named programs · 5 · from sources
What they call their work
Artist Directory
Online directory categorizing local artists by medium and identity, including visual, literary, performing, and textile artists from the tri-county region.
National Endowment for the Arts American Rescue Plan
Distributes $100,000 in federal relief funds to support local arts organizations and individual artists impacted by the pandemic.
Professional Development Program
Provides training and support for artists and arts professionals in the tri-county area to enhance their skills and sustainability.
Statewide Community Regrants Program
Regrants funding from NYSCA to artists, municipalities, libraries, and nonprofits in Jefferson, Lewis, and St. Lawrence Counties for local arts programming.
Summer Youth Programs
Offers creative classes and activities for youth at the Creative Spirit Community Arts Center, led by teaching artists and interns.
activities · 6 groups
What they do
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Regional Arts Advocacy & Promotion 3 activities
- Advocate for public and private support of the artsEngages in advocacy efforts to promote increased private and public funding and support for arts initiatives and programming within St. Lawrence County.
- Provide resources and referrals for artists and institutionsOffers resource sharing and referral services to support artists, arts organizations, and educational institutions in St. Lawrence County in accessing opportunities and services.
- Support self-guided studio tours and artist space accessOrganizes annual self-guided studio tours that connect the public with regional artists by opening their creative spaces to visitors, promoting engagement with diverse artistic disciplines and creative processes across St. Lawrence County.
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Curated Art Exhibitions and Public Displays 3 activities
- Host recurring arts exhibitions and curate special art showsOrganizes and curates a rotating series of exhibitions including annual, solo, themed, and traveling shows such as “IN FULL COLOR,” “Rooted Wisdom,” “Fragments,” “Harvest,” “Eat the Rich,” and the NCATA Scholars Exhibition, displayed at the Creative Spirit Community Arts Center, Potsdam Town Hall, and other community venues across St. Lawrence County.
- Operate community arts center with gallery and public shopOperates the Creative Spirit Community Arts Center at 6-8 Raymond Street in Potsdam, NY, featuring a public gallery and shop, open multiple days per week for visitors and hosting exhibitions, classes, and events.
- Organize and present public arts events and festivalsProduces and staffs community arts events including the North Country Arts Festival, PorchFest, NoCo Glow, Ives Park Concert Series, ZineFest, and the Plein Air Festival, featuring live music, performances, interactive activities, and public participation across multiple locations in St. Lawrence County.
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Artist Support Grants 1 activity
- Administer grant programs for artists and arts organizationsAdministers project-based regranting programs including the NYSCA Statewide Community Regrants Program and NEA American Rescue Plan funds, awarding over $80,000 annually and $100,000 in 2022 to individual artists, municipalities, libraries, and nonprofits in Jefferson, Lewis, St. Lawrence Counties, and the Akwesasne Mohawk Nation.
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Community Art Education Workshops 1 activity
- Deliver weekly music and art classes for children, teens, and adultsHosts recurring in-person and virtual music and art classes weekly at the Creative Spirit Community Arts Center and via Zoom, including sessions for children, teens, young adults, and therapeutic groups, focusing on singing, movement, instrument playing, visual arts, and creative expression.
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Membership Program Administration 1 activity
- Offer membership program with community arts accessProvides a tiered membership program for individuals, families, and students that includes free access to recurring community arts groups such as writing circles, open mic nights, and art groups, along with benefits like event advertising in the SLC Arts eNewsletter.
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Artist Residencies and Studio Programs 1 activity
- Provide professional development and capacity-building supportCoordinates professional development programs and offers one-on-one application support and info sessions for first-time grant applicants to strengthen capacity among artists and arts organizations in Jefferson, Lewis, and St. Lawrence Counties.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$893K
Contributions & grants$852K95%
Program service revenue$24K3%
Investment income$90%
Other revenue$17K
expenses
Total expenses$549K
Program expenses81%
Admin / overhead19%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$422K
Grants paid out$150
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$1.96M
Cash$77K
Investments$0
Liabilities$1.17M
Net assets$796K
Liquid reserves1.7 mo
3 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue -22.0%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
board members · 9
- ALAINA GOODRICH — MEMBER
- BROOKE COLLINS — MEMBER
- JIM MURRAY — MEMBER
- JOHN BERBRICH — PRESIDENT
- KERI WEHMEYER — MEMBER
- LISA DASHNAW — SECRETARY
- SEANNA PETRICHOR — TREASURER
- SHEILA NEAL — MEMBER
- VIRGINIA BURNETT — MEMBER
relationships · 34
Who they work with
- Artist Directory Network — Hosts a public online directory where member artists can be listed to increase visibility and connection with the community.
- Baudenhausen Legacy Fund through the Northern New York Community Foundation Funder — Provided financial support for the 2025 Plein Air Festival.
- Crane School of Music Partner — Alumni and teaching artist affiliation, including program coordinator and board member
- Crane School of Music Partner — Collaborates with the Crane School of Music through Tracy Wanamaker, who coordinates the Music in Special Education Program and Crane Music Education Field Experience as an Adjunct Instructor.
- Creative Spirit Community Arts Center Partner — Location for public programming, youth programs, and teaching artist activities
- Creative Spirit Community Arts Center Partner — SLC Arts is located at and operates within the Creative Spirit Community Arts Center, indicating a shared space and likely collaborative relationship.
- Dobisky Visitors Center Partner — Host site for the Ogdensburg stop of the traveling exhibition
- Dominique Lavoie Partner — Creative Partner and visual artist who proposed the theme for the Beyond the Page: 2027 Creative Spirit Interactive Exhibition.
- Frederick Remington Art Museum Partner — Collaborates on juried art exhibitions and artist showcases.
- Gouverneur Community Center Partner — Host site for the Gouverneur stop of the traveling exhibition
- Ives Park Farmers Market Pavilion Partner — Host site for the culminating ZineFest event in Potsdam
- Lake Placid Center for the Arts Partner — Engages in shared juried art exhibitions.
- LoKo Arts Festival Partner — Collaborates on the kickoff event of the Plein Air Festival season.
- Massena Art Group Partner — Collaborates on local art exhibitions and events.
- National Endowment for the Arts Government — Administered American Rescue Plan funding through the organization
- New York State Council on the Arts Government — Partner in administering the Statewide Community Regrants Program
- New York State Council on the Arts Government — Primary funder and regranting partner through the Statewide Community Regrants Program
- North Country Savings Bank Funder — Served as a Silver Sponsor of the 2026 NoCo Arts Festival.
- NuMED for Children Funder — Served as a Bronze Sponsor of the 2026 NoCo Arts Festival, supporting the Teen Showcase.
- Potsdam Pride Partner — Participated as a vendor and hosted the Potsdam Pride Zine Club at the NoCo Arts Festival.
- Potsdam Pride Partner — Supports the "IN FULL COLOR" exhibition and collaborates on the official kickoff to Pride Weekend.
- Potsdam Town Hall Partner — Co-hosts art exhibitions including 'Things I Found in My Basement', 'Monochrome', and 'Solo Show' at its venue.
- Potsdam Town Hall Partner — Collaborates on exhibitions hosted at the Potsdam Town Hall venue.
- SLC Arts Network — Collaborates on the Studio Tour event under the shared SLC Arts brand.
- SUNY Fredonia Partner — Lizzy Davis earned her degree in Music Therapy from SUNY Fredonia, indicating an educational partnership link.
- SUNY Potsdam Partner — College-community partner hosting the Community Performance Series since 1989
- SUNY Potsdam Partner — Hosts the Plein Air Festival kickoff event on its campus at the Barrington Student Union Quad.
- SUNY Potsdam Partner — Source of teaching artists and collaboration through Crane School of Music and Art Education program
- St. Lawrence County Government — Advocates for public support for the arts within St. Lawrence County.
- St. Lawrence County Chamber Funder — Provided financial support for the 2025 Plein Air Festival.
+ 4 more
strategies · 3
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Artist Entrepreneurship with Economic Incentivesmethodology: artist_entrepreneurshipBy supporting artists as entrepreneurial leaders and offering enhanced commission structures, the organization increases artist participation and sustainability, because financial incentives and professional development resources strengthen artist engagement and business resilience.
- Participatory and Experiential Arts Engagementmethodology: participatory_artBy using interactive, hands-on, and participatory art experiences—including creative making, memory-based themes, and plein air painting—the organization deepens public engagement and reflection, because direct involvement in the artistic process fosters personal connection, learning, and community dialogue.
- Regranting Model for Community-Driven Artsmethodology: regranting_modelBy distributing state and federal arts funding through a decentralized regranting model, the organization enables locally designed and community-driven cultural programming across a rural tri-county region, because local actors are best positioned to identify and respond to community needs and opportunities.