Highlighting more than 160 participating museums, galleries, residencies, sculpture parks, artist studios, nonprofits, and cultural destinations across Upstate New York, the seventh edition of Upstate Art Weekend (UAW) kicks off on June 25, and runs through June 29.
UAW is an artist-focused, region-based platform committed to enhancing cultural ecosystems, supporting artists, and encouraging meaningful connections among art, communities, and locations. It keeps broadening opportunities for artists and inviting new audiences to enjoy the cultural richness of the Hudson Valley and Catskills.
Founded by Helen Toomer in 2020, UAW has grown from a grassroots effort with 23 organizations into a nationally known cultural platform that connects artists. “The Hudson Valley and Catskills have become one of the most exciting cultural regions in the country because of the artists, organizations, residency programs, galleries, and cultural leaders who have built such an extraordinary creative ecosystem,” shared Toomer. “UAW exists to celebrate that community, amplify its voices, and create meaningful pathways for people to experience art throughout the region.”
Scroll through to discover our five favorite exhibitions in this year’s edition, and visit the Upstate Art Weekend website and the Bloomberg Connects Guide for more activities throughout the five-day weekend.
Betty Parsons | CCS Bard’s Hessel Museum of Art
Betty Parsons was an American artist, dealer, and collector instrumental in launching and shaping the Abstract Expressionist movement in the United States. She gave critical early solo exhibitions to foundational modern artists, including Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko, Barnett Newman, and Clyfford Still, while championing diversity long before it was mainstream and representing and promoting women, LGBTQ+ artists, and African American and Asian artists, such as Agnes Martin, Robert Rauschenberg, Ellsworth Kelly, and Barbara Chase-Riboud.
