Village Advisory Board: Arts & Culture Advisory Board

Mission

The mission of the Arts & Culture Advisory Board is to support thriving arts, cultural, and community institutions in an inclusive environment that fosters the creative economy, community pride, downtown revitalization, and diverse year-round cultural offerings within the Village of Saranac Lake.

The Board operates in an advisory capacity to the Village Board of Trustees and works to facilitate implementation of the Village of Saranac Lake Arts and Culture Master Plan.

The Arts & Culture Advisory Board also serves as an avenue of communication and consultation between the arts and cultural community and Village government, including representation from disciplines such as visual arts, music, dance, performance, literature, film, history, and craft.

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Duties & Responsibilities

The Arts & Culture Advisory Board is responsible for:

• Advising the Village Board of Trustees on arts and culture-related matters
• Advocating for implementation of the Arts and Culture Master Plan
• Supporting arts and cultural community engagement
• Assisting with arts funding and grant opportunities
• Promoting targeted arts and cultural marketing initiatives
• Supporting artists and arts organizations
• Encouraging arts-driven economic development
• Serving as a liaison between the arts and cultural community and Village government
• Promoting cooperation between public and private partners in support of arts and culture

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Members

The Arts & Culture Advisory Board consists of up to nine voting members appointed by the Village Board of Trustees, along with one ex-officio Village Board liaison. Members serve staggered two-year terms. Members serve without compensation.

Appointments are made with the goal of representing a broad range of artistic and cultural perspectives as well as diversity with respect to age, ability, race, and gender. The Board also seeks representation from individuals with experience in marketing and business.

Voting members should be:

• Owners or representatives of arts or culture-related businesses or organizations
• Individuals with relevant arts, cultural, marketing, organizational, or business experience

Current Members

Kirk Sullivan, Chair	5/31/28
Alison Banuski	5/31/28
Aaron Hobson	5/31/28
Alex Krach	5/31/27
Paige Lamb	5/31/28
Anastasia Osolin	5/31/27
Charlie Reinersten	5/31/28
Peter Seward	5/31/27
Ben Sitts	5/31/27

Ex-Officio Member

Village Trustee Aurora White

Staff Liaison

Community Development Director

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Meetings

The Arts & Culture Advisory Board meets monthly, with regular meetings held:

Third Wednesday at 5 PM
Village Board Room
39 Main Street
Saranac Lake, NY 12983

All meetings are open to the public in accordance with New York State Open Meetings Law.

Board members may attend meetings remotely by telephone or video conferencing.

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Bylaws

The Arts & Culture Advisory Board has adopted bylaws governing:

• Membership and appointments
• Officer roles and responsibilities
• Quorum and voting procedures
• Attendance requirements
• Meeting procedures
• Conflict of interest policies
• Public participation procedures
• Committee structure
• Adoption and amendment procedures

[Arts & Culture Advisory Board Bylaws]

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Contact Information

Village of Saranac Lake
39 Main Street
Saranac Lake, NY 12983

Phone: (518) 891-4150
Email: [email protected]

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Join or Participate

Public participation and community engagement are important components of the Arts & Culture Advisory Board’s work. Artists, cultural organizations, businesses, residents, and community members are encouraged to attend meetings, provide input, and participate in supporting Saranac Lake’s arts and cultural community.