Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Adam Forman. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Adam , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

About a year ago I started a non-profit organization with my friend Alex Chang called Improv Spaces. It’s been a major focus for me, and not something I ever saw myself doing.

I moved to Upstate New York from California a few years ago and didn’t really know anyone in the area (Saratoga/Capital Region). So, I started meeting up with musicians in hopes of forming a band/getting gigs etc. I was mainly meeting people who wanted to form cover bands, which is not something I had too much interest in. Eventually, I met Alex who was using studio space in the basement of Saratoga Arts (local arts center) to practice her electric harp and also meet musicians. We shared a lot of the same musical goals, which, among other things, entailed working on improvised original music. We eventually started talking about how to cultivate a scene for experimental music in the area, which was sort of the impetus for Improv Spaces.

Looking back on the past year, I’m proud to say we’ve met tons of incredible musicians, collaborated with visual artists, organized community jams/workshops, and started a concert series showcasing touring/local musicians. We also put on the Improv Spaces Music Festival last summer, which we’ll be doing again this year.

It’s been an interesting ride, and I’ve learned a lot.

Adam , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I’ve been playing music pretty much my whole life. I started playing saxophone in elementary school and became interested in the drums when I was in high school. My dad is a drummer and my brother plays too, actually, so I guess it was kind of inevitable. In college I focused on classical percussion and was somewhat active in the New York City freelance scene for a few years doing everything from musical theater, playing chamber music/orchestral music, doing recording sessions for bands, working with composers etc. I eventually sort of lost interest in freelancing but always imagined starting a venue of some kind; a space where I could put on the kind of concerts I personally would like to attend.

I never really followed through on that idea until I met Alex Chang, who, as I mentioned, is the Co-Director of Improv Spaces, the non-profit organization we started last year. We provide spaces for artists to meet up, jam together, workshop ideas, and explore their own creativity. There’s a general lack of space to do that up here (specifically in Saratoga), so by partnering with organizations like Saratoga Arts and also Mt. Ida Preservation Hall in Troy, we’ve been able to develop a growing community of creative people. In addition to the space issue, the other ubiquitous problem for musicians is fair compensation for their work. This is still an area we need to focus on but, through grants, local sponsorships, and ticketed public performances, we’ve been able to provide financial compensation for musicians.

I think between Alex’s background in art curation, fundraising, and community engagement, and my experience as a musician/contractor and also having worked in rehearsal studios, we’re able to offer something that’s perhaps unique to the area.

I’m super proud of all the work we’ve done in a short stretch of time and know we’ll continue to grow in the coming years. For me, when we get an email from a musician from out of town saying they’ve heard about us and want to make the Capital Region a stop on their upcoming tour, it’s very gratifying. And, it also confirms we’re on the right track in terms of building a network of musicians, and hopefully a larger audience as well.

One other thing to note is that while we do focus mainly on experimental music, we’re huge fans of all music. At our festival last year, we had a bluegrass jam, a bomba drum and dance presentation, and an organ recital featuring some of the core Baroque repertoire. So, if anyone is interested in getting involved, they should always feel free to reach out.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

In my opinion, there are a few things people can do to support artists. For one, you can go out and see live music. This is sort of basic, but in our post-Covid/streaming-centered world, it seems to be an increasingly foreign concept. Check your local paper to see what’s going on in your community and go participate. Pay the cover charge if there is one, buy some merch, check out the artist’s social media, sign up for a mailing list, and, if you dig what you see, tell your friends and family about it.

It’s also helpful to check and see if your local government holds participatory budgets. If you can vote for projects that will grant significant funding to artists, go vote! Improv Spaces tried to get votes for a proposed concert series in downtown Saratoga but, when we were canvassing the streets and handing out fliers, most people had no idea what we were even talking about.

Most important is probably education. If people are unaware of something, how can they support it? Teachers and parents should always fight for arts programs in schools, but all of us share the responsibility of educating. We don’t need an algorithm to generate content for us to simply consume and forget about. Talk to people and see what they’re interested in. If they’re excited about something, at the very least you owe it to them to check it out and form your own opinions. Engage with it in a real way. I’ve found out about some of my favorite bands, record labels, artists, authors, filmmakers, concert venues, blogs, etc., through talking to other people.

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

One thing that was omitted from my education was the idea of grant writing as a source of income. It was drilled into me over and over that teaching and gigging were essentially the only ways musicians could make money. I knew about grants of course, but I just assumed they were for certified artistic geniuses. I wish I could have had real practice writing grants or even taken a class or something while in college. At the very least, getting hip to a newsletter or something with a list of upcoming grants would have been really helpful.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://improvspaces.wordpress.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/improvspaces
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/improvspaces
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@improvspaces

Image Credits

Live Painting Photo by Kylie Spinelli Photography
Solo Drums Photo by Trish Moseley – The Right Angle Photography
Improv Spaces Directors Photo by Jessica Tomaselli
Rock City Falls trio blue Photo by Jessica Tomaselli