Our Mission

The Capital District Arts Initiative (CDAI) is an inclusive movement dedicated to fostering collaboration among local performing artists and building a more impactful, sustainable arts community in the Capital Region. Our mission is to provide access and advocacy for arts empowerment at all levels—educational, community, pre-professional, and professional.

CDAI welcomes anyone with a creative curiosity, whether pursuing professional performance ambitions or seeking to explore creativity as a source of personal enrichment. From students to audience members and creative leaders, we believe everyone deserves access to the highest quality of artistic freedom and performance opportunities. Through arts education, we aim to inspire the future of the arts. The School at CDAI offers weekly classes, special workshops, and performance opportunities designed to help you develop your craft.

While the Capital Region already boasts excellent arts education and community activity, we aim to foster more interdisciplinary collaboration, expand the versatility of our training programs, increase accessibility, and enhance visibility. By refreshing people’s experiences with the performing arts, we can highlight its direct impact on the community. When collaboration and mutual support thrive, innovation and growth follow.

CDAI is proud to be led by a locally sourced faculty and team of professionals who have deep roots in the Capital Region and have also explored international careers in the performing arts. We are thrilled to bring our global experiences back home to contribute to community development. We believe access to the arts is essential for promoting diversity, cooperation, and collaboration—three key ingredients for both personal and communal growth.

Everyone has a spark of creative expression, even if it's yet to be discovered. CDAI provides a space for all to experience the profound value and freedom that comes from creative exploration. When artistry enriches individual lives, it enriches the community as a whole.

Founded by Albany-native siblings, CDAI is committed to supporting the continued prosperity of our hometown through arts enrichment.