The City of Saratoga Springs announced plans to support the Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) with a $14,000 economic development award as a first step in a plan to promote the city as a worldwide destination for arts and culture.
The initiative, which launches this spring, is expected to continue in future years to spur economic development by promoting the Saratoga Springs as a thriving arts community to journalists and media beyond the Capital Region, officials said.
“The city’s arts venues, cultural events, and artists are as world-class as its racing and natural beauty,” said Saratoga Springs Mayor Meg Kelly. “We are excited to partner with SPAC to tell the story of this vital and unique aspect of Saratoga Springs.”
Through the initiative, SPAC and the city are collaborating with Rebecca Davis Public Relations. The firm has handled national press outreach on behalf of SPAC since the fall of 2016 and will expand the scope of its work to promote the myriad cultural organizations.
Officials said targets for coverage will include newspapers, magazines, online and broadcast outlets. Journalists for travel, lifestyle, arts, culture and mainstream publications will be invited to experience Saratoga Springs. News of arts and cultural happenings will be shared with outlets throughout the Northeast and across the country, as well as with classical music and news radio and podcasts.
“We at SPAC have made a concerted effort to reach out to journalists and other influencers to invite them to share with their audiences the perfect confluence of natural and man-made beauty to be experienced here,” said Elizabeth Sobol, SPAC president and CEO.
“We know that the story extends beyond the grounds of SPAC, however, to include the rich mix of cultural constituencies throughout the community,” she said. “Research has repeatedly shown that cultural travelers spend about 60 percent more, per trip, compared with domestic leisure travelers. So we know attracting those visitors will be beneficial for the entire city. We are so pleased Saratoga Springs has committed to working with us to bring that story to a new audience of cultural travelers.”