Nestled amongst the backdrop of the Catskill mountains, just an hour outside Albany, Foothills Performing Arts Center (PAC) is a non-profit entertainment and civic center that serves the cultural, educational, and community needs of the Otsego, Delaware, and Chenango tri-county region.
Centered in the eclectic university community in Oneonta, Foothills PAC originally opened in 2005 and has become the region’s go-to venue for live entertainment for both national and local acts such as Bela Fleck and The Flecktones, Gordon Lightfoot, Bernie Williams, Rusted Root, Tanya Tucker, John Michael Montgomery, Joe Diffie, and Thompson Square.
Foothills consists of multiple venues on its property, from its grand two story Wilber Wright Atrium, perfect for weddings and large events, to its Bettiol Theatre for smaller productions. The center also offers two smaller production spaces, The Loft and The Production Center.
As part of Foothill’s community engagement initiative, Foothills is also home to the Oneonta Farmers Market, providing the local community with fresh, home grown produce and artisanal crafts.
Recently appointed Executive Director Geoff Doyle has spent the better part of the last two years investing hundreds of thousands of dollars into renovations for Foothills, as part of his initiative to turn Foothills into a more diverse and utilized space for the local community. When Foothill’s closed at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, Mr. Doyle took that time to write grants and to fundraise. Having found themselves with an empty building, as well as a surplus of funding from grants and generous donations, the Foothills Board used that time and those resources to finally do the work that had needed to be done for many years.
Taking both comments and critiques from the local community, renovations have included updated lighting and sound equipment for productions, to infrastructure improvements of the performance spaces.
We’ve become more than an arts center over the years. People donate blood here. They vote here. They attend weddings, birthday parties, bridal showers, conferences, speaking engagements, fundraising events and so much more. We’ve been partners with SUNY Oneonta’s Music Industry program for a decade now, providing internships for many students in that time, and even hiring recent grads.
Geoff Doyle, Executive Director
Foothills Performing Arts Center is also home to Black Hole Studios, a fully equipped recording studio local artists can book for recording, mixing and mastering. With a top-ten Music Industry program located just down the street at SUNY Oneonta, the addition of Black Hole Studios has allowed student artists to have yet another resource to utilize their art.
Upcoming events include this fall’s “Foothill’s Fringe Festival”. The brainchild of newest board member, Allie Church, Foothills Fringe takes inspiration from similar festivals around the world, and will be the centers newest annual event. Taking place over two days this September, Foothill’s Fringe will offer plays, film screenings, musical productions, stand-up comedy and more. With over 30 acts already booked, Fringe Festival is sure to draw in hundreds of spectators, artisans, and vendors.
In celebration of Pride Month, Foothills will also be hosting an 18+ Alice In Wonderland themed “Pride Prom” in collaboration with the Otsego Pride Alliance. The Prom, taking place June 30th, will feature dancing, face painting, specialty cocktails, prizes, fashion, and drag performances by local drag artists.
For more information, or to book an event space, please visit Foothills Performing Arts Center’s website.
