Courtesy LARAC
By Ann Donnelly
2023 was an eventful year for the Lower Adirondack Regional Arts Council, more commonly known as LARAC, whose mission is to enrich the quality of life in Warren, Washington, and Northern Saratoga Counties by supporting arts and culture through promoting, developing, sponsoring, networking, coordinating, and providing arts activities and services. The organization undertook a revamp of its branding and the development of a more user-friendly website and had significant additions to its offerings.
In June 2023, LARAC held its 52nd annual Arts Festival, featuring local, regional, and national artists offering various products such as jewelry, home goods, food items, fine art, textiles, etc., and live entertainment by local musicians. The 2023 show included 165 artists, compared to the five to ten artists participating in the first festival in 1972. That year, Executive Director Phil Casabona says, “A group of people passionate about the community and understood the importance of art and the number of artists in the area founded the organization.”
LARAC introduced a new arts festival for local artists under 40 in August 2023. According to Casabona,
“For the first time since LARAC’s founding, the staff is primarily under 40, so we decided to actively support our counterparts, younger artists that are getting started and may not be able to afford to participate in the main June festival.”
The second LARAC Locals Under 40 Fine Arts Festival occurs on Saturday, August 5, 2024, in Glens Falls’ City Park.
2023 also saw the opening of the LARAC Mountain Gallery on the corner of Maple and Bay Streets. The organization is working hard to raise the $40K needed through their annual fund and community and business sponsorships to keep the doors open through 2024. The Mountain Gallery’s yearly schedule of eight exhibits concludes with an additional Members Show during the holiday season. The Mountain Gallery is also a workshop space, meeting, and event venue.
The Lapham Carriage House, a beautifully restored Victorian carriage house in the historic district of downtown Glens Falls, houses the main gallery and gift shop. The LARAC Lapham Gallery holds seven shows a year, each featuring two to three artists. The gift shop offers handmade local arts and crafts. Six weeks before Christmas, the entire gallery turns into a holiday shop. In 2023, the holiday shop included the work of approximately 75 new and returning artists.
In 2024, LARAC will give away approximately $100K in New York State Council on the Arts funding to artists and organizations in Warren and Washington Counties through three categories: Program Support for Organizations Grants, Individual Artist Grants, and Arts Education Grants. Alyssa O’Neill, Community Outreach and Grant Director, facilitates this program.
“I feel that we are standing on the shoulders of giants,” says Casabona. “We truly believe in the impact that art makes on people and the community, the cultural impact that has. We wouldn’t be here this long if it wasn’t for strong community support year after year. We are only here because of that and will always continue to do our part.”
Casabona, an artist with a Fine Arts degree, started as a volunteer at LARAC approximately 20 years ago when he first moved to the area. He then went from working one day a month to part-time and then became the full-time Festival Coordinator. In addition to Executive Director, Casabona also has the roles of Festival Director and Gallery Curator.
Current programs at LARAC include:
LARAC Lapham Gallery, 7 Lapham Place, Glens Falls.
Monday-Saturday 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Thursdays 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Current Show: LARAC Members Show at the LARAC Lapham Gallery
Featuring over 100 works by LARAC members
January 19 – February 21, 2024
Opening Reception: Friday, January 19th, 5 p.m.
LARAC Mountain Gallery, 21 Bay Street, Glens Falls.
Wednesday-Saturday 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Current Show: NCA Members Show at LARAC Mountain Gallery
Featuring over 50 works by members of North Country Arts
January 12 – February 14, 2024
Opening Reception: Friday, January 19th, 6 p.m.
Find more information on the LARAC website: https://www.larac.org/