Upcoming Events And Activities
Revels 2026
Valentine's Day Edition
February 14
Thanks to all who joined in the festivities for our 37th Annual Revels celebration, the Academy's oldest signature fundraiser. Delicious and convivial dinners at members’ homes, decadent and abundant desserts, music from the Lisha Delfino Jazz Trio, festive decor, photo booth (even Revels "tattoos"), but most of all your generous, spirited participation made for a memorable evening. A special thank you to our dinner hosts and bakers who went above and beyond!
More photos coming soon
CALLING ALL ACADEMY ARTISTS for our 11th Annual Members' Show
Submissions open from February 11- April 20
We are happy to invite our talented community to show their work at this popular annual show. This is not a juried show ALL current Academy members are encouraged to submit. All media are accepted.
Learn more
Sister Sylvester - Drinking Brecht
PS21's The Dark at Spencertown Academy
February 17: 6:30pmFebruary 19: 6:30pm
February 20: 6:30pm
Performance artist and filmmaker (and occasional amateur microbiologist) Sister Sylvester works with new technologies to make cross-species collaborations, essay films, and lecture performances. Using DNA extracted from a hat worn by actors in Bertolt Brecht’s Berliner Ensemble, Drinking Brecht is a live, illustrated essay that explores the past and present of genetics, synthetic biology, economics and theatre history.
Learn more
Julian Brave NoiseCat
We Survived the Night: A Coyote Story in Four Parts
PS21's The Dark at Spencertown Academy
February 21: 7pmFebruary 22: 4pm
Across his genre-defying work, Julian Brave NoiseCat often turns to the narrative arts of his people who tell stories about mythic ancestors like the trickster Coyote to make sense of the world and themselves, cutting through colonial fictions while pushing the boundaries of nonfiction to illuminate vital truths.
Learn more
Winter Memoir Workshop with Elizabeth Diggs: SOLD OUT
February 19 - April 9, 8 Thursdays: 3-5pm
The personal memoir has become one of our most popular genres. Every life is a compelling and unique story. In this workshop, explore how to shape and explore your stories. Put pen to paper, fingers to keyboard, and craft the memories you’ve been waiting to tell, with expert tutelage!
Learn more
Heavenly Echoes Gospel Band
Saturday, February 28: 7:30 pm
We are pleased to present Heavenly Echoes Gospel Band, in collaboration with the Capital Region Blues Network. Founded by the late Deacon James Edmonds in 1965 in Albany, NY, wiith roots in the Stax/Volt style of Southern Soul, they perform both classic and contemporary gospel music—a mix of originals, well-known traditional spirituals and hymns, covers of songs that crossed over into pop music.
Learn more
Friendly Banjos With Zack
Saturday March 7th: 10:00-11:00am
Using the banjo as the main tool, Zack teaches basic skills that apply to any string instrument—ukulele, guitar, Loog guitar, violin, you name it. By the end of the workshop, your child will be strumming their first song on the banjo,feeling confident and excited for more music-making at home. FREE! AGES 4-7 with an adult companion.
Learn mor
Amber Chand: Tales of the Boatwoman
Sunday March 8: 2pm
This storytelling performance offers an evocative journey into the world of Chand’s ancestors in India and Africa. Audience members will discover why a passionate elopement turned into an unhappy betrayal; why a black-and-white photograph would change the destiny of a family; and how an ancient Vedic mantra accompanied a young woman on her voyage across the seas.
Learn more
The Gift to be Simple: Our Local Shaker Heritage and Its Future
Sunday, March 22, 2:00pm
This panel discussion will feature Shaker Museum’s newly appointed Executive Director Claudia Gould, Director of Library & Collections Jerry Grant, and Collections Manager Sharon Duane Koomler. Topics will include the museum’s now 18,000 object-strong collection, history of the Shakers at Mount Lebanon’s thriving garden seed industry, and plans on the horizon for the museum set to open in Chatham in 2028.
Learn more
Cultivating Balance - A Workshop on Stability & Mobility
Wednesday, March 25: 10:00 - Noon
Tai Chi movements & postures teach us to listen to our feet, to be secured to the ground and simultaneously aligned upwards to the crown of the head. Being upright in gravity is a necessary condition of balance. In this workshop, we’ll practice being balanced, when we lose it and how we regain it.
Learn more
Variations on a Theme
March 27-April 26
This invitational, the first show of our 2026 gallery season, features artwork by Betsy Jacks, Jim Krewson, John Morra, Marilyn Orner, Alan Papscun, and Robert Watkins. It focuses on the concept that artists frequently return over time to a subject that holds enduring interest for them.
Learn more
Announcing our 2026 Young Writers' Contest!
Spencertown Academy is excited to once again open its annual Young Writers' Contest to high school students (including homeschoolers) in Columbia County, NY and Berkshire County, MA, grades 9-12.
Learn more
Seedling Swap & Sale
Saturday, June 6: 10am - 2pm
Join us for Spencertown Academy’s first Seedling Swap & Sale a welcoming celebration of gardening, generosity, and growing together. Local gardeners and plant enthusiasts of all experience levels are invited to share seedlings, swap favorites, or purchase plants to take home for the season ahead — vegetables, herbs, flowers, and more… all plants are welcome!
Learn more.
Annual Appeal
Help to support our mission of Building Community Through the Arts, 50 years and going strong. Make your tax deductible gift today.
Winter 2025/2026 Newsletter Now Available
See what's coming up and read the interesting backstory to some of our programming and events. See the latest as well as past newsletters.
Festival of Books - 20 Years Strong!
The 20th Annual Festival of Books was a magnificent community event, graced with beautiful weather and crowds of enthusiastic readers of all ages. We tallied record sales for this cornerstone fundraiser and are so grateful for your enthusiastic support and participation. A very special thank you to our generous sponsors who helped to “Get the Festival off the Ground”! Learn more.
Gee's Bend Quilt Show
July 12- August 3
Over 4 weeks we welcomed close to 3,000 visitors who came from far and wide, to view this exhibition representing joy, hard work, history and artistry. We thank everyone who passed through our doors, purchased the Quilters' wares, sponsors and donors and our scores of volunteers. Learn more. 
It Was A Great Party!
Thanks to all who danced, dined, shopped and celebrated with us on a beautiful summer evening. Kudos to Larry Walker "What's Really Good" for the fantastic BBQ and to Silver Arrow Band for the dance tunes! Event photos.
Watch and Listen to PAST Programming
Dexter Palmer & Rishi Reddi
Discuss their works of historical fiction with Daphne Kalotay. Watch the video on our YouTube channel.
Peter Sis
Discusses his book Nicky and Vera- A Quiet Hero of the Holocaust and the Children He Rescued, with Carl Atkins.
Watch the video.
Rick Rogers
Learn how to make Almas Pite, a delicious Hungarian apple pie.
In conversation with Madaline Sparks. Watch the interview.
HERE'S HOW YOU CAN GET INVOLVED
Become a Member
We're dedicated to programs in a welcoming space for our Columbia County community and neighbors. Learn more.
