Spencertown Academy Arts Center

The Spencertown Academy Arts Center is tucked away in the small town of Spencertown , but offers so many wonderful programs and services to the community.

The Spencertown Academy Arts Center is known for its rich history in Columbia County . The lovely Greek revival building that houses The Spencertown Academy was built in 1847 as an Academy for the training of young men and women to become teachers. It was founded by Dr. Timothy Woodbridge, who was pastor of Saint Peter's Church across the Village Green from the Academy. Woodbridge was a grandson of Stockbridge preacher Jonathan Edwards and a cousin of Aaron Burr. Woodbridge became blind while studying at Williams College . The money to build the Academy was raised by Dr. Woodbridge from members of the community.

The Academy was designed and built by Benjamin Ambler. In about 1879 the Academy became a Union Free School , a two-room schoolhouse for the children of Spencertown grades one through eight. It remained a school until 1970 when the children were bussed into Chatham .

In 1972, seeking to save the classic building, a group of concerned citizens and artists formed the Spencertown Academy Society and established cultural center which serves the community with arts events, classes and exhibits, and has also been restoring the building which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Spencertown Academy is governed by a Board of Directors made up of concerned citizens from the surrounding communities. It is staffed by an executive director, an artistic director, an education director, and many dedicated volunteers. Today the Spencertown Academy Arts Center is a host to many wonderful arts and musical performances year round.

The Academy also coordinates an Art-in-Education program with the Chatham School District . The goal of the program, now in its third year, is to enrich the educational experience and expand the cultural vocabulary of students in the Chatham Central School District . Planning meetings with classroom teachers revealed that an increased emphasis on mandated testing leave many feeling pressured to focus on core subject areas and “teach to the test,” often at the expense of specialty areas such as art and music. The “Arts Map of the World” program is based on a working partnership with classroom teachers and aims to integrate the arts into existing classroom curriculum creating a rich and well-rounded perspective. Under the direction of Thomas Lee and Dr. Mike Wallace, the 2007-2008 program will be expanded to include grades three through six – involving over 500 students. In each grade, the program is centered on a specific, prescribed curriculum unit such as ancient civilizations, world cultures, or American history. During each unit students are exposed to history through the experience of visual art, music, architecture, drama, and literature relating to the area of study. Performances, lectures, workshops, and hands-on activities were woven into the school day, and each unit culminated in a school-wide festival attended by students, teachers, and parents. This year the whole community will be invited to experience the program in a series of open houses at Spencertown Academy where students will showcase their learning.

The Spencertown Academy offers a variety of membership levels to suit everyone's needs. Academy members are friends and neighbors who believe the arts enrich our community and our lives. Membership is vital to support the organization. Members of the Academy can enjoy significant ticket discounts to all performances at the Academy, choose from top cabaret performers, virtuoso chamber music, Celtic fiddlers, jazz ensembles, readings of playwrights of the Hudson Valley, music from the Middle East, gallery openings, and free community programs – there's always something new and surprising. As a member you'll also receive first notice about upcoming performances and events, and invitations to special events like the popular Hidden Gardens Tour and the Revels gala, the annual mid-winter moveable feast. Contact the Spencertown Academy for more information.

The Spencertown Academy Arts Center is located at 790 Route 203 in Spencertown. For more information call 392-3693 or visit www.spencertownacademy.org.