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Upstate Alliance for the Creative Economy

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BELINDA COLON’S IMMERSIVE WORLD OF ART AND COMMUNITY

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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

CAP NY ACTIVATE! : 3 ARTS AND CULTURAL FESTIVALS FOR FAMILY FUN

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Summer time for me as a child, meant practically living outdoors until school started. We played outside for hours with friends, our parents took us on picnics and hikes… but our favorite was going to festivals. As an adult, I love festivals even more than I did as a child, and my own children love exploring craft and vendor tables for unique handmade treasures or collectables. We plan meal times around visiting the various food vendors at each unique arts or cultural event.

I love handmade crafts and eclectic art, and finding things to bring home and display. More than one or many times actually, I’ve also been known to “accidentally” forget to bring a bag or tote of my own and of course I must buy a new tote, purse or reusable bag to hold all my festival finds in. My family thinks I do it on purpose, because I have a reusable bag obsession… and maybe, they are on to me. LOL!

Here are a few wonderful Arts and Cultural Festivals located in the Capital Region that are worth putting on your calendar and planning to bring your family to and spend the day at.

This article is presented through a content collaboration with ACE and CapNY.
Visit us on Instagram at @upstatecreative and @gocapny

Latin Fest | Photo: Provided
Albany Latin Fest | Photo: Provided

THE ALBANY LATIN FESTIVAL
August 27th | 11:00 to 6:00

Founded in the early 90’s by Vichente Alfonso, Pedro Diaz, and Carlos Maldonado…. these three visionaries saw the need to “create an event in the Capital Region that would honor the cultural diversity of hispanic performers.” Pedro stated when he shared the groups motivation for this event when I interviewed him on the phone.

This festival has grown into a full day event. It is a “family-oriented festival with musical performances highlighting the diversity of Hispanic musical genres; a wide array of food, arts and crafts vendors; children’s amusements; and community, government, and business information booths.“

There will be great live music, delicious food for sale, and lots of local vendors to support.

“As a cultural event, LATINFEST celebrates the beauty and diversity of the Hispanic cultural heritage and acknowledges the contributions made by Hispanic Americans on local, state, national, and international levels.. It has established a hallmark, traditional cultural event for a burgeoning portion of the local community that is currently underserved and underrepresented, as well as for the larger Albany community.“

This event has been significantly supported by the City of Albany NY as an important part of the cultural landscape and recognized in the past at the Albany NY Bicentennial Celebration.

The Albany Latin Festival Association (ALFA) has offered Latin Festival every year for over 20 years now. ALFA is a non-profit organization that raises funds for this entire event, through donations and sponsorships. The organization’s mission is to promote and develop Hispanic cultural events in the Capital Region of the State of New York, for the purpose of acknowledging the contributions of Hispanic performing artists and promoting an appreciation for multi-cultural diversity.

This event is FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
For more info check out the EVENT PAGE

The festival is staged in Albany’s Washington Park at the end of August each year from 11am to 6pm.

EDITORS NOTE: They do have room for more local Craft Vendors. The application is on their website.

Saratoga Arts : Art in the Park | Photo: Provided

ART IN THE PARK
Saturday, September 17th | 10:00 to 4:00

“The Saratoga Arts Festival is an extension of the Saratoga Arts Center mission, to make the arts accessible to all. The festival is held outside in a communal location and is accessible to someone who may not wander into the gallery. It’s held outside and it’s beautiful. It features so many local artists and brings fine art outside into the community” Olivia Walton, Membership and Development Coordinator, shared with me in a phone interview.

This festival is going to offer a day full of outdoor art exhibits, artist vendors, wonderful local craft vendor tables, kids zone, a community booth in Saratoga Springs’ beautiful and historic Congress Park in Downtown Saratoga. Curated and presented by Saratoga Arts in partnership with the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation, Art in the Park will feature a variety of art and crafted work from local and national artists. The event will also feature live music, artist demos, and MORE!

This event is FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC!
For more info visit the EVENT PAGE

Olivia also shared that the Arts Center also offers week-long summer camps, theater arts classes & various workshops for youth that make it worth traveling to Saratoga County with your children.

Did you know that the Saratoga Arts Center also offers grants or artists? They reported that 39 grants totaling $123,010 have been awarded to support community-based arts events taking place in 2020. Saratoga Arts has awarded over $1,536,000 in grants since these programs began!

Their Grants Coordinator, Mae Hailu, commented: “Since the 1990s, Saratoga Arts has been pursuing the mission of making the arts accessible to all through our regrants program funded by the New York State Council of the Arts, which has provided millions of dollars worth of funding for community arts projects and arts educational programs, as well as directly funding the work of individual artists. The effects of these works have been felt by people from ages 5-99 throughout Saratoga, Fulton, and Montgomery counties.“

Mabee Farm Arts and Crafts Festival | Photo: Provided

MABEE FARM ARTS AND CRAFTS FESTIVAL
Saturday, August 27th | 10:00 to 3:00

The Mabee Farms Arts & Crafts Festival is a wonderful event coordinated and run by the Schenectady Historic Society.

“We’re bringing together the very best of the Capital Region’s handcrafted goods! Join us as 85+ artists and crafters spread out over the Mabee Farm grounds with their eclectic, beautifully handcrafted items. All items are handmade here in our region, and include jewelry, home decor, fine art, ceramics, artisan foods and wines, soaps, candles, woodworking, and more! Featuring live music!”

I spoke on the phone with Mike Diana, of the Schenectady Historical Society, and shared with me that the event also will Blacksmith and Carpentry demonstrations during the day. “This is a very juried festival” Mike said when we chatted about the different local vendors that would be at this specific event. Mike also wanted everyone to know that there will still be tours available of the House during the festival as well.

This is truly going to be a wonderful event to bring your entire family to, and worth traveling to Schenectady County.

A VIRTUAL MAP of Mabee Farm is available online.

ADMISSION: is $10 / parked car
For more information check out the FACEBOOK EVENT PAGE
This event is a fundraiser for the Mabee Farm, a not-for-profit organization.

Mabee Farm Historic Site
The oldest farm in the Mohawk Valley (1705), Mabee Farm Historic Site offers visitors today vibrant educational and recreational opportunities. With its deep history and riverside beauty, it’s the perfect place to explore the Mohawk Valley.
Walk across weathered pine floors in the home of 18th century settlers. Say hello to our resident farm animals. Ogle the hand-pegged Dutch Barn (1760s) or just meander through our orchards, gardens, and forest trails. Tied to the dock or parked behind the Dutch Barn sit our reproduction 18th century bateaux, giving visitors an idea of how goods were shipped up and down the river when Schenectady was America’s frontier.

Mabee Farm is also home year-round to interactive exhibitions, lecture series, workshops, and school programs plus extensive historical collections.

5 Fantastic Latin-Owned Restaurants: Angel’s Latin Restaurant, Catskill

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Angel’s Latin Restaurant is a steam counter. For the uninitiated, steam counters are made of stainless steel, and hold steamy bins of hot food, set behind glass.  You tell the server what you’d like to eat, and they’ll heap generous servings into containers for you to take home or eat in. Steam counters are common in Manhattan, Brooklyn and other cities, but not so much here in the Capital Region. So, if you’re a former NYC resident, Angel’s will be a nostalgiac treat. This unassuming, bright orange storefront on Catskill’s Main Street offers authentic, hearty, delicious Dominican food at great prices and in huge servings.

Roast Chicken
The small roast chicken plate. Six bucks.

Upon entering Angel’s, Oscar and I were greeted by Nilfa, a friendly young woman who stands behind the counter, ready to answer questions about the huge array of food prepared by her aunt and her aunt’s husband.

There’s a very wide variety of choices here, with specials on each day of the week. On the night we visited, there was stewed chicken, roast chicken (my favorite!), three kinds of rice (red, white, and black, which had an Asian / soy sauce twist of flavors. The black rice is a specialty of Angel’s), and your choice of beans – red or black. There was also goat, two kinds of pork, two beef dishes, bacalao (salt cod), and yucca. Some nights, you’ll also find oxtail.

Oscar and Nilfa
Oscar and Nilfa, whose family owns and runs Angel’s Latin Restaurant

Ask For: Tostones with Garlic Sauce

Oscar talked to Nilfa and her aunt in Spanish, asking whether they had tostones (fried green plantains). Nilfa replied that the tostones are always made to order, so that they’re extra crisp. And you’ll be glad to know, they’re SUPER delicious and served steaming hot. Be sure to ask them for the garlic sauce, served on the side. It’s another specialty of the house.

Tostones
Made-to-order tostones. Ask for the garlic sauce — it’s in the fridge!

Angel’s ”is completely run by family. Kids do the dishes. Everyone in the family contributes,” Nilfa told us.  On the night we were there, the clientele was entirely people of color, and we asked Nilfa if this was usual. “Yes,” she said, “though sometimes we do get a mix of people. I try to explain the menu and the food when someone is not familiar with Dominican food.” Their menu also caters to the foods of other Latin-Caribbean countries like Puerto Rico, “because Dominican is lesser knows. We try to have some things that are familiar,” Nilfa said.

Oxtail
Here’s your chance to try oxtail!

Our HUGE dinners cost $6 for a small plate and $8 for a large plate, for meat, rice and beans, and sides.  Crazy good prices, and completely delicious!

Angel’s Latin Restaurant, 334 Main Street, Catskill, NY, (518) 719-8815. Open 12pm-9pm Monday through Saturday, 12pm-7pm on Sunday.

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