Juried Show awards announced at Adirondack Artists Guild

A total of 67 artworks were chosen for the show by juror Caroline Welsh, from 149 entries submitted by 63 artists.

 The First Prize award of $500, given by the Artists Guild, went to Dave Ostrowski of South Glens Falls for his acrylic painting entitled “The Hudson at Stillwater.”

Second Prize of $350, sponsored by Gear to Go Tandems, was awarded to Ron Nolland of Plattsburgh for his photograph “Shore to Sky.” 

Third Prize of $200, sponsored by Cascade Builders, was awarded to Brigit Krans of South Hero, VT, for her oil painting “Cow Portrait.”

Four Honorable Mention awards, each valued at $50, were given by River Trail Beerworks, The Waterhole, Hamlets to Huts and Play ADK. The artists receiving these awards were James Abendroth for his photograph “Winter Walk on Norman Ridge,” Vera Doumanoff for her oil painting “Come Sail Away,” Holly Friesen for her acrylic painting “Sunlit Hilltop,” and Robert Powell for his oil painting “Ausable Mouth.”

The Guild offers its congratulations to all of the artists who were accepted into this year’s show and hope they will return next year.

Images: “The Hudson at Stillwater,” by David Ostrowski, “Shore to Sky,” by Ron Nolland, “Cow Portrait,” by Brigit Krans.

Adirondack Artists Guild Gallery, 52 Main St., Saranac Lake

OurStoryBridge presents

100+ Voices, 19 States: Oral History Project Captures the “Pulse of a Nation” in Real-Time

In just seven months, a new national oral history initiative has achieved a critical milestone, capturing over 100 stories from 19 states and the District of Columbia. OurStoryBridge Listens: Present in the Moment is a non-partisan effort documenting the raw, unfiltered experiences of Americans navigating a rapidly changing social and political landscape.

Unlike traditional history projects that look back decades, this initiative uses a “short-form” methodology—three-to-five-minute digital narratives—to preserve history as it happens.

“We are providing a listening post to those who need it most,” said Jery Huntley, founder and president of OurStoryBridge Inc. “As an oral historian, I felt the urgency to document this period immediately. These are brief, powerful accounts that meet the attention span of today while providing a roadmap for future historians.”

OurStoryBridge Listens: Present in the Moment is patterned after other partner projects supported by OurStoryBridge Inc., which began by recording the stories of people in the small town of Keene in the Adirondack Mountains of New York state and has since become a national 501(c)(3) charitable nonprofit. The short-form oral histories of 3 to 5 minutes are accompanied by photographs and posted online on dedicated websites.

You can learn more HERE.

North Country Public Radio and SLC Arts announce

NCPR’s 2026 National Poetry Month Contest

This April, join NCPR and SLC Arts in Potsdam in celebrating National Poetry Month! Every weekday in April, NCPR will be sharing a new poem submitted by our listeners and readers.

Poems will be curated by Ethan Shantie, host of NCPR’s The HOWL Podcast. Ethan is the author of three collections of poetry, including 2024’s Shapeshift With Me, published through Riverside Press.

Get all the details HERE.

Depot Theatre and 4-H Launch County-Wide Theatre-Based Communication & Mentorship Program

The Depot Theatre / Depot Theatre Academy and Cornell Cooperative Extension of Essex County (CCE) have formalized a new county-wide partnership to bring theatre-based communication skills, career exploration, and mentorship opportunities to 4-H and regional youth across Essex County.

The partnership will launch this spring with a series of Pop-Up Theatre Workshops designed to help students build presentation skills, confidence, and leadership capacity through structured, experiential learning.

Beginning March 30, professional teaching artists from The Depot Theatre will facilitate 60–90-minute after-school sessions for the middle & high school students of Boquet Valley Central School, with the objective of expanding to other county schools this year.  

School-based sessions will be supported by regional half-day Saturday morning workshops in Westport, open to middle & high school aged youth from multiple districts.Registration information for the first Saturday workshop on April 18 can be found HERE.

More information including additionl programs is HERE

From the Arts Center Lake Placid 

Celebrating Lake Placid School of Dance Students

Each spring, the Arts Center Lake Placid looks forward to celebrating our Lake Placid School of Dance students and all they have accomplished over the school year. The School of Dance brings students together for high-quality training in ballet, pointe, modern, jazz, and variations from ages 3 and up in a positive and supportive environment.

In addition to the upcoming spring recital that is a culmination of the students’ work, we are thrilled to recognize the advanced students from Levels 4 and 5 who have received an extraordinary number of acceptances into highly respected summer ballet intensives across the country.

Collectively, Aurora Brunner, Eloise Bubar, Amelia Chin, Lena Haas, Liesl Haney, Taika Mseze, and Emma VanWeelden have earned acceptances into the following prestigious programs:

Alvin Ailey Professional Division, Ballet Arizona, BalletMet, Burklyn Ballet, Cincinnati Ballet Collegiate Ballet Program, Joffrey Ballet, Kansas City Ballet, Louisville Ballet, Milwaukee Ballet Pre-Professional Program, Nashville Ballet, Nutmeg Conservatory for the Arts, Oklahoma City Ballet, Orlando Ballet & 1-Year Academy Program, Philadelphia Ballet, Princeton Ballet, Sacramento Ballet, Sarasota Ballet, Texas Ballet Theater, Tulsa Ballet, and the waitlist of Boston Ballet.

Summer dance intensives are nationally (and often internationally) competitive programs. Students submit detailed applications that include dance resumes, teacher recommendations, academic information, and—most significantly—auditions, either in person or via video submission. Many of these programs accept only a small percentage of applicants, drawing dancers from major metropolitan training programs and pre-professional academies. Acceptance is a meaningful recognition of both technical level and artistic promise.

As Arts Center Executive Director James Lemons acknowledged, “For our “little” school to generate this many acceptances—across such a wide range of nationally recognized institutions—is a powerful testament to the strength of our training and our faculty.”

Special recognition goes to instructors Alice Schonbek, Kristen Glazier, Skylar Curtis, and the entire School of Dance team: Tara Palen and Emily Brown, as well as the students’ extraordinarily supportive families. Bravo all!

More information about the School of Dance can be found HERE.

Get a head start on Earth Day with a fun, eco-friendly craft!

Using recycled juice can lids and a colorful array of supplies, participants will create an adorable magnet perfect for the fridge, a locker, or anywhere that needs a little flair.

Personalize your creation with drawings, stickers, pompoms, gems, and more, and see how something old can become something new!

Parental participation is encouraged, and supervision is required.

This program is free but requires registration. To register, please call (518)793-2826.

Chapman Museum, 348 Glen Street, Glens Falls

Adirondack Center for Writing presents

Queer Lit Night

Sunday, March 29, 5 – 7 pm

Join usfor an opportunity for queer readers and writers to read, write, and connect! PLUS, for the first time, QLN will also feature an open mic!

Additional details HERE.

Hex & Hop Brewing, 1719 State Rte 3, Bloomingdale

In Case You Missed It

“Kiddos have a new space to play and learn about 

North Country culture”

NCPR’s Northern Light co-host Monica Sandreczki recently checked out the newly-completed renovations at the Children’s Museum in Potsdam. 

You can read or listen to the article HERE.

Image: Sharon Vegh Williams, executive director of the North Country Children’s Museum, sits in a replica of a Schwartzentruber Amish home. Williams and her staff designed the new exhibit in consultation with local Amish families and Dr. Karen Johnson-Weiner, professor emerita of linguistic anthropology at SUNY Potsdam. Photo: Monica Sandreczki.

Saranac Lake PorchFest announces

Seeking bands and hosts for 2nd Annual Saranac Lake PorchFest

Event will be held Saturday, August 1, 2026, 11 am – 5 pm

Local residents and musical groups are encouraged to sign up HERE by July 10. Bands and hosts are encouraged to sign up pre-paired, though individuals will be accepted and paired by the Saranac Lake PorchFest committee. The committee is also seeking volunteers, ambassadors and sponsors.