History
A Legacy of Creativity in the Adirondacks
For nearly five decades, the Lake George Arts Project has connected artists, audiences, and the community through exhibitions, performances, and creative opportunities.
Since its beginnings in 1978, LGAP has played an important role in the cultural life of the Lake George region. What began as a federally funded employment program for artists grew into an organization dedicated to strengthening our creative community.
The First Lake George Jazz Weekend, 1984
The Evolution of LGAP
The Beginning
The Lake George Arts Project is established through the CETA program, bringing artists and arts programming into the community.
Art on the Mountain
LGAP presents The Prospect Mountain Sculpture Show featuring monumental works by David Smith and 17 other sculptors.
A New Chapter
CETA ends, prompting the Arts Project to rebuild and reimagine its programs.
Jazz Weekend
The Arts Project presents its first annual Jazz Weekend, beginning a tradition that continues today.
Courthouse Gallery
The Courthouse Gallery opens, bringing year-round visual arts programming to Lake George.
Shepard Park Stage
Major upgrades to the Shepard Park Bandstand continue the park's performance tradition dating back to 1917.
A Sudden Loss
A devastating electrical fire destroys the Shepard Park bandstand at the beginning of the summer concert season.
A New Stage
After two years of planning and construction, a new state of the art amphiteater opens in Shepard Park, beginning a new chapter for the arts in Lake George
1978 – 1981
The Beginnings
LGAP was originally established through the Comprehensive Employment Training Act (CETA), the first federally funded artists’ employment program since the Works Progress Administration of the 1930s. In its early years, LGAP brought concerts, workshops, exhibitions, presentations, and community arts events to the region.
In 1979, LGAP presented it’s first major public art exhibition, the Prospect Mountain Sculpture Show. Monumental steel sculptures by David Smith were presented alongside works by 17 other sculptors along the Prospect Mountain Veterans Memorial Highway. The ambitious exhibition received national attention and helped establish LGAP’s commitment to contemporary art.
When CETA funding ended in 1981, LGAP lost six of its seven employees and faced the challenge of rebuilding its programs and organization.
Prospect Mountain Sculpture Show, 1979
Ice and Air Show, 1983
1981-1985
Rebuilding & Growth
Despite the loss of federal funding, LGAP continued to find new ways to bring art to the community. In 1983, the organization presented the Ice and Air Show, an outdoor visual arts exhibition that expanded its commitment to presenting contemporary art in unexpected places.
In 1984, LGAP launched its first annual Jazz Weekend, establishing a musical tradition that would grow into Jazz at the Lake. The following year, the Courthouse Gallery opened in the historic 1845 Old County Courthouse overlooking Shepard Park. The gallery marked LGAP’s return to year-round arts programming, with contemporary exhibitions, literary events, workshops, and educational opportunities.
1986-1999
Expanding the Arts
Throughout the late 1980s and 1990s, LGAP expanded its programming beyond traditional gallery exhibitions and performances. In 1986, the organization introduced an annual writer-in-residence program, creating new opportunities for literary arts in the region.
Public and site-specific art also became an important part of LGAP’s work. Projects such as Dan George’s Riverrun Yes (1988), George Peters’ Cross-Wind Tunnel (1991), and Jane Ingram Allen’s Birdwatching in Lake George (1999) brought art into the public landscape and encouraged people to experience creativity in unexpected ways.
During this period, LGAP continued to strengthen its music programming in Shepard Park and around the community beyond the summer season.
Lake George Jazz Weekend 1985
1917-2024
Shepard Park: A lakeside home for the performing arts
For decades, the Shepard Park Bandstand was at the heart of LGAP’s musical programming. It has served as the longtime home of the Summer Concert Series and Jazz at the Lake, bringing free live music to the waterfront and generations of artists and audiences together in the park.
The park’s performance tradition dates back to 1917, when its original open-air forum was dedicated. Through the years, there were many iterations of the amphitheater. In 1990, a new bandstand was commemorated with input and fundraising support from LGAP, providing a stage for the organization’s growing music programs for more than three decades.
The original Amphitheatre, date unknown
Shepard Park Stage, 1980
Lake George Jazz Weekend, 1994
Jazz at the Lake, 2025
2024
A Devastating Fire
On June 30, 2024, an electrical fire destroyed the Shepard Park bandstand. The loss was significant for LGAP and the community, but concert organizers and local partners worked quickly to keep the summer season going. Nearly all scheduled performances continued, demonstrating the importance of live music to the region.
The destruction of the bandstand created an opportunity to reimagine this beloved gathering space. With input from LGAP, artists, community members, municipal leaders, and design professionals, the new Shepard Park Performance Stage was designed to provide an enhanced experience for both audiences and performers. The project took a little over two years to complete with very little impact on summer programming.
2026
A New Stage for Lake George
The Shepard Park project became part of Lake George’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI), a New York State program supporting projects that strengthen downtowns and local economies. The new amphitheater received $2 million in DRI funding as part of a $6.4 million investment in the project, with additional support from the New York State Assembly and the Village of Lake George.
The new venue features improved acoustics and lighting, better sightlines, expanded and accessible seating, performer facilities, storage, and improved connections to the waterfront. More than a replacement for the former bandstand, the project creates a modern performance space designed to strengthen Lake George as a regional destination for music, arts, and community events.
In 2026, the new Shepard Park Performance Stage & Amphitheater opened, carrying forward a tradition of public performances in the park that began more than a century ago.