Press Release: Saratoga Performing Arts Center Announces $17.5 Million “Four Seasons” Capital Campaign in Celebration of SPAC’s Upcoming 60th Anniversary
May 15, 2025
Saratoga Performing Arts Center Announces
$17.5 Million “Four Seasons” Capital Campaign
in Celebration of SPAC’s Upcoming 60th Anniversary
Featuring $12 million renovation of the historic Spa Little Theater, in partnership with New York State Parks
Stewart’s Shops/Dake Family donates lead gift of $1 Million
Saratoga Springs, NY (May 15, 2025) – Saratoga Performing Arts Center announces a $17.5 million Four Seasons Campaign to kick off its upcoming 60th anniversary in 2026. The capital campaign will raise funds to renovate the historic Spa Little Theater, in partnership with New York State Parks, in addition to supporting the organization’s year-round artistic and educational programming. The campaign, titled “Four Seasons” in celebration of SPAC’s expanded role as a year-round presenter and its place in nature, is the largest fundraising campaign in the organization’s 59-year history.
“Even after over eight years at the helm of SPAC, I still marvel at the sense of connection and generosity that this community has for SPAC and our city — as well as our unique and extraordinary partnership with New York State Parks that has made this magic possible for six decades,” said Elizabeth Sobol, Chief Executive Officer of Saratoga Performing Arts Center at the Annual Meeting. “Launching our Four Seasons Campaign is an exciting next step that will bring us into the future, raising funds to completely renovate and restore Spa Little Theater for the first time in its 100-year history and supporting our year-round artistic and educational programming for years to come.”
As part of the quiet phase of the campaign, which launched in 2024, Stewart’s Shops/Dake Family gave the lead gift of $1 million to support these initiatives. “In 1966, members of the Saratoga community came together to build SPAC. Sixty years later, we are asking the Saratoga community to help ensure that all we have created here together endures well into the future. We hope you will join us as we celebrate the magic of SPAC – now all four seasons of the year,” says Susan Law Dake, SPAC Board Member and Four Seasons Campaign Chair.
Spa Little Theater Renovation:
At its Annual Meeting, SPAC revealed plans to undergo a $12 million renovation of the historic Spa Little Theater, in partnership with New York State Parks. The upcoming project marks the first time that the 500-seat venue has undergone a major renovation since it was built in 1935, and will feature a fresh and accessible design that maintains its exceptional acoustic and the historic integrity of the theater.
Christopher Shiley, President of SPAC, reported that since taking over the operations of Spa Little Theater in 2022, SPAC has presented more than 100 events in the theater, welcomed more than 35,000 guests, and expanded Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center’s season to a year-round residency. In addition, the theater has become an event space for cultural, community and corporate partners.
The project will revitalize the theater with 17,125 square feet of interior and exterior renovation, featuring a new floor plan and accessibility measures, theater upgrades including updated seats, increased ADA seating, a brand-new stage floor, and an environmentally efficient state-of-the-art HVAC system. The lobby will also be completely transformed with a new layout that includes an increased number of fully renovated and accessible restrooms and an updated box office. In addition, the renovation will feature the creation of a newly constructed bar/café, and a multipurpose community room with an adjacent outdoor patio. Finally, the project will create a new artist suite and dressing rooms.
The project has been awarded a $2.2 million capital grant from Empire State Development through the Regional Council initiative, and $2 million pursuant to the most recently enacted New York State budget thanks to Governor Kathy Hochul, New York State Parks, and the New York State Legislature. Additional funding has been provided by Stewart’s Shops/Dake Family with a lead gift of $1 million in addition to tremendous generosity from the SPAC board as well as other private donors and family foundations.
OPRHP and SPAC are negotiating a long-term agreement for SPAC’s renovation and operation of the theater. The groundbreaking is slated for September 2025, with a reopening planned for late fall of 2026 to celebrate the conclusion of the 60th anniversary season.
Sobol added, “As we near our 60th anniversary, we embark on the next phase of SPAC’s growth. Revitalization of this treasured venue, SPAC’s primary engine outside of its legendary summer season, will allow for further contribution to the cultural and economic prosperity of the city, county, and region.”
“The renewal of the Spa Little Theater will energize the park with dynamic year-round educational, cultural, and tourism offerings for our visitors,” OPRHP Saratoga-Capital Regional Director Alane Ball Chinian said. “I applaud the commitment and generosity of all those involved in this grassroots effort to make the project a reality.”
Since 2016, SPAC has embraced an expanded definition of the arts with culinary, literary, visual, and healing arts complementing the world-class performing arts that appear on the amphitheater stage. SPAC’s arts education and community programming has also expanded exponentially, now serving over fifty thousand students every year. In keeping with this growth, SPAC opened the SPAC School of the Arts in 2021, and in 2022, SPAC re-opened the doors to Spa Little Theater with a robust schedule of year-round dance, theater, jazz, classical, and world music offerings. Today SPAC welcomes more than 500,000 visitors through its gates each year.
To donate or learn more visit Four Seasons | Saratoga Performing Arts Center.
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Saratoga Performing Arts Center
Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC), located in the historic resort town of Saratoga Springs in upstate New York, is one of America’s most prestigious outdoor amphitheaters. Its tranquil setting in a 2,400-acre park preserve surrounded by hiking trails, geysers, and natural mineral springs draws lovers of arts, culture and nature for performances by resident companies New York City Ballet, The Philadelphia Orchestra, The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, the Saratoga Jazz Festival, and concerts by Live Nation. SPAC also hosts imaginative programming such as Caffè Lena @ SPAC and initiatives in culinary, literary, healing and visual arts.
SPAC is a 501c3 charitable organization. Donations and proceeds from fundraising events benefit the Center’s thriving education program, community outreach efforts, and the vibrancy of its programming. For more information visit spac.org.