About SVAN

What We Do

“SVAN is a major part of the glue that pulls the community together and draws in people from outside.”

—The Leader Herald

Our Mission

We promote the Arts throughout the Sacandaga Region.

We believe this mission will:

• Improve the quantity, quality, and diversity of cultural programming throughout the Sacandaga region.

• Assist local artists working in any medium and any skill level to improve their social, artistic, and economic opportunities.

• Support and encourage artists of any age or development.

• Act as a regional economic catalyst.

• Preserve our basic character as rural Adirondack communities.

• Improve the quality of life in our communities.

SVAN Events

SVAN and SMT host musical and theater events throughout the region and the SVAN Art Center and the SVAN Gallery in the Northville Public Library are hubs of activities.

SVAN Performing Arts: Music

SVAN Concert Series

Winter Coffee House Series

Summer Concert Series

Classical Concert Series

Additionally, SVAN presents concerts to support the Sacandaga Senior Task Force as well as support to the Rotary Woodworking and Fine Arts Weekend in Northville, NY

SVAN Performing Arts: Sacandaga Musical Theater

Multiple Dinner Theater events (mystery, musical, comedy or dinner-theater presentation)
Hot Night (cabaret-style music variety performance)

SVAN Visual Arts

SVAN Arts Center Gallery in Northville, NY (Rotating artists & artwork and receptions)
Vail Mills Artist Gallery (Rotating artists & artwork)
Northville NY Library Art Exhibits (Featured artist & artwork and receptions)
Annual Membership Show and reception
Art Trails (summer weekend of studio open-house showings/demonstrations)

SVAN Workshops

A wide variety of workshops and skill development programs per year, conducted by skilled artists, craftspeople and professionals in their artistic expression. Workshops have included such topical offerings as painting, photography, textiles/weaving, woodworking, jewelry-making, stained glass and literary/writing programs.

Who We Are

The Sacandaga Valley Arts Network, Ltd. is a New York non-profit corporation serving the region’s growing arts community and qualifies as an exempt organization under section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code.

SVAN Organization

Since the inception of SACANDAGA VALLEY ARTS NETWORK LTD (SVAN) in February 1997, SVAN has grown to a membership of over 200 members with a volunteer working board of 10 active members. SVAN has organized, sponsored or partnered with other organizations on over 75 events and workshops annually.  Officers and Directors are elected each year during the annual meeting by vote of the SVAN membership.

SVAN, while founded and centered in Northville, NY serves communities within the Sacandaga watershed in the south-central Adirondacks, an area covering almost 1000 square miles and parts of Fulton, Hamilton, Saratoga and Warren counties that include the communities of Arietta, Benson, Bleeker, Broadalbin, Day, Edinburg, Hadley, Hope, Lake Luzerne, Lake Pleasant, Mayfield, North Hampton, Northville, Piseco, Providence, Speculator, Wells and Vail Mills.  SVAN also recognizes our large membership just outside the watershed region in Gloversville and Johnstown. The SVAN organization is a Fulton/Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce member and additional SVAN information be accessed on www.44lakes.com.

Funding

The SVAN Board of Directors reviews and approves annual budgets and program schedules submitted by the many program and event committees. Support for many of the music concerts comes in part from Saratoga Arts through its Fulton-Montgomery Arts Grants Program, which is made possible by the Governor and New York State Legislature. We have also received grants and event sponsorship from the Northville Merchants Association and area businesses, as well as private and corporate donations. The remainder of the support to present SVAN events and programs comes from collected revenues such as ticket sales, membership dues, workshop fees and commission from gallery art sales. The grants and revenues, along with an amazing group of volunteers, enable SVAN to provide a wonderful varied selection of art related opportunities to our community. Listed below are the events and programs scheduled throughout the year. For more detailed information regarding the program scheduling, click on the calendar button.

SVAN Officers

President: Dianne Knapp, vicepresident@svanarts.org (2024)

Dianne Jutton Knapp, a retired educator, moved full time to Northampton after having vacationed at the lake since childhood. The lake and surrounding forests have always brought joy and inspiration in her everyday life as well as her art. Participating mostly with visual art media, Dianne enjoys and supports all of the arts. She sees SVAN as an opportunity to share her love of the arts and contribute to the community.

Vice President:  position is currently open vicepresident@svanarts.org (for information please contact vicepresident@svanarts.org)

Treasurer: Carolyn Darkangelo, treasurer@svanarts.org (2024)

Carolyn Darkangelo, a retired chemistry teacher from Mayfield, worked with the MCS Drama Club as an advisor for 15 years.   As members of SVAN since 2013, Carolyn and her husband, Dom, became part of a team that handled the logistics of preparing concert venues.  In 2017, she became SVAN’s treasurer.  Carolyn looks forward to sharing the arts with SVAN members in person later this year.   

Secretary (and Theater Committee Chair - SMT): Shelley Murphy, secretary@svanarts.org (2024) Shelley, well know for “Hot Night” resides in Brodalbin with her family. She has been the SVAN Theater Chair and Board secretary for three of her ten years on the SVAN Board. Shelley’s interest in theater began at the Northville Central School as choreographer for their many musicals, and has continued as an actress and director for Northville’s community theater groups Bat’s Bay, Actor’s Company, and Sacandaga Musical Theater. Shelley’s goal is to provide the community, young and old, with a place to participate in or enjoy the theater arts.

Membership Chair: Linda Brown, membership@svanarts.org (2024) Linda is a retired Audiologist who practiced in southeast PA while raising their 2 children. Both children landed in Saratoga Springs with 4 granddaughters, so Linda and husband chose GSL for a vacation and now retirement home. When her new ADK friends introduced her to SVAN, she loved their classes and mission, and recently agreed to be on the Board. She loves kayaking, snowshoeing, gardening and traveling (especially RVing). Now that she’s a full time ADK resident, she looks forward to exploring the world of arts and crafts more fully through SVAN classes.

Trustees:
Barb Spaeth, outerspaeth@gmail.com

Barbara Spaeth has been on the SVAN Board and Music Committee for the past 17 years. She has chaired that committee for 12 years.  Although not a musician she uses her planning and organizational skills, honed during her 30 years of teaching, to help plan, fund, and promote 12 to 15 musical events each year.

Carolyn Wilcox, librarygallery@svanarts.org

Carolyn is returning to the SVAN Board of Trustees after taking time off from the board to focus on her personal business, Silver Maple Stained Glass. Carolyn also chairs the ever popular annual event, Art Trails.

Don Hoffman, don@svanarts.org

Don Hoffman is a Performing musician, Audio engineer & runs a custom wood picture framing business from his home in Northville. As an 9 year member of SVAN on the music committee, Don is responsible for the hiring of musical acts for the SVAN concerts and also does much of the sound engineering for the concerts. He created and manages the “Youth Stage” program which brings local young aspiring talent to the SVAN stage. Don is an Adirondack 46’er and loves living in the Adirondack Park.

Margaret Draffen, cjdmad96@gmail.com

Margaret, an Iowa native, received a B.A. from Central College in Pella, IA.  While focusing on painting, she also gained experience in ceramics, glassblowing and metal work. 

A life-long singer, Margaret is active in her church choir and has provided solo work for funerals and weddings. She has experience leading children's church choirs and has participated in many choral groups including two tours in Europe singing in the Cologne Cathedral, Germany, and the Tivoli Gardens in Denmark. 

Highlights of Margaret's theatre work include performances in "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" and the regional debut of "CATS" in NE Iowa community theatres. She has experience in costume design and theatrical makeup applications. Her husband Chris, also a C.U.I. grad and SVAN member, is a musician, actor and director. 

Currently, Margaret enjoys painting in acrylics, which includes commissions and beloved pet portraits. She is excited to be moving to a larger studio space in Spring of '24. 

As a SVAN board member, Margaret looks forward to supporting our regional arts.

Ron Geary, gearyfineartstudio@gmail.com

Ron is an artist residing in the village of Northville with his husband, Dave, and their two dogs, Otto and Rosie. His work currently focuses on oil, pastel, and acrylic paintings of the natural Adirondack environment in landscapes and still life, as well as pet portraits. He also makes traditional Shaker Boxes, carriers, and trays. Originally from western Pennsylvania, Ron is a graduate of the University of Pittsburg with a B.A. in History of Art and Architecture, and an M.P.A. in Public & Nonprofit Management.

Our Committees

Our By-Laws