RICHARD BLANCO

For over 50 years Saratoga Performing Arts Center has been known as a presenter of world class performances, fewer people know that over the past 5 years SPAC has significantly enhanced its role as a center for innovative and accessible arts education and community programs. SPAC Education has grown exponentially over the past 5 years – from serving 5 to 50,000 students annually, building partnerships with more than 120 schools and nonprofits in the Capital Region, and bringing more than 400 arts education events to the community every single year. Senior Director of Education Dennis Moench joins us to discuss education and community events at SPAC.

Presidential Inaugural Poet Richard Blanco has become the first visiting artist at the SPAC School of the Arts (SOTA) -- a multidisciplinary school dedicated to dance, music, and theatre, with additional offerings in literary arts, visual arts, and media arts – in addition to serving as a mentor for the 2022 Adirondack Trust Company Festival of Young Artists.