From left, Supervisor Derek Doty, Mayor Art Devlin, Councilman Rick Preston, Deputy Mayor Jackie Kelly, village Trustee Marc Galvin and Councilwoman Emily Kilburn Politi take part in a ceremonial groundbreaking at the Lake Placid Center for the Arts on Monday, Sept. 22. (News photo — Grace McIntyre)

LAKE PLACID — The Lake Placid Center for the Arts held a groundbreaking ceremony on Monday, Sept. 22 for the new performance and gallery building. The center also launched the public phase of fundraising and unveiled a new name and branding for the center, which will now be called Art Center Lake Placid.

The ceremony was sprinkled with memories and testimonies from board members and other residents, recounting generations of art-making at the LPCA. Cathy Johnston, a member of the LPCA board, thanked the many volunteers who have helped run the LPCA over the years and gave a tribute to Nettie Marie Jones, who founded the center in 1972.

Town of North Elba council member Emily Kilburn Politi commented on the generations of her family who have enjoyed the LPCA’s programs, culminating in her daughter’s debut in the Nutcracker production this year.

“For me, that is a sweet reminder of how LPCA traditions carry across generations,” she said. “These renovations will ensure that the LPCA can continue to serve future generations and better serve better with better spaces and greater accessibility and inclusivity.”

Board Co-Vice President Sarah Galvin announced that, following the fundraising efforts of the Garden Club of Lake Placid and other donors, the new center would have a garden dedicated to her grandmother, Ruth Hart. The space will feature plants from Hart’s own garden on Victor Herbert Road.

Executive Director James Lemons, left, talks with guests at the Lake Placid Center for the Arts groundbreaking ceremony on Monday, Sept. 22. (News photo — Grace McIntyre)

“With every family that walks through these doors together, we are reminded that art connects us across generations, across time and across differences,” Galvin said. “Our future is strong because our foundation is made up of many hands, many voices and many hearts working together.”

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Fundraising

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During the groundbreaking ceremony, LPCA Executive Director James Lemons announced that the center has raised around $22 million toward its $33 million capital campaign goal. The fundraising efforts are now public.

“It’s exciting, but it’s also reassuring,” Lemons said. “What it means is that the project is viable, sustainable, and it is already well underway.”

The LPCA has received several state grants for the project. This includes a $7.5 million grant from the state Council on the Arts capital projects fund, which was awarded to the center in 2023, and a $1 million grant from the Northern Border Regional Commission, awarded this summer.

Katie Steger, director of capital projects at NYSCA, attended the ceremony to thank state leaders for supporting the arts. New York was the first state to have an arts council, and Gov. Kathy Hochul increased NYSCA’s base budget this year for the first time in 10 years. Steger said it’s a challenging time for artists, with rising costs and a decrease in philanthropic giving.

“The arts are not a luxury. They are a necessity,” she said. “They fuel innovation. They knit communities together. They shape health and economy of our communities and the well being of every New Yorker.”

State Sen. Dan Stec, R-Queensbury, was also in attendance. He remarked on the many efforts by the Lake Placid community to make the village a welcoming destination for people of different ages, life stages, and with different interests — in addition to the famous winter sports scene. He attends the LPCA’s Joy to the Children fundraiser every year and said he admires how involved the community is.

“Whether it’s going to some of these performances, and seeing little kids locally that live here, learning to perform, learning about the arts, you’re going to tickle somebody’s interests,” he said. “You’re going to inspire somebody.”

The LPCA also has a pending $1 million award sponsored by Senators Kirstin Gillibrand and Chuck Schumer through the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The town of North Elba Local Enhancement and Advancement Fund also contributed, along with other foundations such as the Stewart’s Shops Dake Family and the Charles R. Wood Foundation.