Council grants funding for SPAC
$14,000 to help promote Spa City
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. » The City Council unanimously approved supporting Saratoga Performing Arts Center with an economic development award to promote the city as a worldwide destination for arts and culture.
The $14,000 award is part of an initiative that’s expected to continue in future years to spur economic development by promoting the city as a thriving arts community to journalists and media beyond the Capital Region.
“The city’s arts venues, cultural events, and artists are as worldclass as its racing and natural beauty,” said Saratoga Springs Mayor Meg Kelly in a statement. “We are excited to partner with SPAC to tell the story of this vital and unique aspect of Saratoga Springs.”
Commissioner of Finance, Michele Madigan, brought forward the vote on her agenda Tuesday night. It’s a first step to promote the city worldwide, she said. Madigan also said she plans to bring forward future funding recommendations for economic development project assignments.
“I am working with Mayor Kelly and the Saratoga Performing Arts Center on this project, and funding will be used to promote the City of Saratoga Springs as a cultural destination to travel outlets like Travel & Leisure and Condé Nast Travel, to Arts & Culture outlets like the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and BBC America, as well as collaborating with the city to identify key
periods to showcase Saratoga’s cultural offerings to national and international journalists,” said Madigan in a statement.
Journalists for travel, lifestyle, arts, culture and mainstream publications will be invited to experience Saratoga Springs. News of arts and cultural happenings will be shared with outlets throughout the Northeast and across the country, as well as with classical music and news radio and podcasts.
“We at SPAC have made a concerted effort to reach out to journalists and other influencers to invite them to share with their audiences the perfect confluence of natural and manmade beauty to be experienced here,” says Elizabeth Sobol, President and CEO of the Saratoga Performing Arts Center. “We know that the story extends beyond the grounds of SPAC, however, to include the rich mix of cultural constituencies throughout the community. Research has repeatedly shown that cultural travelers spend about 60 percent more, per trip compared with domestic leisure travelers, so we know attracting those visitors will be beneficial for the entire City. We are so pleased Saratoga Springs has committed to working with us to bring that story to a new audience of cultural travelers.”
The term for the project runs through Dec. 31, 2018. At the end, SPAC will provide variable measurements regarding the initiative to determine how the investment has benefited the city.
The financial transfer itself was made to the Mayor’s Department under Economic Development.
“I commend Mayor Kelly for her championing of the arts, and I have personally enjoyed working with her to move this forward as an agenda item on behalf of the City of Saratoga Springs,” said Madigan. “Additionally, I look forward to working with the entire City Council in promoting the city’s worldclass venues, events and artists.”