One of the most important messages that came out of Saratoga Living/Capital Region Living‘s Capital Region Gives Back event this past December 10 was that our area’s nonprofits and charities need more support than ever before. For one of Saratoga’s brightest arts organizations, it was too little too late.
Radial Arts, formerly SaratogaArtsFest, announced today that it would be shutting down. “As we bid farewell to 2020, we wanted to take this opportunity to connect with you and share some bittersweet news,” the board wrote in a prepared statement. “As you are well aware, 2020 has presented many challenges to our world, with lasting ripples sure to impact the arts community for years to come. We have concluded that the time has come to close our curtains. We thank all of our partners, patrons and friends who have helped us shine a spotlight on—and provide access to—Saratoga Springs’ vibrant arts community over the years.”
The organization, which made a name for itself in town with its popular All Hallows’ Eve Masquerade Ball fundraisers and partnerships with local organizations such as the Saratoga Performing Arts Center, the National Museum of Dance, Skidmore College’s Tang Museum and the Saratoga Shakespeare Company, asked its supporters to consider pivoting their donations to Saratoga Arts, the arts organization headquartered in the former Saratoga Springs Public Library building at 320 Broadway.
Radial Arts, which just last year revealed its strategic rebranding, suggested that Saratoga Arts would be carrying on its torch and would soon host a special initiative to honor its mission and legacy.