Press Releases

Spencertown Academy Arts Center presents “The Willows,” a theatrical conjuring of Algernon Blackwood’s 1909 supernatural psychedelic horror story, on Saturday, November 23, 7:30pm at the Academy’s Blanche Grubin Auditorium. Performed by celebrated British actress and voiceover artist Victoria Finney and adapted and directed by Alex Harvey, this storytelling performance saturates audience members in an eerie odyssey to otherworldly realms guided only by the simple elements of sound, candlelight, and spoken word. General admission tickets ($20 public, $15 Academy members) are available via www.spencertownacademy.org.

Spencertown Academy Roots & Shoots Concerts Series presents the intercontinental fusion dance band Embe Esti in concert on Saturday, November 2 at 8:00pm at the Academy’s Blanche Grubin Auditorium. General admission tickets ($25 public, $20 Academy members) are available via www.spencertownacademy.org.

Spencertown Academy Arts Center presents its 9th annual Members’ Art Show featuring works made by more than 60 Academy community members. On Saturday, October 5, there will be an opening reception from 4:00pm to 6:00pm and the exhibit will remain on display through November 3. Gallery hours are Saturdays and Sundays from 1:00pm to 5:00pm. Admission is free and most of the artworks are for sale; a portion of the proceeds benefits the Academy.

Spencertown Academy Roots & Shoots Concerts Series, in association with the Capital Region Blues Network (CRBN), presents Misty Blues on Saturday, October 12 at 8:00pm. General admission tickets ($25 public, $20 Academy and CRBN members) are available via www.spencertownacademy.org.

Spencertown Academy Arts Center’s 19th annual Festival of Books takes place over Labor Day weekend, August 30 through September 2. The Festival features a giant used book sale, two days of discussions with and readings by esteemed authors, and a children’s program. Featured authors include Martin Baron, Andrew Leland, Stephen McCauley, Paul Muldoon, Ruth Reichl, and Anna Shechtman. Admission is free to all of the events, save for the Members Only Preview early book-buying opportunity detailed below.

Spencertown Academy Arts Center presents “Drawn To Precision: In Monochrome,” a drawing exhibition that demonstrates the fine art that artists, with extraordinary skill, can produce using simple materials. Co-curated by Munya Avigail Upin and David Lesako, the show features graphite and pen-and-ink works by Stephanie Anderson, Ario Elami, Melissa Forbes, Douglas Gilbert, Maja Kihlstedt, Monica Miller, and Kate Minford. On Saturday, July 6 there will be an opening reception from 4:00p.m. to 6:00p.m. at the Academy and the show will remain on display through August 4. Gallery hours are Saturdays and Sundays from 1:00p.m. to 5:00p.m. Admission is free and the artworks are for sale, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting the Academy.

Spencertown Academy Arts Center presents “The Twilight BBQ Dance Party” on Saturday, June 29 from 5:00pm to 9:00pm on the grounds of the Austerlitz Historical Society located at 11458 NY-22 in Austerlitz, New York. Tickets to this family-friendly event are $175 for all-event access (dinner, beverages, music, dancing), $25 for all-event access for children 12 years old and under, $ 75 for music, dancing, and beverages after 7:00pm, and $300 and $500 for featured level sponsorship, including special thanks in the program. For further details, please see www.spencertownacademy.org.

Spencertown Academy Roots & Shoots Concerts Series presents Grammy-nominated folk singer-songwriter and author Mary Gauthier with special guest Jaimee Harris on Thursday, September 26 at 7:30 pm at the Academy’s Blanche Grubin Auditorium. General admission tickets ($30 public, $25 Academy members) are available via www.spencertownacademy.org.

Spencertown Academy Arts Center Conversations with Neighbors presents “Medical Cannabis: Weeding Out Fact From Fiction” on Sunday, June 9 at 2:00pm. Dr. Kenneth R. Weinberg, founder and chief medical officer of Cannabis Doctors of New York, will discuss the fascinating history of cannabis, his personal perspective about the plant, and the results he’s seen for his patients and their families. While admission is free, advance reservations are requested via www.spencertownacademy.org.

Spencertown Academy Arts Center presents “Spring Affair: Contemporary Art of the Hudson Valley,” an exhibition curated by Tim Ebneth featuring sculpture, ceramics, painting, photography, textile art, drawing, and mixed-media pieces by Kim Bach, Mary Breneman, Peter Hoffman, Gretchen Kelly, Joe Mama-Nitzberg, Linda McNutt, Christine Mottau, Robin Rice, Marc Swanson, and Anya Ulinich. On Saturday, June 1 there will be an opening reception from 4:00p.m. to 6:00p.m. at the Academy and the show will remain on display through June 30. Gallery hours are Saturdays and Sundays from 1:00p.m. to 5:00p.m. Admission is free and the artworks are for sale, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting the Academy.