2024 Year in Review - End of Year Reflections; Gratitude for Our Community and Future Endeavors

This year has been an extraordinary period of growth, collaboration, and profound creativity at Arts Letters & Numbers. Our largest year ever, we held dozens of programs, events, openings, readings, concerts, film screenings, and programs, bringing over 300 program participants and residents and well over 1,000 visitors and guests to our campus. As we close out another transformative year, we reflect with gratitude and excitement on the milestones that have shaped our journey, and the individuals, communities, and partnerships, near and far, who have made it possible.

Our acquisition of La Perla Restaurant and the Gregory House Country Inn in Averill Park, NY, was among our most significant milestones this year. Located a short walk up the road from our main campus, this expansion extends our housing capacity from 45 people to 70 people, allowing us to welcome more people and share meals with program participants, residents, and our local and regional community members. With Nando Acampora taking the lead as Head Chef and General Manager, we aim to honor La Perla’s rich heritage while charting the next chapter: introducing monthly “Poetry and Music Open Mics,” as well as “Happy Mondays & Wednesdays,” where patrons can enjoy our happy hour menu all evening. As part of Arts Letters & Numbers, a 501(c)3 nonprofit, all La Perla profits directly support our programs. By integrating this historic venue, we extend our mission, providing new ways for program participants and residents to engage with the broader community.

This summer, we launched Craft 1o1, a new educational model emphasizing hands-on experience, listening, mentorship, and collaboration. Running from July 1 to August 30, Craft 1o1 featured 24 programs in five primary categories: Visual Arts, Performing Arts, Humanities, Mechanics, and Construction. Spanning from one to nine weeks, these programs ran concurrently across our campus, fostering an atmosphere of depth, interaction, and openness. Participants freely engaged with programs of their interest, moving fluidly between disciplines while gaining practical skills and expanded perspectives. The program brought together over 150 participants, including local residents and international artists from over 20 countries, creating a vibrant, inclusive community that embodied the spirit of discovery at the heart of Arts Letters & Numbers.

Our year was further enriched by welcoming Anthony Titus to our Board of Directors. As an accomplished artist, architect, and educator, Anthony brings extensive expertise in interdisciplinary practice. With over two decades of teaching experience, Anthony’s leadership will help us navigate the evolving landscape of arts and education.

Collaborations with local youth communities and high schools also flourished this year, including the Sand Lake Library mural and Transformations, created with Averill Park High School students alongside community artists and mentors. As a Big Picture Learning - B-Unbound Hub, we are also partnering with Big Picture Schenectady to launch internships across a range of opportunities, from culinary arts and carpentry to auto mechanics, machinists, and musicians. Additionally, we offer a spectrum of educational opportunities through on-site projects and collaborations with multiple local municipalities, with exciting plans to further strengthen these relationships.

2024 also marked the second year of The Transformation Project and the debut of 24 Hours @ Once, both of which invited us to reconsider our place in a shared world through diverse perspectives and disciplines.

The Transformation Project, created in partnership with the NOpiates Committee, Sand Lake Center for the Arts, and local mental health organizations, and directed and curated by Frida Foberg, addresses Substance Use Disorder (SUD) through artistic expression. With workshops and an open call for art leading to an exhibition of visual art, writing, film, and music, the project celebrated resilience, broke stigma, and fostered community. This exhibition is one of the highlights of our year, bringing people together and reminding us all that we are not alone.

24 Hours @ Once, a six-hour immersive experience, exploring global connectivity and temporality, was co-presented by Arts Letters and Numbers and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and held at RPI’s CRAIVE Lab. Created by filmmaker Bill Morrison and composer Michael Harrison, the event blended art, technology, and tradition, featuring live video feeds from 24 time zones on 48 screens, synchronized with North Indian classical ragas attuned to each hour. Future iterations aim to expand this vision, incorporating 24 hours of new music and introducing a “25th Hour” perspective through David Gersten’s ‘Extraterrestrial Residency’ project with Xu Bing’s SCA-1 Art Satellite, blending Earthly and extraterrestrial viewpoints.

As we reflect on 2024, we are reminded of creativity’s power to build bridges, transform lives, and inspire change. This year represented a significant leap forward for Arts Letters & Numbers, with each milestone serving as a testament to the collective efforts of our community, supporters, and partners. Your steadfast dedication fuels our mission, and we are profoundly grateful for your ongoing support.

Carrying forward the lessons and innovations of 2024, we look to the year ahead inspired to reach new heights in fostering creativity, connection, and transformation. As we close out this extraordinary year, we invite you to consider supporting Arts Letters & Numbers through either a year-end or a one-time donation. Your generosity enables us to continue building on this momentum, shaping a future where art and community thrive.

With gratitude and warmest wishes for the New Year.