Arts Center of the Capital Region to debut the Art’s Bar
The new concept will be open Sunday during the Victorian Stroll
TROY, N.Y. >> The Arts Center of the Capital Region is embarking on a new and innovative programming initiative with the debut of the Art’s Bar, as the organization explores new ways of connecting while increasing its bottom line.
The center recently announced the launch of Art’s Bar, a monthly pop-up bar designed to build new audiences and new revenue for the Arts Center of the Capital Region.
Art’s Bar will operate the first Thursday of every month, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. in addition to special events. It’s next monthly event is on Dec. 6, but visitors will be able to experience the new concept in the center’s Main Gallery during the popular Victorian Stroll event in downtown Troy on Sunday.
“We were looking for ways to increase our revenue without increasing tuition or fees, while at the same time, meeting new audiences and sharing the arts in a playful environment,” said ACCR CEO Elizabeth Reiss, in a press release.
The project was developed under the direction of Corey Aldrich of 2440 Design Studio.
“I loved the unique challenges that Elizabeth asked me to help overcome. Many hours went into planning and designing what we feel is an aesthetically beautiful bar and one of the more leading edge programs in the region,” Aldrich said in the release. “I applaud ACCR for a willingness to look at new and innovative programming to overcome funding challenges. I feel strongly approaches like these will be seen more in arts institutions as they endeavor to become more selfsufficient from an economic perspective.”
The bar itself has been constructed with donated, found and new materials, in the Arts Center’s studio facilities. Starting with architectural relics sourced
from Silver Fox Salvage in Albany and a black walnut donation from a defunct mill in Glens Falls, designer Aldrich and master woodworker and arts center instructor Bob Kehn created a design that addressed the unique challenges of working in an active gallery environment.
The beverage program was designed by industry consultant and longtime regional bartender Scott Colehamer, whose focus moves beyond the technical to create an environment that is special and unique.
“A well-crafted cocktail is like an evening well spent or a piece of art well composed,” Colehamer said in the release. “Bring all three together and there will be magic.”
For the branding of the project, ID29’s Doug Bartown was set with the
task of coming up with a uniquely creative identity that could also take on a variety of personalities while holding a strongly recognizable identity. “Working with Corey and the Arts Center on this project has been a blast,” Bartown added. “We identified early in the process the need to humanize this identity, and the idea of “Drinking with Art” was born. Creating a set of characters to portray ‘Art’ allowed us a dynamic identity system which we could change for new seasons and exhibitions as well.”
In addition to enjoying cocktails and mocktails, Art’s Bar guests can work on five minute art projects too. Artists wheel out an art cart and encourages everyone to find their creative spirits, through projects such as matchbook collage, wire sculptures and dance lessons. It is envisioned that a variety of projects will rotate on an informal basis to
continually provide opportunity for new artistic discovery and creation.
Officials said the Art’s Bar is the Center’s next step in becoming more social and providing opportunities to make art is more more whimsical ways.
Two years ago it established “Crafty Hour” a series of programs that that combine making projects in pottery, jewelry, cooking, woodworking and more, paired with thematic beverages. Art’s Bar and Crafty Hour supplement the Arts Center’s regular program offerings of more 500 classes, serving 40,000 people of all ages each year from the eleven counties surrounding Troy.
More information about Art’s Bar and The Arts Center of the Capital Region, which is located at 265 River St. in downtown Troy, is available online at www.artscenteronline.org.