Arts & Culture

Saratoga, New York: A Cultural Hub for the Performing Arts

Though the city of Saratoga Springs, NY, may be relatively small in size, there’s never a shortage of live music, theater, or events.

The iconic Saratoga Performing Arts Center was once named the Best Outdoor Music Venue in a USA Today 10 Best readers’ poll. Each summer, SPAC plays host to one of the most respected and popular Jazz Festivals in the nation, and is the summer home of the New York City Ballet, Philadelphia Orchestra, and the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. And every summer, Live Nation acts like Dave Matthews Band, Sting, Kings of Leon, Heart, Luke Bryan, and more fill the amphitheater and stunning surrounding grounds. 

Caffè Lena, on Phila Street, is the oldest continuously running folk venue in the country and provides a unique coffee-house setting featuring established and emerging musicians, poets, and storytellers. The Home Made Theater (Dee Sarno Theater and The Spa Little Theater) delivers creative, high-quality performances to loyal and enthusiastic audiences.

The recently restored Universal Preservation Hall (UPH), located just a block off Broadway, provides a wide range of theatrical and musical performances. Originally built as a Methodist Church in 1871, it later became a Baptist Church, and while it still offers a small chapel, the large and beautiful main hall upstairs is a spectacular performance space.

Numerous art galleries are found in the Beekman Street Arts District, which also includes some of the best restaurants and coolest shops in Saratoga. The talented artists specialize in painting, weaving, clay, and so much more! Located on Broadway is Saratoga Arts, a non-profit organization that presents gallery exhibits, art classes, and performances. Skidmore College boasts the Arthur Zankel Music Center, Schick Art Gallery and Tang Teaching Museum, and offers music and dance performances open to the public all year long.

Check out our Saratoga events calendar to see where the action is!