About Us
Universal Preservation Hall, “UPH”, is the your-round performing arts, and community events venue located in Saratoga Springs, NY. Long-anticipated renovation and construction will begin soon on this 1871 former Methodist church. The transformation from 19th century High Victorian Gothic church to state-of-the-art performance facility will be nothing short of amazing.
Thanks to a group of dedicated and visionary Saratogians who wouldn’t let the space be turned into a parking lot—UPH will be a true community space, adding to downtown’s vitality and continuation of a culture of the arts that Saratoga is coming to be known by. The 501(c)(3) organization, UPH, is working to transform this gem of a historic building; generate commerce for downtown and surrounding businesses through street traffic, patronage of restaurants and shops as the theater goers head to concerts of all types, lectures, dance performances, theater productions, film festivals and film series, corporate meetings, art gallery events, etc.
On completion in 2020, UPH will combine a 700-seat theatre-in-the-round Great Hall with a community event space, offering year-round music and entertainment in downtown Saratoga Springs. Administrative offices, glass atrium and an elevator for increased accessibility are included in the plan. The upstairs great hall will be transformed with new seating descending from the rear balcony and, on the other end of the 7,000 square-foot room, ascend into the apse. Movable platforms will allow the space to open up, depending on the requirements of any given performance; and a specifically designed sound system will deliver crystal clear tones throughout the room.