Glens Falls

LARAC ABSORBS GLENS FALLS ARTS DISTRICT, DRIVING DOWNTOWN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

March 2, 2026 By Corey Aldrich

You may remember, back in August 2022 when ACE! put together a street fest / creative economy panel discussion at the Park Theater. We had some coverage at the time examining the interesting structure downtown Glens Falls had for arts and cultural support. (Glens Falls: A Winning Team Sharing Secrets to Success). Fast forward a couple of years and progress continues to be made collaboratively with the Downtown Arts District and its distinguished members in a newer arrangement that sees LARAC (Lower Adirondack Regional Arts Council) as the oversight entity. I connected with Phil Casabona, Executive Director at LARAC for an update.

Please state your name, organization and title. Can you add a bit about your background experientially and educationally?

My name is Philip Casabona and I am the Executive Director + Festival Director + Gallery Curator for LARAC, the Lower Adirondack Regional Arts Council, a mission driven, non-profit arts organization in Glens Falls, NY. Upon graduating SUNY Oneonta in 2009 with a BFA with a concentration in Photography, like many young people my age at that time, I immediately walked into my dream job making money faster than I could count it…oh wait, that’s the parallel universe me. I graduated college with the excitement of pursuing the arts, professionally, in some form. It was a longer road than expected, with a handful of torturous, non-art related jobs, but all teaching me something that has led to my current position. In 2012 at the age of 25, my wife a, who was my girlfriend at the time, and I, moved to Astoria, Queens, for a year. There I worked for a high-end clothing retailer, in their annex location in Tribeca, as their “Inventory Manager“. I was responsible for all locations day to day inventory, worked alongside the buyer’s department, as well as opened new store locations in other cities, like Boston, Atlanta, and a few others. This position, along with other managerial roles I had since I was 16, unknowingly taught me skills that would be most valuable in my current positions.

I have been with LARAC for 12 years, starting prior to that as a volunteer. Then, having support from my friend and the Gallery Curator at the time, I applied for an open part time position as LARAC’s Festival Coordinator, which I did for a number of years, before going full time and taking on the task of Gallery Curator. As LARAC struggled to navigate Covid-19, we managed to keep our doors open and our staff employed. When the opportunity came up to replace our previous ED, I entered the race. I have been acting Executive Director for the past four years as well.

Can you fill us in a bit about the mission of LARAC? Annual budget, number of employees? Also, I understand you expanded recently by absorbing the GF Downtown Arts District into your fold. Can you share a little bit about the history of that and what that means for LARAC and the artists you serve?

LARAC is a mission-based organization with a very simply mission. We are here to support artists and creatives, local, regional, and beyond, and nourish the positive cultural impact they make on our community. Financially, as a SCR site through NYSCA, we are able to support artists and organizations in Warren and Washington Counties. I am part of a three person staff, including fulltime employee Kori Albrecht, LARAC’sCommunity Outreach + Grants Director, and part time employee Diane Swanson, LARAC’s Program’s Director. The three of us are standing on the shoulders of giants that helped grow LARAC from a volunteer organization to a paid staff with a building that we own. We are beholden to our members and our community for keeping us in operation. As of 2025, we are operating on an annual budget of $360,000. This includes the $100,000 worth of NYSCA funding that Kori distributes to grantees within the counties we support.

Glens Falls Arts District Downtown Bike Racks | Image: Corey Aldrich

In 2025, LARAC also became the umbrella non-profit organization for the Glens Falls Arts District. GFAD, is a committee of local arts related non-profits that have been moving the needle, contributing as economic driving forces, and sculpting the landscape of the City of Glens Falls for decades. I firmly believe the arts are the foundation of Glens Falls. Recently the City, the Counties, and the region have begun to view us in the same light. Glens Falls is such a unique city. We are only roughly 15,000 people, yet we have such a strong arts scene. Thus, the AD was born. A collective effort to help solidify DRI funding from NYS, which GF was awarded 10 years ago. In the past few years, we have seen all the planning of that DRI to the tune of $10 million, come to fruition. The infrastructure efforts on South Street are accompanied by the public art, which is where the AD came into play! The AD consists of LARAC, the Park Theater, The Hyde Collection, the Charles R. Wood Theater, the Glens Falls Symphony Orchestra, the World Awareness Children’s Museum, the Chapman Museum, the Crandall Public Library, the Adirondack Theater Festival, North Country Arts, and The Shirt Factory. All arts entities in the city limits work together to beautify our city, encourage arts interaction by local and visiting populations, drive economic value to our city, and help each other all stay viable. These efforts have helped strengthen all of our relationships with each other and with the governing body of the City of Glens Falls, the EDC, and Warren and Washington Counties.

LARAC becoming the umbrella non-profit of the AD means the AD answers to the LARAC Board of Directors. However, what it really means is that it gives the AD a new opportunity to continue working together to positively impact our city. With the DRI initiative complete, we now have a new avenue to look for, and secure funding for future projects and have a collective voice stronger than any one of us does alone. This inherently helps LARAC further our mission of supporting our local and regional artists.

LARAC’s June Arts Festival 2025 in Glens Falls NY | Image: Lake George Regional Chamber of Commerce

I really like your approach to getting your members art into hands of the general public. Between your full-time retail store and events like the annual LARAC ARTS FEST, how have you been able to leverage your relationship with the city and local businesses to advantage your members?

Part of our mission, in more detail, is to help artists become financially stable, grow their passion and abilities into potential income streams and help them start to take the next steps to becoming part-time or full-time professional artists. Helping artists get seen, whether it is in our gallery, our shop, our festivals, or our live music stages at the festivals…these are all avenues to get them in front of the general public.

Coincidentally, these same avenues to get the artist in front of the public also work as a platform to showcase and educate the public on the different forms of artistic expression. A venue to show our patrons obtainable local art, creating an environment for them to support these creatives. One of the biggest and most recognizable LARAC events that does this and truly showcases our wonderful relationship with the City and Warren County is our Annual LARAC June Arts Festival. An Annual event that started in 1972, this year will be our 56th event and will showcase over 165 artists, 10 non-profits, and 8 food trucks, all juried in from across the country to sell their handmade goods. June 13 – 14, 2026, LARAC will bring 15,000+ people from all over to the City of GF, creating the single biggest weekend economic driver event in the city and county. This event is made possible by our relationship with the City of Glens Falls, Warren County Tourism, and the local business which directly and positively impacts our members and our community.

Gallery Shop at LARAC in Glens Falls NY | Image: Corey Aldrich

Speaking of the city…you mentioned a group you are a part of called MOSAIC that includes the city and the IDA as I recollect. Can you tell us more about this group and where you see that going. It sounded like some really innovative stuff!

As I mentioned earlier, it is amazing what the city had going for it prior to intentional efforts to collaborate. In the recent present, as the organizations within the AD started working together in a calculated effort to improve our individual organizations by strengthening ourselves as a collective and beautifying the city, some wonderful opportunities have come up. Doors started to open in places we didn’t see coming. We started to build and strengthen relationships with our governing bodies and other entities that see the value in our efforts. One of those people, recently, has been Jim Siplon, the President and CEO of the Warren County Economic Development Corp (EDC). Jim and his office have created a collective group, many faces of the AD, as well as others from outside GF. This includes members of the IDA and leaders of non-profit groups and organization in Washington County who share a table and create a safe space to build ideas. Jim sees the value of the arts in GF and the potential we have as a springboard for positive growth and economic and cultural impact. Together we are working on ideas to unify and rally for future funding.

There is an inherent and immeasurable value in the positive impact of the arts and the culture it encourages. It is an effort worth our time, and LARAC, the AD, and MOSAIC understand this assignment.

LARAC Member Art Gallery Examples | Image: Provided

EXTRA CREDIT: Anything you would like to plug and additional things you would like to share beyond above?

LARAC is for everyone, join us in our Gallery, at our Festivals, and in our city.

WEB: larac.org | IG: @larac_arts

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

Building on Strength : A Conversation with Glens Falls Mayor Bill Collins

August 4, 2022 By Corey Aldrich

Glens Falls Mayor Bill Collins | Photo: Hartman Photography

From your perspective, why are Creative Economy components (artisan restaurants, arts and cultural institutions, performance space, etc) so important to a vibrant city scape?

Over the last decade, even during the height of the pandemic, we experienced people moving to the region. As the pandemic has shown us, the Creative Economy is a powerful, sustaining force — especially in a city like Glens Falls. For instance, it’s a long proud fact that Glens Falls is the smallest city in the country with its own paid symphony orchestra. New resident to our city are here working in arts, business, restaurants, music, medicine, banking, and other fields that supported and increased the diversity and talent of Glens Falls.

The Creative Economy shows up throughout — our new Glens Falls Arts District, the popularity of the library, the new murals being planned for three city properties, the new restaurants and the longtime venues. That attention — and that energy — feeds the economy in a way that is measured more by feeling than by economic development — our economy is thriving.

Glens Falls Arts District Signage | Photo: Provided

What is your philosophy and approach to building on those market segments?

The City is building a $4 million events space as part of the New York State Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) — a critical piece of our continued growth. It will help to support already successful creative economy events like the LARAC Festival and other large entertainment opportunities. In fact, our vision is to be able to use the space to extend these activities throughout downtown locations — tying in many newly renovated gems to host festivals and large scale community wide events.

Our economic development and community development teams have grants and loans to support great ideas that become popular businesses, galleries or restaurants, like the Park Theater. And let’s not forget the innovative Shirt Factory on Lawrence Street — a haven for artists of all stripes. I believe that if we can continue to build the capacity for creative folks to live, work and play in the city (Including increased broadband access) our creative economy will continue to grow. And our city will continue to be a magnet for these magnificent people.

The Restored Park Theater | Photo: Sydney K. Andrew Photography

How much money from the DRI funding is being dedicated to creative / community building components?

The entire DRI project will inject $10 million into the South Street / Elm Street area — but that is just the state money. The new commercial use and housing projects, as well as the renovation of the three existing historic buildings, will invest more than $26 million cumulatively.

How does that benefit the creative economy? The overall project includes the Market Center, as noted above, which will host our weekly Farmer’s Market, music festivals and other outdoor events. The Center is tied to a planned community Commercial Kitchen for food demonstrations and exhibitions. The two other historic buildings will have restaurant / commercial space on the ground floors, and for the first time in decades will have living quarters above.

Add in more than 80 new apartments, all the commercial / studio space and the concentration of arts, music, food and people … and we definitely expect that it will support the growth of our creative economy. In fact, the creative economy interests will be an important beneficiary of the entire project. Glens Falls will become a hub and attraction point for the lower Adirondacks because of it.

For more check out: Glens Falls: A Winning Team Sharing Secrets to Success

Glens Falls : A Winning Team Sharing Secrets to Success

August 4, 2022 By Corey Aldrich

The Glens Falls Collaborative was founded in 2012 as a means to draw customers to downtown. A traffic circle was being constructed which was creating a challenge to Glens Falls Downtown BID (Business Improvement District) members. A small group of merchants decided to try and do something about it, to bring customers and visitors back to downtown. From these determined circumstances The Glens Falls Collaborative was born. The Collaborative is a membership organization whose mission is to band together and promote businesses in the Glens Falls region in an effort to help them grow and thrive. Currently, they have about 100 members. In addition to organizing many large downtown festivals and events, the Collaborative has created a brochure of Glens Falls with a large distribution that is used as a promotional tool for area businesses to connect with locals and out-of-town visitors alike. The Collaborative also holds membership networking mixers and works alongside the City of Glens Falls and the BID on hospitality and promotional efforts for the community.

The Collaborative has a strong working relationship with the Lake George Chamber of Commerce and CVB (Convention and Visitors Bureau), the Adirondack Chamber and with Warren County Tourism. Collaborative events, branding and marketing have become a vital part of Glens Falls’ Tourism and economic development.

A seedling version of the eventual Glens Falls Arts District began meeting monthly in 2014 as a cross promotion of the Shirt Factory, LARAC, North Country Arts, World Awareness Children’s Museum and the Wood Theater. In the early days, there were a couple of iterations including the Glens Falls Arts and one called The Art Coalition (TAC). Eventually, dues were collected to pay for an administrative person to organize meetings, take notes and to organize collective events and promotions. In 2016, after a couple of years of conversations, the Glens Falls Arts District became a sub committee of The Collaborative. At this time, arts organizations became members of The Collaborative which then took over the administrative budget to help fund the basic operations of the Arts District. Currently, there are 13 members in the Arts District.

Phillip Casabona (LARAC) and Kate Austin (Advokate) | Photo: Provided

In 2017, the Arts District was written into the Glens Falls Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) for a $125K award (Note: They are still waiting for receipt of the full amount.) to be used specifically in establishing the Arts District and Trail. The Arts District funding also includes grants from the Touba Family Foundation and the Charles R. Wood Foundation.

The Arts District is technically a committee under the umbrella of The Collaborative who cover the insurance for Arts District events as needed. LARAC, a founding member of the Arts District and member of the Collaborative manages the accounts for the organization. It is not uncommon for folks to be on at least two of the three entities and as such, there is a strong partnership.

“I host a monthly meeting for the Collaborative, I sit on the board of the Glens Falls (BID) and provide regular updates to all parties about the others. Many of us are involved in at least two of these organizations as well as others, so we have a good sense of connection and collaboration.” says Kate Austin :Co-founder and Administrator of the Arts District and Owner / Founder at Advokate

There is significant synergy and interplay between the organizations. For example, the Collaborative has used the Wood Theater to host family movies for one of their popular annual events, Hometown Holidays, which also includes The Hyde Collection as part of the events’ programming. They frequently have artist participation during their events and have collaborated with the Glens Falls Community Theater group and the Glens Falls Symphony. The map of the Arts District is located on The Glens Falls Collaborative website. They have a variety of free public events throughout the year that highlight a broad selection of businesses such as the recent Take a Bite walking restaurant tour. In 2021 The Collaborative was asked to host the Adirondack Christkindlmarkt, which originated in Lake George in 2018. This event had many local artisan vendors and brought visitors from across the Northeast.

Nancy Turner : President at The Glens Falls Collaborative | Photo: Provided

“We strive to be inclusive of all our members, many of whom are part of the Glens Falls Arts District. We are always looking for ways to include them in our events.” says Nancy Turner : President of The Collaborative. She continues… “As we move forward as an organization and our city becomes more recognized as an artistic community, continued growth will naturally come to us. This will bring new residents and tourists who dine at our restaurants, buy tickets to attend our theaters, concerts and sporting events, and stay in our lodging establishments.”

Editors Note: This article was updated to show NORTH COUNTRY ARTS as an initial founding member of the Glens Falls Arts District. We regret our initial oversight.

For more check out – Building on Strength : A Conversation with Glens Falls Mayor Bill Collins

Street Art / Graffiti as Gravity – Part II of III : Cities with ‘Speak Art’ Vibes

August 3, 2022 By Taliesin Thomas

This 3-part series on the dynamic nature of street art, graffiti, and murals—as both symbols of cultural consciousness and cultural commodities—highlights these genres as viable assets within the regional and global creative economy of today. In this second segment, the author considers the financial side of local art initiatives.

I am pleased to share this second segment in my three-part series concerning dialogues around street art, graffiti, and public art projects in the Capital Region. In the first segment, I discussed these topics from a Troy-townie perspective.

Mural art in North Central Troy, NY | Photo: Corey Aldrich

For this installment, I explored the mural-street-art-graffiti-scene from the financial side of the equation. We all know that art is also about “biz-naz” at every level, so how does the money make its way into the street as street art? To understand more, I turned my focus to the creative economies of Troy, Albany, and Glens Falls as a trifecta case study. Each of these cities boasts a unique vibe with respect to murals and public art projects. I was delighted to communicate with several esteemed arts professionals for greater insight, including Elizabeth Reiss, Executive Director of the Arts Center of the Capital Region; Tony Iadicicco, Executive Director of the Albany Center Gallery; Chad Robinovich, Artistic Director of New Works for Constellation Stage & Screen; and Casey Polomaine, Executive Director of the Albany Barn.

Each of these conversations was lively and informative; herein I comment on some of the facts that were presented to me. Chad Robinovich—a champion of Glens Falls and a member of the Glens Falls Arts District Committee—spoke passionately about community endeavors to “beautify a beautiful city” that is also his home. Chad discussed the ongoing efforts of the New York State’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI), an organization that serves as a cornerstone of the State’s economic development program.

While Glens Falls already has an established arts district area, the DRI has supported the existing infrastructure while expanding local arts programming. Chad clarified the DRI is not only solely about funding the arts, however, some of the total $10 million grant for Glens Falls was indeed used for public art initiatives.

Painted electrical boxes in Glens Falls, NY | Images courtesy of Chad Robinovich

He also shared with me that a micro grant from the Touba Family Foundation resulted in a popular project that took place last year, where local artists—including Kevin Clark, Shelley Fairbanks, Leah Hofgesang, Stephanie Vaus, Rodney Bentley, Hannah Williams and Olga Aleksandrova—were awarded funds to paint electrical boxes around Glens Falls. He spoke sincerely about the impact of that project and how the community reacted so positively to the colorful designs, stating “a little bit goes a long way” with regard to the public reception for art.

During our call Chad spoke of Glens Falls as a place with a “speak art” vibe and he emphasized the “instant visual impact” of murals as a point of engagement. This year, the Glens Falls Arts District Committee put out a nationwide call for artists to apply for a large-scale mural project. Over the next two months, the committee will allocate approximately $75,000 to install three new mural designs around Glens Falls by artists Hannah Williams (Glens Falls, NY), Toni Ardizzone (Texas), and Jesse Melanson (Los Angeles, CA).

Murals off River Street near the Hudson River in Troy, NY | Photo: Taliesin Thomas

Turning to Troy, we encounter a thriving local energy at the Arts Center for the Capital Region (ACCR). Director Liz Reiss is a seasoned arts professional with diverse experience overseeing art in the public realm. During our conversation, she emphasized her belief that “art belongs to everyone” and that art functions as a tool for revitalization. Liz also spoke candidly about the challenge to obtain annual funding and she considers the role of the institution as the “translator” of art for the community. She carefully posed various questions with respect to the best use of funding: What needs help? Who is asking for that change? Who is most likely to benefit? Liz cited city murals as one of several modes that bring local artists further into the public realm and she lauded the resounding success of the Uniting Line, a project that received funds from Bloomberg’s “Asphalt Art” initiative. This highly visible series of murals features artwork by Jade Warrick. Originally from Los Angeles, Warrick is a Capital Region-based visual designer who focuses on bringing art and wellness programming into BIPOC and marginalized communities.

Uniting Line artworks by Jade Warrick, Troy NY | Photo: Taliesin Thomas

Since staring the program in 2018, Liz confirmed the ACCR has spent approximately $375,000 on various public art projects around Troy, including the Uniting Line, Franklin Alley, School 2, Troy to Troy Murals (the bulk of which was used for the Uniting Line). The ACCR is currently working to realize the Troy Glo project that will present a distinct category of public art—light sculptures—and will feature the work of architects and designers as part of these plans. Troy Glo will launch in December 2022 to coincide with the annual Troy Victoria Stroll.

Street art by Joe Iurato as part of the Frankly Alley project, Troy NY | Photo: Taliesin Thomas

Next I connected with Casey Polomaine regarding her work with public art projects in Albany. She spoke of the great success of the Capital Walls project, a collaboration between Albany Barn, Albany Center Gallery, and the Albany Parking Authority. The Capital Walls murals aim to inspire all walks of life with buoyant works of art installed in various locations around downtown Albany. Programming designed to promote and educate the community about these artworks include walking tours (docent led and self-guided), bike tours in partnership with the Capital District Transportation Authority, and the Artful Albany podcasts with Discover Albany.

Capital Walls murals by (back to front) Rosy Sunshine, Vanessa Mastronardi,
Arzu Fallahi, and NDA in Albany, NY | Photo: Taliesin Thomas

Casey explained the ongoing efforts of the Capital Walls program, stating that the city is currently working to expand the program and is actively looking for new walls. She spoke of the sheer joy of public art that is made accessible to all and how the murals naturally “uplift your spirits” as works of art that break down barriers while also “putting money in the pockets of artists.”

Rounding out the trifecta focus, Tony Iadicicco provided additional information about Capital Walls. Started in 2016, the project now boasts 16 murals by local, regional, national, and international artists. Chosen from an open call, many of these artists are first time muralists while others are well-established. Tony indicated that each muralist was paired with an available, funded wall based on their style. Once selected, the muralist works closely with Tony and his team to create the work on-site. He indicated that over $150,000 in public art has been funded by Albany Parking Authority and an additional $72,000 was awarded to Albany Center Gallery as part of the DRI award (with additional partner Downtown Albany BID and Capital Walls partners).

Capital Walls mural by Rachel Baxter in Albany, NY | Photo: Taliesin Thomas

Albany Barn also received additional funds for the Schenectady DRI for murals to be installed in Schenectady, along with a Capital Walls mural in Schenectady on Albany Street (completed in 2021). In an email to me, Tony included these comments from Matthew Peter of the Albany Parking Authority: “the murals act as landmarks, promote walkability and tourism, and restore a sense of place … At the same time, the city is able to attract and promote local art and artists and support the local creative economy, creating a win/win situation for all involved.” On a recent summer afternoon, I toured the Capital Walls murals and it was indeed a thrill to encounter these magnificent murals, each one both inspired and inspiring. As these and other arts professionals attest, the “speak art” vibes of cities such as Troy, Albany, and Glens Falls are a vital part of the artistic energy and business goals of our region as a whole.

Capital Walls mural by Sylvie Kantorovitz in Albany, NY | Photo: Taliesin Thomas

Street art in downtown Troy, NY | Photo: Taliesin Thomas

PART III: In the next installment, we consider the “macro level” of these topics and explore how art initiatives in Capital Region fit into the arts ecosystem on a national—and international—scale.

For more check out Part I of the series : Street Art / Graffiti as Gravity – Part I of III : A Townie Perspective

Taliesin Thomas, Ph.D. is an artist-philosopher, writer, lecturer, and collector based in Troy, NY. Since 2007, she is the founding director of AW Asia, NY and the collection manager of Art Issue Editions, NY—two private art collections that are the foundation for collaborations and projects with artists and museums worldwide. Thomas has lectured and published widely on contemporary art. She is the director of the Artist Training Initiative and a critic for the Critical Forum program at the Arts Center for the Capital Region, NY and she is a faculty member at School of Visual Arts, NY. Thomas studied studio art, aesthetics, theory, and philosophy at Bennington College, Columbia University, and The Institute for Doctoral Studies in the Visual Arts.