The Peru Gazette

L-R Megan Charland and Elsa Koop-Angelicola Gallery Manager & Associate Curator

Megan Charland

Megan, An Executive Director fills many roles

By John T Ryan 

Plattsburgh – When Megan Charland graduated from Peru High School in 2004, she didn’t think she would ultimately live in her beloved North County. How would someone who wanted a career in art and photography ever earn a living in this area? Well, Megan Charland is back as Executive Director of the Strand Center for the Arts, responsible for operations at both the Strand Center Theater and the adjacent Arts Center.  

At Peru Central, Megan was captain of the volleyball team and an active member of the Key Club, but she spent many hours in the school’s photography darkroom. Meagan recalls, “Digital photography was just coming on the scene. My art teacher, Lynn Manning, taught us all about Adobe Photoshop, so when I got to college, I had a head start over several of my fellow students. She was a big help to me.” 

Meagan went on to earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in professional photography and illustration from Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) and a Master of Fine Arts Degree in Visual Studies and a Graduate Certification in Arts Administration at SUNY Brockport.

While attending RIT, she interned at the Rochester Contemporary Art Center. She recalls,”When I saw what the gallery’s executive director did, I said to myself, ‘That’s what I want to do someday.'” After graduate school, she gained valuable experience at the Rochester Contemporary Arts Center and later at the Strong National Museum of Play. She has been an adjunct professor at SUNY Brockport, Robert Wesleyan University, and SUNY Plattsburgh. 

Megan is aware that the Strand is important to our region. She explained, “Nothing brings people together like art. You show up at the theater, you’re surrounded by 700 others having fun. Where else in the North Country can you have that kind of experience?” The Strand’s many art classes, school field trips, community studios, youth programs, its Art and Fall Fests, and artisan markets have become part of North Country life. Institutions like CVPH Medical Center highlight the Strand’s presence when they try to attract talent to our region. Megan commented, “We’re also an economic driver. Downtown restaurants often fill up on tribute band nights. They call us to see how ticket sales are going.”  

In 2025, the Strand Center for the Arts celebrated its 25th Anniversary and  enjoys great community support. Megan Charland loves being part of that success. As she says, “I can’t imagine doing anything else.” And she’s doing it right here in her beloved North Country. 

Photos Provided