Since its inception in 2020, Upstate Art Weekend has grown from a relatively intimate event with 23 participants to the region-wide affair that it is today, featuring over 145 local arts contributors. The annual event, also known as UPAW, seeks to celebrate and showcase the cultural vibrancy of the Hudson Valley for residents and tourists alike. Spanning the region’s 10 counties, art shows and exhibitions stretch from the lower Hudson Valley to the Catskill Mountains to the Capital District.
UPAW welcomes thousands of visitors each year to the Valley for an exciting summer program of events. Participants include arts organizations, galleries, museums, residencies, creative projects, and temporary exhibitions that are staged exclusively for the weekend. Running from July 18 through July 21 this year, here are some can’t-miss shows during Upstate Art Weekend:
Delaware Valley Arts Alliance
Narrowsburg & throughout Sullivan County
July 18–21
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Joining Upstate Art Weekend for the first time this year, the Delaware Valley Arts Alliance hosts multiple special events throughout the weekend. Thursday, July 18 kicks things off with a Catskills Pride Artist Mixer with Danielle Klebes in Krause Hall, complete with craft cocktails. The festivities continue on Saturday, July 20, as DVAA hosts Coffee and Conversation with Glenn Lieberman, during which time Lieberman will discuss the rise and fall of the Borscht Belt resorts.
Michael Robbins Furniture
Michael Robbins Showroom, Germantown
July 18–21
Founded in 2011, Michael Robbins is a small, handmade furniture company based out of Germantown. Each made-to-order piece is crafted by Hudson Valley native Michael Robbins and his team to pay homage to the materials and surroundings of Robbins’ native landscape. During UPAW, Michael Robbins debuts its Terrapin collection – a series of handmade occasional tables. The tables are constructed of solid maple, walnut, and white oak, and a band of leather is hand-stitched around the belly of the table to create a contrast, division, and weight.
Arcadian Revival
Ten Barn Farm, Ghent
July 19–21
Out of Chatham, The Macedonia Institute is a family-run artist residency that has hosted over 120 artists since its inception seven years ago. This year, TMI partners with Ten Barn Farm in Ghent for its group show, Arcadian Revival. The show is centered around the desire to return to nature and simpler times, and 28 artists who are all former TMI residents were invited to reflect on what a modern return to nature might look like for the exhibition. Staged in two old barns, the show exists alongside chickens, goats, and a creek, adding to its already bucolic feel.
Serious Play: A Youth Arts Fundraiser
Foreland, Catskill
July 20, 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.
The vibrant arts complex Foreland throws its one-day-only Serious Play fundraiser on July 20 in an effort to engage the local youth in the arts through direct charitable support for arts programs and educators. The Saturday event affords guests the opportunity to sunbathe on the creekside lawn, visit a multi-disciplinary exhibition, and interact with a never-seen-before sound installation. Along with the art and lawn party, food and drinks will be available for purchase, and a dozen art and cultural partners will present items for bidding in a fundraising auction.
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