the skatepark. After a very successful event, I was given the opportunity to be the Exhibitions Manager at Spring Street. After 13 years, I am still working at Spring Street Gallery, NO longer the Exhibitions Coordinator, now the Director and Curator.

Artist Royal Brown and Curator Belinda Colón : The Evidence of Things Unseen Exhibit
at the Spring Street Gallery in Saratoga | Image: Provided

Can you tell us a bit more about the Spring Street Gallery…your mission there and what you are doing to integrate into the community?

Spring Street Gallery was founded 31 years ago in 1994. Today, Spring Street Gallery is an award-winning not-for-profit art and performance space.

The Gallery’s mission is dedicated to providing exhibition and performance opportunities for local and regional artists. It fosters the arts as a vital resource for social engagement and educational connectivity.

Currently, the gallery has partnered with Collar Works in Troy to facilitate a program developed by The Arts Sheet called Immersion. Immersion is a professional visual artist development program. It’s designed to provide emerging and mid-career visual artists with professional opportunities for open dialogue and critical conversations with peers, regional curators, and gallery owners.

The combination of critiques, gallery/residency visits, and professional development enhances learning. Critiques focus on individual improvement, while group experiences and professional development provide exposure, contextual understanding, and valuable tools. Together, they create a comprehensive framework for artistic growth.

Catching Air at the ON DECK Skate Park in Saratoga Springs New York | Image: Provided

Another Saratoga based project I know you have been involved with was the Saratoga Skate Park. Care to share a bit about that one?

ON Deck Saratoga was a project of the Saratoga Institute, a vehicle for promoting skateboarding, skatepark stewardship, and creativity through community-based events. My husband and I started this project with the intention of bringing more attention to and understanding of the culture of skateboarding, a non-conforming recreational sport. We’ve organized a multitude of programs, including yearly skate jams, free films in High Rock Park, exhibitions and fundraisers in Saratoga Springs and Lake George, NY, skateboarding lessons and camps, and more.

Historical Backround info:

Built in 1989, the East Side Recreation (Rec) skatepark is the oldest municipal skatepark in New York State. In conjunction with Jah Skate Shop, which was located at 8 Caroline Street from 1988 until 1993, the skatepark used to host many team demos, spawned a few professional skaters, and in the mid-90’s was an official stop for Vans Warped Tour skate contest qualifications. The skatepark is a highly respected piece of East Coast skate history, and its popularity has grown along with the popularity of skateboarding and other wheeled sports.

As its use grew, the skate park was due for a contemporary upgrade, and now a modern, poured-in-place concrete park has replaced the metal ramps that have been there for 20 years. The City of Saratoga Springs & Saratoga Springs DPW has proudly partnered with Pillar Skateparks to design the new park, in conjunction with feedback from the local skate community.

Construction needs for the park were in the range of $400,000, and donations were accepted through ON DECK Saratoga.

2021 FENCE Membership Show at the Arts Center of the Capital Region in Troy New York
Image: Provided

I recently realized you are the brains behind the The Art Sheet event listing. Can you talk a bit about the history of this? What are the geographic boundaries? I have seen some pretty far flung listings!

The Art Sheet has been a passion of mine for over 7 years. After being very frustrated that there was a lack of press regarding art and cultural events in the Capital Region and Upper Hudson Valley. There was never any place to go to find out what was going on on any given day. It was frustrating, so I decided to create a website to promote local and regional arts events. It has been a labor of love. The Art Sheet is a free resource for arts administrators, organizations, and artists. The website provides a calendar of events, a space for artist grants and resources, calls for art and residencies, artist professional development programs, and job opportunities (Provided by ACE!). The Art Sheet is also available on Instagram at @theartsheet.

In Ply Exhibit and Interactive Skate Environment at the Arts Center of the Capital Region, Jane Altes Gallery
Image: Provided

For a while you were working at the Arts Center of the Capital Region, and I see you are still involved in some public-facing projects. Can you give us an update about your Troy-based activities?

Currently, I am a Freelance Contractor for the Arts Center of the Capital Region as their Public Art Curator. Some of the public art projects that I have curated or project managed include: Franklin Alley sculptural murals by Joe Iurato, Troy Art Block, Troy Electrical Boxes, Troy Glow, Uniting Line, and From Troy to Troy. There is an upcoming large-scale mural being implemented this fall. Look out for more information provided by the Capital Region Arts Center.

Joe Iurato and Belinda Colón Hang Out in Franklin Alley, Troy New York | Image: Provided

As a person working across municipalities, I am curious to know what your thoughts are about the current state of the arts in our region. What should we be focused on?

The arts in our region seem to be segmented. I would love to see more collaboration between organizations, administrations, and artists. Networking events focused on sharing opportunities and events would be fantastic. Funding is always a challenge as well, since there are a lot of arts and cultural institutions, but not a large enough regional funding pool. This can make artists’ grant opportunities slim.

Troy Art Block Team : Church Street Alley in Troy New York | Image: Steve Alverez

Troy Art Block Opening Event : Church Street Alley in Troy New York | Image: Belinda Colon

Shamless Plug: Anything coming up you would like to share that we should have on our radar? There is a whisper of a private gallery opening in Troy in the future. Keep your eye out for Willow Gallery.

WEB: Spring Street Gallery | IG: @springstreetgallerysaratoga
LINKED IN: Belinda Colón

The Pedigreed Couple Bringing World Class Performance and Education to Saratoga Springs, New York

July 8, 2025 By Corey Aldrich

My good friends over at Saratoga Arts were kind enough to provide tickets to the Sunday (06.15) performance of the Mostly Modern Festival at the Arthur Zankel Music Center on the Skidmore Campus, so I decided to drop by and check it out. In the past I have worked on projects with the Albany Symphony, Musicians of Malwyck and the Friends of Chamber Music to name a few so I have had a reasonable exposure to quality classical performance work. That said, I was not prepared for the resplendent beauty that I was privy to that day! The highlight being the world premier of Journey of a Dragonfly by Composer and MMF Co-Director Robert Paterson. It was a tour de force that felt like I had witnessed a new and unfamiliar format that left me hungry for more. (That and a great after party at the Surrey Williamson Inn!) I caught up with Victoria and Robert to better understand their organization and to ask how they are able to make this ambitious level of annual programming possible, with its attendant challenges, not only in Saratoga but with a sister festival in the Netherlands as well.

Robert and Victoria Paterson : Founders and Co-Directors at Mostly Modern Festival | Image: Lisa Marie Mazzucco — Robert and Victoria Paterson : Founders and Co-Directors at Mostly Modern Festival
Image: Lisa Marie Mazzucco

Please state your individual name(s), titles and give me a little bit about your background.

Victoria Paterson, General Director, Violinist and Co-Founder of Mostly Modern Projects. I am a violinist who is equally comfortable with classical, pop, and the healing arts. I have performed everywhere from Carnegie Hall, Birdland, and Madison Square Garden to Late Night with Seth Meyers and The Today Show. I am the General Director of Mostly Modern Projects where I hire musicians year-round, delivering vital programs to the community via senior centers, hospitals, and Alzheimer’s patients, as well as ‘rush hour’ & ‘lunchtime’ programs in public spaces and parks all over New York State. I lead the ever-popular FAB5 with a great line-up of live shows. My career spans a 20-years on Broadway, including full-time 1st violin positions for Lincoln Center’s My Fair Lady, The Palace Theater’s Sunset Boulevard and West Side Story, Lunt-Fontanne’s The Addams Family, and Off-Broadway : Heathers and The Thing about Men. I love collaborating with my husband and award-winning American composer, Robert Paterson. We celebrate his music with life-long projects, including the Mostly Modern Festival in Saratoga Springs, New York as well as the European edition, Mostly Modern The Netherlands.

Robert Paterson, Artistic Director, Composer and Co-Founder of Mostly Modern Projects. As an American composer, I strive to embody the diversity and breadth of New York State. Born in Buffalo, NY, I spent over a decade in Rochester and Ithaca, more than twenty years in New York City, and now live in Saratoga Springs, near the Adirondacks. My goal is to create colorful music that embraces everything from the environment to goddesses, online dating to mathematics. I had the privilege of being named Composer of The Year by the Classical Recording Foundation at Carnegie Hall. I was the winner of the Alfred I. DuPont Award, and my opera Three Way won the Grammy® under Best Classical Producer of the Year. I am honored to often get recognized as Best of the Year pick on National Public Radio where my orchestral tone poems, Dark Mountains and Triple Concerto, regularly air on NPR’s Performance Today. Three Way premiered with the Nashville Opera, Brooklyn Academy of Music, and across the United States. The Oratorio Society of New York, Minnesota Orchestra, Louisville Orchestra, Buffalo Philharmonic, Albany Pro Musica, Albany Symphony Dogs of Desire, Musica Sacra, Austin Symphony, Vermont Symphony, and ensembles worldwide also perform my music. I am a lifelong vegan and an advocate for animals and the environment, celebrating the natural world with seminal works such as Triple Concerto, A New Eaarth, Listen, and I Go Among Trees.

Mostly Modern Ensemble | Image: Lindsey Fish

Can you share the history of the project? What was the genesis of the Mostly Modern Music Festival? How about the mission? Is this an annual event based at the Zankel only?

ROBERT: From the outset, our goal has been to continually reassess the world of classical music, to reinvent it as a vibrant art form for the 21st century and beyond. Mostly Modern Projects (MMP) is dedicated to shining a spotlight on music by (mostly) living composers. We founded MMP in 2005, initially as a new music ensemble in New York City, with the critically acclaimed American Modern Ensemble (AME). AME’s mission is to “turn classical music programming on its head,” programming mostly and usually entirely by living composers. To this day, AME showcases and celebrates living composers, featuring world premieres in engaging and fun-filled concerts. Around the same time, we launched Lumiere Records, a classical label featuring string quartet music with broad market appeal, and then American Modern Recordings, a house boutique label focusing on music by living composers.

Mostly Modern Festival | Image: Provided

In 2018, Mostly Modern Festival (MMF) was founded in Saratoga Springs, New York. Each June, it takes place on the campus of Skidmore College at the Arthur Zankel Music Center. Quickly becoming the “Aspen of the East“, MMF hosts the MMF Institute, an educational experience for 200 instrumentalists, singers, composers, and conductors. Each year, people from all over the world descend on Saratoga Springs for the unique MMF experience. MMF’s international reputation began in 2021 when MMF The Netherlands was launched. MMF NL is held every April in historic Holland in Middelburg, Zeeland.

Mostly Modern Festival 2023 in the Netherlands | Image: Provided

Putting on a multiday, symphonic classical festival is a challenging endeavor on many fronts. How are you paying the bills? Is this mostly grant funded?

VICTORIA: The Mostly Modern Festival was founded in 2018 in Saratoga Springs, NY and takes place at the Arthur Zankel Music Center. It is an expensive endeavor indeed- I had an audience member say at the last MM Orchestra concert that she saw about $1,000,000 on that stage: 80 world class musicians, their instruments, especially the Steinways, the harp, all those precious violins and stringed instruments which can run about $10,000- $100,000 +, all the winds and the brass, all the percussion instruments. We pay top conductor fees and principal fees in our field to lead the orchestra with side-by-side learning with students who are all in their 20’s on average. It is a magnificent site and sound to behold, and yes, it is expensive. The hall and facilities at Skidmore College are world-class and top-of-the line in acoustics, sound and overall aesthetics and beauty. The price tag to rent the Arthur Zankel Music Center for 3 weeks is expensive. As of 2025, Mostly Modern is not affiliated with Skidmore. Mostly Modern is not presented by Skidmore College: it is a straight rental agreement, just as the New York City Ballet and Philadelphia Orchestra rent their facilities for the summer for housing, meals etc.

We pay the bills with tuition income, generous patrons, our board, local and national partners, as well as private foundations and public grants. Historically we receive funding from the NEA and NYSCA. Mostly Modern did not get those two grants in the 2025 current cycle. This was a loss of about $75,000. 2025 also brought on students who had far less money to cover tuition, so Mostly Modern awarded more tuition-free scholarships than ever before. Our goal is to have an endowed student education fund to ensure tuition-free scholarships for our 110 students (based on need, as well as merit) which will also help ensure 40 faculty salaries every summer. Student education fund goal: $2,000,000 by 2027.

Good news in 2025: local support really stepped in and shout out to local partners: Adirondack Trust Company, Stewart’s-Dake Foundation and Phinney Design Group.

Good news in 2025: We have a new collaboration with Yaddo. Mostly Modern performs and celebrates one Yaddo composer every summer, culminating with a performance at the Arthur Zankel Music Center. Big thanks to President of Yaddo, Elaina Richardson!

Mostly Modern Festival 2025 Audience | Image: Provided

I was excited to be there for the debut of your piece JOURNEY OF A DRAGONFLY and was really excited about the format and the story-based narrative style. Can you tell us more about this piece…the process, how long where you working on this one? What was your motivation? What was it like to hear that performed in front of an audience for the first time?

ROBERT: I first started conceiving, outlining, and composing Journey of a Dragonfly twenty years ago, while I was in-residence at Aaron Copland‘s house. (Each season, the Copland House offers residencies at his house for a few select composers from around the world.) Knowing that I didn’t have a premiere lined up, or even the right orchestra conductor, I put that piece aside, and worked on a handful of commissions I had at the time. The conductor I wanted for the premiere of this piece was JoAnn Falletta. Since I love her conducting, and aspects of the piece are inspired by an area near Niagara Falls near Buffalo, I felt like I really needed to wait until I had a chance to work with her in order to finish the piece. Fast-forward twenty years later, we now have JoAnn as a guest conductor at Mostly Modern Festival, and I felt the time was right to complete this work. This piece is dedicated to JoAnn and MMF’s fifth season, and to the Mostly Modern Orchestra in-residence at MMF.

The format of the work is highly-programmatic, meaning, it has a story and a narrative ‘program‘ woven throughout the work, about a dragonfly that explores the world above, finds a portal to hell, sneaks into the Devil family’s house, is captured by the Devil child, and finally escapes back to the world above. The story is so descriptive that we decided to show each scene as super-titles above the stage so the audience could follow along. Although the piece is meant as a concert piece, it is also designed to be animated, so kind of the reverse process to how it’s usually done in the world of film. Usually, a film comes first, and the music is added at the end. With this piece, the music already exists, so the animation can be designed around the music. It took me one month to complete the first ten minutes at the Copland House, and another two to three months to complete the remaining twenty-five minutes.

Hearing this work for the first time was certainly cathartic! I feel like I’ve literally waited twenty years to hear it realized for the first time. It was definitely a little scary: with a piece that large, you want to make sure the audience is captivated the entire time, and fortunately, I received a lot of wonderful comments after the premiere, so I think I succeeded!

Mostly Modern Orchestra with Andrew Crust | Image: Provided

I noticed that your web address is MOSTLYMODERNPROJECTS…what else do you have going on we should know about?

VICTORIA: Mostly Modern Projects is a 501c3 non-profit music organization that runs and brings music to everyone year round. This summer brings more community and parks concerts than ever: here is our lineup

Special shout out…3 Yaddo events entitled Wine & Roses featuring Mostly Modern’s FAB5, July 17, July 31 and August 14.

Left to Right: *Victoria, Corey, Danielle and Amara yuck it up at the 2025 Mostly Modern Festival*
*after party at the Surrey Williamson Inn in Saratoga Springs. |* Image: Provided

Extra Credit: Anything else you would like to share or plug while you have the talking stick?

VICTORIA: Seeking new board members for Mostly Modern Projects who live in Saratoga Springs and/or the upstate New York region – the lift is light and the benefits are robust!

Mostly Modern delivers vital and incredible music through concerts, festivals, outreach and community engagement all year round. Help us continue to provide this valuable platform for an ecosystem of classical performance artists, students and those who love the craft!

WEB: mostlymodernfestival.org | IG: @mostlymodernfestival | FB: @facebook

Meg Mosca : Fashion Forward Design and Alterations in Saratoga Springs, New York

March 20, 2025 By Corey Aldrich

I recently reached out to Meg Mosca about helping out with a project ACE! is participating in this month with the NYS Art Teachers Association. I had worked with her back in 2017 where she participated in a fashion event that I did at the NYS Museum for Electric City Couture called IDENTITY. I was pleasantly surprised to find that she has grown and is now a fashion related entrepreneur working out of Saratoga Springs. Indie / custom fashion is a tough go. This is such a feel good and practical creative economy story, I just had to share. Additionally, who doesn’t need a good seamstress from time to time?!

Meg and Kevin Mosca : Owners at Mosca Alterations in Saratoga Springs, New York | Photo: Alexandra Eigo

Please state your name and title. Can you tell us a little about your educational / experiential background also?

My name is Megan Mosca, and I’m a fashion designer and small business owner. I completed my studies at Hudson Valley Community College before going on to study at the Fashion Institute of Technology. My education and experiences have shaped my approach to both the creative and practical sides of the fashion industry, allowing me to blend my passion for design with the skills necessary to run a business.

Starting at an existing business, WillFitUin in 2017, I eventually bought the business in August 2021.

2017 Electric City Couture IDENTITY Promo Shoot | Designer: Meg Kluball Mosca
Photo: (L) Doug Mitchell (R) Sarah Pezdek

What drew you to fashion and clothes making?

From a young age, I realized that clothing is like a second skin—it’s something I can choose for myself. It’s amazing how clothes can shift depending on your mood, how you want to present yourself to the world, or even how many times you want to change in a day. This realization sparked my interest in fashion. I quickly became fascinated by the power that clothing holds and how it can shape not just our appearance but how we feel and are perceived.

Mosca Alterations in Saratoga Springs, New York : Detail Work in Progress | Photo: Provided

Tell us more about your shop? Can you explain the types of work you do on a regular basis?

My husband and I own Mosca Alterations in Saratoga Springs, NY, where we specialize in women’s formal wear alterations, with a particular focus on wedding gowns. In addition to alterations, we also offer custom dresses, and we’re expanding into that market more and more. It’s really exciting to work on pieces that have such personal significance, and being a part of making someone’s day even more special is always incredibly rewarding.

Mosca Custom Wedding Dress Design | Photo: Michelle Lang

Are you still experimenting with producing original lines?

Yes, I’m currently working on developing a line of wedding veils called Opaline. I’m also focused on growing our custom gown offerings. One of the most rewarding parts of my work has been creating custom dresses for clients using vintage pieces, particularly wedding gowns from their families. Reworking these gowns—restoring them and giving them new life—has been such a joy, especially when you get to work with something so sentimental and meaningful.

Mosca Bespoke Garment Crafted From Heirloom Piece | Photo: Nicole Perfetuo

Running a business is a lot of work and a very different headspace from the creative. Can you tell us how you balance it? Also, anything you could share on the economics side of things? Any practical recommendations for fellow designers?

Balancing the creative and business sides is definitely a challenge. As a perfectionist, I often find it hard to let go of control, but being a business owner has forced me to rely on the strengths of my team. It’s an ongoing challenge to take my hands off certain tasks, but the growth that comes from collaboration has been invaluable.

In terms of practical advice, I try to keep a clear separation between work and life by setting boundaries. I “punch in” and track my hours to make sure I’m being as productive as possible during work hours. It’s also important to set times when I have to leave the studio. As someone whose brain never seems to turn off, I find it essential to create those boundaries to prevent burnout.

Mosca Opaline Veil | Photo: Amanda Irvine

EXTRA CREDIT: Anything you have coming up you would like to plug or that we should know about?

Yes! We’ve recently launched a collection of veils that are available via Etsy, and we’ll soon be adding them to our website as well. Be sure to check them out! It’s an exciting new venture, and I can’t wait for people to see the pieces we’ve been working on.

WEB: moscaalterations.com | IG: @moscaalterations

Saratoga Sounds Under ‘Acoustic Clouds’ : Re-envisioning the Arthur Zankel Music Center

October 12, 2022 By Corey Aldrich

*The Arthur Zankel Music Center | Photo: Provided*

The Zankel Music Center on the Skidmore College Campus opened in 2010. The 54,000 sq-ft facility features the 600-seat, acoustically brilliant Helen Filene Ladd Concert Hall. In addition, the building also houses a 100-seat lecture and recital hall, rehearsal and practice rooms, and the Skidmore Music Department. It’s not uncommon to walk into Zankel and hear the sublime sounds of piano, violin, or operatic singing floating through the corridors. A campus and community asset, it welcomes roughly 25,000 visitors each year.

*The Helen Filene Ladd Concert Hall at The Zankel Music Center | Photo: Provided*

THE MISSION

The mission at Zankel is two-fold: 1) to strengthen it’s role as a cultural resource for upstate New York by refining and expanding it’s world-class programming, and 2) to diversify and transform Skidmore’s music program in collaboration with faculty. The concert hall features tunable acoustic “clouds” and a look resembling Carnegie Hall’s Zankel Hall (named for Arthur and his wife, Judy). A unique offering among regional venues, hits a sweet spot in capacity, aesthetics, and experience of sound. A regional best kept secret outside of the Saratoga Springs community, one which the facilities newest addition Zhenelle LeBel looks to change.

Zhenelle LeBel joined Skidmore College as the Managing Director of the Arthur Zankel Music Center on August 1 of this year. Previously, she was with an important Troy based performance space, the Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center (EMPAC) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute where she was a senior arts administrator for the curatorial team.

*Zhenelle LaBel : Managing Director at The Arthur Zankel Music Center | Photo: Provided*

PROGRAMMING NOTES

Programming at the Zankel spans a range of musical genres, from Western classical to jazz to music from cultures around the globe. The audience reflects that in its multi-generational and multi-ethnic composition. In coming seasons, Zhenelle states that they will interrogate these genres with questions like: What happens if you center Black experiences and expressions of classical music? Where are the women in jazz? Is the term “world music” problematic, from the perspective of American colonialism? They plan on supporting these dialogues with lectures, screenings, and related convenings with the aim to include a diversity of voices.

*John Batista and Stay Human | Photo: Rudy Lu*

Zankel is bustling with the student body daily, between students enrolled in Music programs and a staff of around 30 student employees who help run events. They also facilitate collaborations across departments, working with faculty and their students to engage campus with programs that complement the events–master classes and workshops, screenings, talks, and exhibits, understanding that these interdisciplinary activities enrich the arts for all.

“These collaborations have a direct impact on student’s awareness of and interest in performances at Zankel, and are what I think contribute most to their attendance. Unlike our public audience, who attends primarily for entertainment, the Skidmore community shows up because in most cases, they’ve gained a new way of relating to the music and are curious. We love to inspire curiosity!” Zhenelle LeBel

A RICH PEDIGREE

The Zankel has had laudable roster of talent perform on stage including: Branford Marsalis, Jon Baptiste, Emanuel Ax, Ani DiFranco, the Indigo Girls, Paul Simon, and Ladysmith Black Mambazo. In addition to presenting student recitals each semester, which is seen as an essential service to provide burgeoning artists the opportunity to perform for an audience, they also welcome performances by professionals who may be emerging in their field.

*Recent performer Taína Asili | Photo: Nathan Bogardus*

As for near future developments and focus, Zhenelle says, “Next year will bring exciting changes to our program, with new artistic residencies and a shift toward more multi-disciplinary performances. I am working on a thematic framework for our 2023/24 season that seeks to respond to some of my earlier questions, curating artists whose music both uplifts and informs. Can’t name names just yet!“

Follow them on social media to keep abreast of the new programming as it develops or reach out to Zhenelle directly.

WEB: www.skidmore.edu/zankel/index.php
IG: | FB: @zankelmusiccenter

5 Questions with Community Arts Leader Louise Kerr

October 12, 2022 By Corey Aldrich

*Louise Kerr : Executive Director at Saratoga Arts | Photo: Provided*

1) Please state your name, what organization you represent and your role in that organization.

My name is Louise Kerr and I am currently the Executive Director at Saratoga Arts in Saratoga Springs, NY.

2) What is the organization’s core mission and who are you primarily serving in the execution of that mission?

Saratoga Arts’ mission is to enrich the region by cultivating a vibrant arts community and by ensuring that the arts are accessible to all.

We serve the capital region and beyond both at 320 Broadway with our 14,000 square foot facility that houses gallery and exhibition spaces, a 110-seat black box theater, painting, drawing, weaving, printmaking studios, and now a music/studio rehearsal voice lab, all geared towards community access and use, collaborations through our many partner organizations like the libraries, visitor center, train stations and more for artists to show and sell their work. We hosted two ‘Art in The Park‘ events this year seeing well over 8,000 visitors and have rolling pop-up markets and events throughout the year. We have educational kids camps that run each quarter with our summer season being the longest at 10 months for kids and teens aged 5 to 18. Each quarter we offer teen and adult classes in life drawing, painting, improv, workshops in printing, weaving, jewelry making, and more – basically if a teaching artist can think it up we can help facilitate a place for them to make that class or workshop come to life.

We are also responsible as the regrant organization for NYSCA for Saratoga, Fulton, and Montgomery counties, to distribute direct grant funding support to individual artists, and community and city organizations. We help fund many annual projects like art and book festivals, musical and theatrical performances, spoken/written word projects, and art exhibitions, just to name a few! In 2022 we dispersed $149,000 in grants and to date, we have given more than $1.3 million dollars directly into the community. Our cycle for 2023 just opened so if you live in any of those three counties, please visit our website and let us help fund your artistic project.

*Saratoga Arts Programming and Opportunities*

3) You mentioned to me about annual themes that are being developed as a structure for arts organizations in Saratoga to collaborate on, can you tell me more about that and what the focus for 2023 will be? Why do you feel this approach is important?

I became the ED in August of 2020 and long before I arrived there were collaborations within the arts and culture organizations. The pandemic just expedited the need for everyone to work together and since then I would say those ties grew stronger and more rapidly.

It just naturally evolved as geographically Saratoga Arts is a central, easily accessible community hub that has sat on the corner of congress park for 25 years. All of our relationships with grantee organizations along with the larger institutions like SPAC, The Tang, Yaddo, Caffe Lena and so many more, have continued to flourish and work together.

Beekman Street Arts District continues to grow and our arts and culture opening weekend “All Together Now” in June was a resounding success. Especially with the additional support and collaboration of the Mayor and city, the Chamber of Commerce, Discover Saratoga, and the Downtown Business Association, all of the many world-class cultural events that happen throughout Saratoga Springs are finally beginning to be noticed and 2023 is shaping up nicely with collaborative themes of ‘The Earth, people and place, migration and change‘… like I said in the beginning, this strong network already existed but I was just lucky in my timing of arriving when I did and being immediately embraced and accepted as everyone worked together to overcome the pandemic. I think that being part of something like Saratoga Arts that not only is a resource for the community but also a creative connector in a chain of organizations all pulling in the same direction, is vital for the richness of where you call home and key in the expansion and success of the arts especially.

*Main Gallery | Mia Westerlund Roosen | Photo: Provided*

4) What does a typical day look like for you?

The art center is currently a work in progress and in a time of exponential growth. I am usually doing 15 things at once and going 100 mph… emails and text messages start dinging around 7 am. On any given day at SA there can be 200+ visitors coming through, artists of all ages making all kinds of creative work, lots of rambunctious 3-5-year-olds running around the gallery and in the park, a set being built in the theater, actors rehearsing, someone learning to playing a piano, some sort of cleaning and organizing happening by amazing volunteers, meetings in person with board members, contractors, partner organizations, supporting members and donors, zooms with government agencies, budgets, grant deadlines, running across town to attend an event, and never ending planning and paperwork. Then there is making time for my small but mighty staff, who also are wearing many hats and all working on multiple projects to keep us moving ever forwards. It’s usually 7 or 8 pm by the time I force myself to stop working.

5) I believe you have some exciting news about new facility-related upgrades that you and your team are working on, can you share a bit about what those will be and the timeline?

The crazy hours and frenzied work schedules are in large part due to the fact the art center is going through a complete transformation. It was a little bit tired and worn from so many years of use and not enough consistent maintenance or repairs when I arrived so we have partnered with the city to do extensive renovations and updates over the next three years. The city will focus on mainly structural and exterior renovations like gutters, drainage, roofing, HVAC upgrades and such and we have pledged to raise $700,000 to help update everything internally to reinvent the galleries and makers’ spaces, install new modern equipment and make this building multi-purpose and bursting with creativity 24-7. To date, we have already invested almost $200,000 into the building and with the support of key donations and sponsors, a new extended long-term lease and city partnership, 2023/24 is looking very exciting.

In the immediate near future we are focused on the completion of a few things including an environmentally safe printmaking studio and a rehearsal/music and voice lab. These are already beginning to be used while we expand equipment and build-outs, thanks in part to generous donations of presses and a rehearsal grant from NYSCA allowing us to extend over 1000 hours of studio time for free through December 2022. These spaces will be community accessible as well as places to teach, learn and do specialty workshops.

Also slated for completion by the end of 2022 is re-establishing Film and screenings on a regular basis in our theater thanks to a generous donation of equipment from the now-dissolved film forum. This is very exciting and much requested by our community not just because it opens the doors for so many collaborations with new partnerships, creative programming with filmmakers, small documentaries and other screenings, animation creation, immersive film/performances, and more, but is something that lends itself well to a community center like ours. It offers an intimate and connected regular community meeting place, not intimidating or generic like a big movie theater space, somewhere to nurture constructive dialog and debate, rooted and filled with creative and interesting work from all genres, accessibility for entry level students at the beginning of a careers through to seasoned professionals. I really am looking forward to seeing more people discovering the versatility of what they can do at our facility, and hopefully, be inspired to participate and create!

WEB: www.saratoga-arts.org
IG | FB: @saratogaarts

This article is presented through a content collaboration with ACE and CapNY.

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