A lot is going on with the Saratoga Performing Arts Center as they’re celebrating their impressive golden anniversary. Although SPAC has done extremely well for itself so far – even gaining national recognition – they’re marching on with their initiatives to ensure the next 50 years are just as successful.
New Board Member Sonny Bonacio, photo provided
Below are the initiatives announced by SPAC:
Capital Campaign
SPAC President and Executive Director Marcia J. White has announced the launch of the capital campaign to raise the funds needed to support the future of SPAC.
Impressively, a total of 57 donors, including the entire Board of Directors and a $1 million donation from an anonymous donor, have already contributed over $4 million during the campaign’s silent phase.
The goal during this next public phase is to meet or exceed the remaining $1 million to reach at least $5 million. Funding for nonprofit performing arts centers is increasingly competitive and ticket sales from SPAC’s classical programs only cover 40% of expenses.
Donors have the choice of directing their gift to one of three categories of programming, capital improvements, or the endowment fund – or, they can allow SPAC to direct the funds.
“SPAC’s story and its financial needs are ongoing,” White said in a statement. “Our 50th Anniversary Capital Campaign is an opportunity for donors to help write the next chapter in SPAC’s incredible story. SPAC’s first founders gave us a cultural jewel when they created SPAC. But they also left us a remarkable legacy that deserves support.”
Donor Recognition Wall Display
Gifts of $25,000 and over will be permanently recognized with an inscribed plaque on SPAC’s new Patrons’ Terrace Donor Recognition Wall, which will be revealed during this season.
$50 for 50 Campaign
Another successful fundraising initiative has been the “$50 for 50” campaign which started in October and has raised $22,500 through 379 individual gifts.
“The effort has engaged a new group of SPAC supporters who wanted to contribute to our 50th Anniversary Season,” White said in a statement.
Election of Two New Board Members
As the 50th season commences SPAC has elected two new Board Members, Sonny Bonacio and Richard Higgins. Bonacio and Higgins are filling the vacancies of outgoing members Ed Mitzen and Nancy Toohey, both of whom served for nine seasons.
Bonacio has been a life-long resident of Saratoga Springs. He serves on the board of the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce, the Capital Region Chamber of Commerce, the Saratoga YMCA, and is President of the Saratoga Builders Association. He is also on the board of Universal Preservation Hall and is Chair of its The Road to Opening Night capital campaign.
Higgins has served many years on the Shelters of Saratoga Board, currently serves on the board of Saratoga PLAN, and is Vice Chairman of the Saratoga Springs City Center. Higgins has a strong passion for the classical arts and is a huge fan of the New York City Ballet and the Philadelphia Orchestra and their SPAC performances.
New Grant Funding
The Charles R. Wood Foundation has awarded a $100,000 grant to SPAC for the support of two vital arts education programs – The Performance Project: Youth in Motion, a new pilot dance program, and the popular Classical Kids, which brings art right into classrooms around the Capital Region.
“This support will offer young people who otherwise would not have had the opportunity, the chance to experience the life-enhancing benefits that accompany participation in the arts,” White said in a statement.
The Performance Project is launching in June in collaboration with the National Dance Institute of New York City. The two-week program is giving 80 children aged 9 to 12 the chance to participate in NDI’s immersive dance program.
The Classical Kids program brings art to over 6,000 Capital Region students annually. Kids get the opportunity to study classical works, see in-school demonstrations by professional dancers and a Philadelphia Orchestra musician, and attend SPAC performances with free lawn passes until graduation.
In addition to the Charles R. Wood Foundation’s grant, SPAC has also received a $10,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts to support the creation of Unconquered, a commissioned orchestral work by renowned composer Michael Torke.
SPAC’s grant from NEA is an “Imagine Your Parks” grant, which is designed to support projects that connect arts to natural settings and landscapes in the National Park System. As SPAC is located right in Saratoga Spa State Park, the performing arts center was a perfect match.
With all SPAC has accomplished thus far and these new initiatives underway, the Capital Region can be sure to expect more great programs and performances from the area’s favorite performing arts center.
