Go big or go home? Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) is choosing the former as it kicks off a $17.5 million fundraising campaign to celebrate its 60th anniversary in 2026. While you’ve come to know SPAC as the go-to spot for summer music programming in Saratoga, after this capital campaign—aptly named the Four Seasons Campaign to reflect both SPAC’s year-round programming and its physical location amid the natural beauty of Saratoga Spa State Park—you may start to think differently about the jewel of Spa City performance arts.
The focus of the Four Seasons Campaign is The Spa Little Theater, which, located near SPAC in the Saratoga Spa State Park, hosts SPAC programming in the “off-season” (aka when an al fresco concert in the SPAC amphitheater isn’t feasible). While the historic venue is already beloved, sometimes a little—or a lot of—modernization is necessary.
To that end, SPAC has partnered with New York State Parks to revitalize the 17,125-square-foot interior and exterior of the theater, marking the 500-seat venue’s first major renovation since it was built in 1935. The $12 million project includes a new floor plan and accessibility measures, theater upgrades including improved seating and increased ADA seating, a brand-new stage floor, and a state-of-the-art HVAC system. In addition, the lobby will be transformed with a new layout that includes renovated and accessible restrooms; new dressing rooms, a multipurpose community room, an outdoor patio, an artist suite, and a bar/cafe (!) will also be added. All of this will be done while maintaining the theater’s historic integrity.
That’s not all the Four Seasons Campaign will fund, though. The other $5.5 million will support SPAC initiatives including artistic vision (to activate new spaces, collaborate with new artists, and engage with new audiences); education and community (to continue to offer free programs, educational workshops, and weekly classes for children and other underserved audiences); and facilities and operations (to support SPAC’s operational administration, maintenance and upkeep, security, inevitable emergencies, and staff).
The behemoth fundraising effort is already underway. During the quiet phase of the campaign, which launched behind the scenes in 2024, Stewart’s Shops/The Dake Family gave a lead gift of $1 million; subsequently, the project was awarded a $2.2 million capital grant from Empire State Development as well as $2 million from the most recently enacted New York State budget. Additional funding has come from the SPAC board, private donors, and family foundations, but more still needs to be raised.
“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, SPAC’s CEO. “Launching our Four Seasons Campaign is an exciting next step that will bring us into the future.”
Currently, New York State Parks and SPAC are negotiating a long-term agreement for SPAC’s renovation and operation of Spa Little Theater. Groundbreaking is anticipated for September 2025, and the reopening of the theater is planned for late fall 2026, marking the conclusion of the 60th anniversary season.
Love SPAC and want to be part of its future? Learn more and donate to the Four Seasons Campaign here.
