A GOOD YEAR
SARATOGA SPRINGS >> Saratoga Performing Arts Center’s Board of Directors announced a successful 2018 season at its Thursday meeting, along with resident company performance dates for 2019.
Along with breaking even financially and exceeding projected attendance levels, the venue’s 2018 season was marked by new collaborations with the local business community, an expanded strategy focused on promoting cultural tourism in concert with the city of Saratoga Springs, and continued emphasis on presenting immersive experiences during and beyond the traditional classical season — all efforts that will continue next year.
“This past season we furthered many of our goals to increase accessibility to the arts and to build a bridge between the community, other cultural partners, and our campus,” said Elizabeth Sobol, SPAC’s president and CEO, in a press release. “Looking ahead to 2019, we will continue to present world-class performances and experiences, forging even deeper ties with business and cultural partners, increasing community engagement, expanding outreach through our education programs, as well as making major developments in the improvement of our infrastructure.”
At the October board meeting, held afternoon Thursday at the Hall of Springs, Sobol said, “Collaboration has been a key word.”
She cited the center’s partnership with the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce and the downtown business community to present the first-ever Freihofer’s Jazz Fest Friday, which celebrated Saratoga as a world-class jazz city and promoted the region’s vibrant downtown. In other collaborations, SPAC and the Saratoga Automobile Museum
partnered with the City of Saratoga Springs, the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce, and the Saratoga Convention & Tourism Bureau to present the “Bugatti Parade,” as part of the Saratoga Wine and Food Festival.
“We wanted to ensure that the community at-large — and not just ticket holders — had the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to witness the majesty of 80 Bugattis as they processed from the Spa State Park to Broadway. The parade brought thousands of viewers to downtown Saratoga Springs and created a palpable energy throughout the city,” Sobol added in the release.
Additional partnerships with the city of Saratoga Springs and NYRA also promoted Saratoga Springs as “a world-class cultural destination,” Sobol said on Thursday, through a national public relations campaign crafted to spur economic development.
“The past several months have been focused on building new partnerships with the local business communities, while also continuing to nurture our cultural collaborations,” Sobol said in the release. “Our new Freihofer’s Jazz Fest Friday initiative with the Saratoga County Chamber and our recent ‘Bugatti Parade’ are just a few examples of our expanded vision to connect with local businesses in an effort to bring more cultural tourists to the region.”
Thanks to this initiative and others made to attract new audiences, a 31 percent increase in first-time ticket buyers was realized, officials said.
Additionally, SPAC launched a new partnership with public radio stations WMHT in upstate New York and WRTI in Philadelphia to record and broadcast four Philadelphia Orchestra concerts in Saratoga. The new series marked the first time in the Orchestra’s storied 52-year residency that Saratoga performances have aired on WRTI in Philadelphia, reaching a listenership of 25,000 per concert through the WRTI broadcast and the HD radio broadcast.
SPAC once again grew its free education programs this year as well, reaching more than 38,000 young individuals and hosting the first-ever Festival of Young Artists, which is expected to become and annual event.
Other new festivals like the Out of this World Festival and Shakespeare in the Pines made their debuts this year too.
Looking ahead, SPAC will receive some facility upgrades before it opens to the public again next year. The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation’s $1.75 million initiative to rehabilitate and upgrade SPAC’s amphitheater ramps, lighting and other infrastructure – originally announced at SPAC’s Annual Meeting in May – is slated to be completed in advance of the 2019 season.
As part of the renovation, the ramps will be resurfaced and will include new panels and railings, which will meet current ADA standards. Additionally, the lighting will be more energy efficient, while preserving the character of SPAC’s signature globe light fixtures.
“Thanks to our Parks partners, guests at our concerts and events in 2019 will have the opportunity to enjoy SPAC’s upgraded facilities,” Sobol said in the release.
“We want to bring this place back to its glory,” Sobol said of the 52-year-old venue, mentioning a second future phase of the project.
Already announced for the upcoming season is the New York City Ballet residency with seven performances from July 16 to 20 and The Philadelphia Orchestra for 12 performances from July 31 to Aug. 17. The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center will return to the Spa Little Theatre from Aug.4 to 20 as well. SPAC on Stage, Live at the Jazz Bar and Caffè Lena @ SPAC will also be back by popular demand.
Before then, the 2018 season will continue into the fall and winter months with Freihofer’s Live at the Jazz Bar in November. The Orchestra of St. Luke’s will return to perform Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos in the historic Bethesda Episcopal Church in December. Popular fundraising events presented by the Action Council include the Annual Lecture Luncheon featuring celebrated author Will Schwalbe on Oct. 18 and the Nutcracker Tea on Nov.18.
More information about SPAC and upcoming events can be found online at SPAC.org.