SaratogaArtsFest launches year three

Arts, civic, business, and academic leaders from Saratoga Springs gathered on April 2 at Skidmore College to unveil plans for SaratogaArtsFest 2009, scheduled for June 11-14.  The third annual citywide celebration of the arts will offer nearly 100 events and activities spanning music, dance, visual art, film, theater, and literary art.

Presenters at the event were Marie Glotzbach, president of the SaratogaArtsFest board of directors; Marcia White, president and executive director of the Saratoga Performing Arts Center; and David Zunker, president of the Saratoga Convention and Tourism Bureau.

The session also featured a performance of original music by jazz pianist Jason Domnarski, who will perform at the ArtsFest on Friday, June 12.

Glotzbach unveiled a large-scale poster highlighting some of this year's performers.  The line-up includes the legendary Paul Taylor Dance Company; Pulitzer Prize-winning author William Kennedy; saxophonist Eric Alexander, named musician of the year by JazzWeek in 2003; Carnegie Hall's Ensemble ACJW; the Stefanie Batten Bland dance company; the SITI Company theater group; and the Trilaterus Trio, featuring Ron Wasserman from the NYC Ballet Orchestra.

A celebration of local talent
SaratogaArtsFest 2009 will also celebrate a wide range of local talent, from acclaimed artists to young performers from area schools. Among the visual artists will be abstract painter David Miller and ceramist Regis Brodie, both Skidmore faculty members whose work has been shown widely.  The Skidmore Dance Showcase will feature Skidmore faculty members Debra Fernandez, Ruben Graciani, and Mary Harney.

The area's musical talent will include the Albany Symphony Orchestra's brass quintet, led by trumpeter Eric Berlin; Lake George Opera of Saratoga; the Saratoga Chamber Players, and Albany rockers Big Nixon. The Albany-based New York State Theater Institute will present a production for children titled Letters from a Window in the Sky.

This year, the ArtsFest will add a jazz club to its offerings to provide an intimate nightclub setting for musicians and audiences alike.  Held on Friday and Saturday nights (June 12 and 13) at Tiz Now Restuarant, 54 Henry St., in downtown Saratoga Springs, the club will feature New York City-based jazz pianist Jason Domnarski, as well as area groups?the Pete Weise Quartet, Brian Petneaude, and the Ria Curley Band.  On Friday night there will also be an earlier jazz performance by Kat Spina at the Wine Bar on Broadway.

Alliances make the ArtsFest possible
"It is our intention to present a combination of local, regional, and national talent that brings the arts to our city in a new and powerful way," Glotzbach told the gathering.  "We are extraordinarily proud to solidify SaratogaArtsFest as the gateway for the arts season and to become a tradition for Saratoga Springs, as we launch the third year of this annual event.  We hope to further establish Saratoga Springs as a center for culture and the arts."
 
Glotzbach emphasized the growing partnerships that make the ArtsFest possible, noting a long list of alliances with groups representing the community, the arts, and education, as well as the support of sponsors and patrons.  "The ArtsFest is a truly the product of a community collaboration, and seeing this wide array of groups come together with a common goal is fantastic," she said.  "There's a lot of positive energy here, and it is exciting to share it and watch participation grow."

Appeal to a wide audience

Designed for both the seasoned arts enthusiast and the casual arts consumer, including families with young children, SaratogaArtsFest will offer a wide array of events and performances.  Venues will be located throughout Saratoga Springs, including theaters, museums, performance spaces, restaurants, galleries, and schools.

To appeal to a younger audience, SaratogaArtsFest will offer an extensive lineup of workshops, exhibits, and demonstrations for children including the Flying Kite Children's Theater, the Amazing Kids Circus, storytelling, and dance workshops, as well as performances by the Saratoga Springs Youth Orchestra and Jazz Ensemble and other youth groups.

To encourage families to take part in the festival and to make the arts more accessible to young people, SaratogaArtsFest is launching a new collaboration with the Saratoga Springs public schools.  Titled Project YES! (Youth Experiencing SaratogaArtsFest), the program will offer a drawing in each of city's schools for free admission to the ArtsFest, as well has half-price admission for an accompanying adult. Approximately 200 ARTSPASS Admission Packages will be given away to students, who will be given access to special back-stage meetings with many of the participating artists. Project YES! is sponsored by Adirondack Trust Company, Stewart's Shops, the Saratoga Springs Rotary Club, Pernille Dake, Fingerprint Marketing, Nigro Companies, Roohan Realty, Skidmore College, and McMurry Inc.

Purchase of the ARTSPASS Admission Package
The ARTSPASS Admission Package provides access to nearly 100 SaratogaArtsFest events and performances throughout the city.  In addition, pass holders receive discounts and perks at area shops and eateries during the festival, as well as year-round benefits at area galleries, theaters, and museums.

The ARTSPASS Admission Package can be purchased online or in person at the SaratogaArtFest Center and Gallery, beginning May 15 (details on location and hours to come). Prices are as follows: Adults-$30; Seniors (65+)-$25; Students and military-$15; Youth (children 3 to 11)-$5; Free for children under 3. A Family Four-Pack (two adults, two youth) is $65.

There will be a bonus tote bag for the first 250 people to pick up their admission packages at the SaratogaArtsFest Center and Gallery, beginning May 15.

Goals and sponsors
The mission of SaratogaArtsFest is to establish Saratoga Springs as a premier arts destination with a comprehensive, community-wide arts festival that showcases local, regional, and national artists.  SaratogaArtsFest is committed to increasing appreciation for the arts, expanding audiences, and strengthening cultural tourism in the region.

Major sponsors for SaratogaArtsFest 2009 are Skidmore College, the Adirondack Trust Company, Stewart's Shops, the Times Union, WAMC Northeast Public Radio, Star 101.3, CBS 6, TheSaratogaLife.com, Saratoga Springs Rotary Club, Designsmith Studio, and Interactive Media Consulting.

The ArtsFest is seeking volunteer ambassadors for the festival weekend.  Ambassadors act as goodwill diplomats at the various ArtsFest venues, welcoming and assisting audience members and ArtsFest patrons.

Click here for more information on the ArtsFest and on volunteer opportunities: SaratogaArtsFest.