AdkAction launched the Keeseville Community Arts Festival in 2017 as a creative placemaking initiative to strengthen community identity and support local artists. After growing into a vibrant, community-led event, the festival transitionined to leadership by the Keeseville Free Library in 2026.
Many small rural communities face challenges related to economic vitality, community connection, and a shared sense of identity. Without regular opportunities to gather and celebrate local culture, it can be difficult for residents to feel connected to one another and for visitors to engage with what makes a place unique.
In Keeseville, a historic Adirondack hamlet with deep roots and evolving identity, there was an opportunity to bring people together in a way that celebrated both its heritage and its creative future.
AdkAction launched the Keeseville Community Arts Festival in 2017 as a plein air painting event designed to activate public space and highlight the beauty of the region. Over time, the festival grew into a multi-day celebration featuring up to 40 artists, local businesses, live music, and hands-on activities that draw over 500 attendees each year.
Each year’s festival planning was driven by a volunteer committee of year-round and seasonal residents, and local organizations, led by AdkAction.
Through this project, AdkAction applied a creative placemaking approach, using art and cultural programming to strengthen community bonds, support local artists and businesses, and bring new energy to Keeseville’s historic downtown and iconic farms. The festival created opportunities for residents and visitors to connect, while also driving foot traffic to local businesses and fostering a sense of pride in the community.
As the festival matured and demonstrated strong local support, AdkAction began transitioning the event to community leadership. In 2026, the Keeseville Free Library is taking on the role of lead organizer, with AdkAction supporting a smooth transition. This handoff reflects AdkAction’s role as an incubator of ideas, helping launch and grow initiatives until they are ready to be sustained by the community.
The festival stands as a successful example of how community-rooted ideas can grow, thrive, and ultimately be sustained by local leadership.
From our interest and support of the Adirondack Plein Air Festival to the founding of Keeseville Plein Air to the expansion to the community-wide Keeseville Community Arts Festival, this timeline highlights key moments in the project’s time with AdkAction.
AdkAction and the Keeseville Free Library are pleased to announce that the Keeseville Community Arts Festival, a beloved celebration of arts and community, will transition to new leadership beginning in
AdkAction’s Keeseville Community Arts Festival brings color, connection, and creativity to the heart of our small Adirondack town. This year’s event once again filled the historic Stone Mill and surrounding
The Keeseville Community Arts Festival once again brought vibrancy, creativity, and community connection to life through its beloved Plein Air Show and Sale. With more than 40 artists painting throughout
Keeseville has been a focus of AdkAction’s community revitalization work since 2016. Here are some of our other projects, both active and completed, that focus on Keeseville or creative placemaking.
Keeseville Community Garden The Keeseville Community Garden is a project created by AdkAction’s 2021 Tom Boothe Adirondack Intern Kim Gonzales, who sourced all of the initial materials, land, and interest and
Local food has innumerable benefits, yet not everyone has easy access in our communities. The Farmacy Project works to make local food easier to find, buy, and eat, even when other grocery options are not available. This partnership between AdkAction and Keeseville Pharmacy serves as a model for bringing healthy local food to rural communities. We replicated the model at Mountain Weavers Farm Store in Port Henry in August 2019.