409 Schenectady Street, Schenectady, New York 12307, United States

(518) 346-1262

(518) 346-1262

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Hamilton Hill Arts Center

Hamilton Hill Arts Center Hamilton Hill Arts Center Hamilton Hill Arts Center

Welcome to The Hamilton Hill Arts Center

Welcome to The Hamilton Hill Arts Center Welcome to The Hamilton Hill Arts Center

About Us

Founded by Margaret Cunningham, an artist inspired by the Black pride and The Black Arts movements, the Hamilton Hill Arts Center’s mission is to promote the knowledge, preservation and continued development of African and African Diasporic art and culture. 

  For 50 years, the Hamilton Hill Arts Center has provided exceptional Cultural Arts programming for people of all ages. We are a minority operated and managed 501(c)3 cultural arts center with programming that serves over 10,000 people a year on and off site. We are Schenectady’s only African/African-American Arts Center and the only remaining community center in Hamilton Hill. HHAC was founded to address the needs of unsupervised youth in Schenectady’s inner city and the need still exists today.     

The Future Of the Hamilton Hill Arts Center

Where do we go from here?

Find out more

Meet the Board

Fabayo Egunbunmi

Dominicka Turner

Jessica Hunter

Jessica Hunter

Dominicka Turner

Jessica Hunter

Dominicka Turner

Dominicka Turner

Dominicka Turner

Betty Harper

Dominicka Turner

Dominicka Turner

Minister Dawud Muhammad

Minister Dawud Muhammad

Minister Dawud Muhammad

Bianca Dilella

Minister Dawud Muhammad

Minister Dawud Muhammad

Ronald Gardner

Minister Dawud Muhammad

Brieanna Chillious

Brieanna Chillious

Minister Dawud Muhammad

Brieanna Chillious

About Us

This Spot could could be yours call for information about joining our board.

Meet our Faculty

Artreach Coordinator

Coding and African Dance Instructor

Artreach Coordinator

  Valerie Lewis,  has been with the  Arts Center for 45 years. She has extensive skills in the arts and crafts of the African diaspora. She has received city, state and national recognition for her dedicated community service, including Valerie Lewis day which was named in her honor.  

Capoeira Instructor

Coding and African Dance Instructor

Artreach Coordinator

  Born in Brazil, Mestre Turbarao has been practicing Capoeira for 35 years and teaching for 25. He has taught students of all ages through out Brazil and the United States. Mestre Turbarao is deeply dedicated to the cultural traditions embodied in his craft and is excited to share it with his students.  

Coding and African Dance Instructor

Coding and African Dance Instructor

Coding and African Dance Instructor

Jessica Hunter is a Board member, and a child of the Arts Center. She is currently involved with Artreach as a volunteer and with Umoja African Dance  and Drumming as an assistant instructor. She has a B.S. and M.S. in Nuclear Engineering from RPI and MIT, and has coding experience in Fortran, Matlab, C, C++, and Python. She has been involved with Umoja for 15 years.     

Drum Instructor

African Dance Instructor

Coding and African Dance Instructor

Lumumba Ansah is a Folklorist, Drummer,Master Dancer, Dance Educator,

Historian and Scholar who is a native from the Jamaica. He has extensive global

teaching and performance experience in the presentation of authentic cultural

arts of Jamaica, Senegal, Congo, Mali, and Mauritania Etc.


   

African Dance Instructor

African Dance Instructor

African Dance Instructor

Sue Wilson-Dean helped to found the original Umoja African Dancers and has been the choreographer and instructor for many years. As one of the Burundi Dancers, she was trained by Omoye Cooper. She later studied under Dr. Pearl Primus, and Master Drummer Babatunde. Mrs. Wilson-Dean, holds a Master’s in Education.     

Steel Pan Instructor

African Dance Instructor

African Dance Instructor

Ahmel Williams spent 10 years studying steel pan at the Hamilton hill arts center. He has performed professionally throughout the capital region and almost won Amateur night at the Apollo with his steel pan band. His profound devotion for the steel drums and love for music has driven his to become a professional musician, and instructor for the steel drum program at the Arts Center. 

Director of Anansi's Children's theater

Director of Anansi's Children's theater

Director of Anansi's Children's theater

  Fabayo Egunbunmi is the founder and director of the Anansi’s Children theater . A classically trained pianist, and Catherine Dunham style dancer, she is a co-author of a one act play and performed as a founding member of the Root Wymn theater company. Locally, she played Sojourner Truth, in a one act solo performance called Ain't I A Woman.   

Steel Pan Drum Instructor

Director of Anansi's Children's theater

Director of Anansi's Children's theater

 Aston “Robot” Ellis inherited his love of music from a family that has been a part of the Jamaican music industry for over 60 years. A bandleader, bass player vocal and music arranger and steel pan player, Aston has taught and performed internationally for over 25 years 

Lecturer, Performer and Instructor

Director of Anansi's Children's theater

Lecturer, Performer and Instructor

  Jermaine Wells is an award-winning writer, musician, lecturer and entertainer. He has appeared in films, commercials and has collaborated with such greats as Quincy Jones. An in-demand Masters of Ceremonies and lecturer, he has spoken at many universities and events.     

Lecturer, Instructor, Story teller

Drum Instructor, Performer, Story teller

Lecturer, Performer and Instructor

  Miki Conn, former Director of the Hamilton Hill Arts Center is an artist, storyteller, lecturer, poet and former civil rights activist, has exhibited in Africa, Upstate New York, Long Island and Boston. A published author, she lectures on the Civil Rights and Black Arts movements, teaches writing, art and offers workshops in crafts from Africa, where she lived for several years.   


Drum Instructor, Performer, Story teller

Drum Instructor, Performer, Story teller

Drum Instructor, Performer, Story teller

  Zorkie Nelson comes from a long line of Ghanaian master drummers. A founding member of the Pan-African Orchestra (PAO) with whom he toured internationally, Zorkie was a member of the group Odadaa!, which toured with Wynton Marsalis. He is a drummer, vocalist, and flute player in the eclectic jazz fusion group HEARD and leads his own group, Gballoi.   

Painter and Special Needs Art Instructor

Drum Instructor, Performer, Story teller

Drum Instructor, Performer, Story teller

Bianca DiLella, is a working Artist in the Capital District. her subject matter mainly focuses on history and mythology. She particularly enjoys portraiture and landscape featuring elements of nature. her

work tells a story and invokes a mood and emotion that the audience can identify with. 

Maya Lewis Jewelry and Pottery Instructor

Maya Lewis Jewelry and Pottery Instructor

Maya Lewis Jewelry and Pottery Instructor

  Maya Lewis is a full time artist based in the Capital Region. She specializes in painting, pottery, jewelry making, and mural work. She particularly enjoys working in portraiture within the black community, as she believes representation plays a major role in her art. She received her BFA in Painting and Art Therapy.  

Find out more about our programs

Help Our Cause

 Your support and contributions will help us to serve Schenectady and the Capital Region with positive creative and educational opportunities for children and adults. 

Pay with PayPal or a debit/credit card

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