Yaddo

We welcome three powerhouses leaders for a conversation about the challenges and opportunities for the arts and what the future looks like.Our guests are Caffe Lena Executive Director Sarah Craig, Yaddo President Elaina Richardson, and SPAC President & CEO Elizabeth Sobol.

Yaddo is a nonprofit retreat for artists in Saratoga Springs, New York with the mission is to nurture the creative process by providing an opportunity for artists to work without interruption in a supportive environment.Notoriously private for the sake of the artists and their work - we wanted to take the opportunity today to share information about some public facing events on the horizon.

There will be a celebration on Wednesday August 24th for the launch of Little Liberty Library, a free library box in Caffe Lena's courtyard in Saratoga Springs dedicated to frequently banned books. Admission is a banned book or a donation to keep the library stocked.For more than 60 years, Caffe Lena has not only cared for free speech but presented a safe haven for it on stage—whether in the form of music, theater or the spoken word.The current national uptick in efforts to ban controversial books from libraries is a way to suppress conversation; to tame our ability to think for ourselves. This celebration will open and close with music by Dan Berggren. Twelve authors will each read for 3-5 minutes from titles that have been banned or challengedJoining us: Free Banned Books! Organizer Pat Nugent, Executive Director of Caffe Lena Sarah Craig, and Director of the New York State Writers Institute Paul Grondahl.

Founded by Saratoga residents Spencer and Katrina Trask in 1900, Yaddo was the first artist residency in the United States of America. It went on to welcome some of the most famous figures in the world from Sylvia Plath and Truman Capote to Walter Mosley, Laurie Anderson and David Sedaris. 7000 artists, which include winners of the Academy Award, the Pulitzer Prize, the Nobel Prize, and the National Book Award, and many, many more. We have been very fortunate to be invited into the mysterious inner sanctum of Yaddo to discuss the recent changes after a multi-million dollar stabilization and restoration of the public face. We welcome Yaddo President Elena Richardson; artist, singer, songwriter, author and performing artist Joseph keckler, and writer, performer, and visual artist James Hannaham. Both Keckler and Hannaham are on Yaddo's board and have been artists in residence.

The legendary artists’ retreat in Saratoga Springs, New York, Yaddo, was the country estate of financier Spencer Trask and his wife Katrina, a writer. Left without heirs after the deaths of their children, the Trasks left their fortune and estate to the establishment of a residency program for artists. They founded the Corporation of Yaddo in 1900.Creators in all artistic practices have come to stay in residence with support for their endeavors. Yaddo currently welcomes approximately 220 guests a year from all over the world and in order to give these writers, painters, composers, etc. the space and solitude to dig deep into their creative practice, Yaddo is closed to the public.This won’t be the case, however, on October 2, when Yaddo will host an open house event that includes the rare chance to have a guided tour of the iconic buildings and grounds. This is the first time the public will be permitted in to see the newly restored mansion. We present an audio-tour preview with Yaddo President Elaina Richardson.

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