What is UPSTATE ART WEEKEND (UPAW)? UPAW was founded in 2020 as a connective annual event designed for residents and tourists alike to celebrate the cultural vibrancy of Upstate New York. UPAW was designed to connect creative organizations and the people who form them, in the Hudson Valley and Catskills.
UPAW started with 23 participants, expanding to over 130 in 2023. The annual event encourages local organizations and businesses to welcome art lovers from near and far to explore and soak up the artistic talent and natural beauty of the region.
How can I be a part of UPSTATE ART WEEKEND? UPAW participants have included art organizations, galleries, museums, artist residencies, studios and creative projects. 2024 applications have closed. Please join our mailing list (here) and follow us @upstateartweekend to learn more.
When and where does UPSTATE ART WEEKEND take place? UPAW is an annual event, the fifth edition takes place from July 18-21, 2024.
All participants are based within the Hudson Valley and Catskills regions in New York, within Columbia, Delaware, Dutchess, Greene, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster and Westchester counties.
Do I need to buy tickets? A majority of participating venues are free and open to the public. Ticketing and registration details vary by participating location, please check the official google map.
Are there any fees associated with participating in UPSTATE ART WEEKEND? There have been application and participation fees required. Costs are subject to change from year to year and all funds go towards the administration, organization and promotion of UPAW. We do offer financial assistance.
Why is there a fee to apply to and participate in UPSTATE ART WEEKEND? The first year of UPAW was organized and promoted for free. We received an outpouring of positive responses from many in the local arts community and beyond. In order to produce this annual event an organizational framework and payment structure was implemented to make it sustainable. To create a more equitable model, we offered differing fees for non and for-profit organizations. All participant fees go directly to the administration and promotion of the event.
UPAW has only been possible with the financial contributions of our participants, who in turn receive promotion via our instagram (16.7k+ followers), our website, official digital map (over 300k views 2023/24), printed map in Chronogram and inclusion in various media outlets (including The New York Times, artnet, Hyperallergic, Times Union etc).
How is UPSTATE ART WEEKEND funded? UPAW receives no private or government funding. In years past, there has been some sponsorship support, which was allocated directly to additional promotion and lowering open studios fees. All fees paid by participants go directly towards the administration, operation, and promotion of UPAW.
How are local artists from and working in the region included and supported? All participating venues are local to the region. Participating venues must be located in one of 10 New York counties: Columbia, Delaware, Dutchess, Greene, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster and Westchester. This list was expanded from 8 to 10 counties in 2023 to include even more local organizations.
We make a concerted effort to include as many participants as possible who are supporting and promoting local artists.
Does UPSTATE ART WEEKEND have a Land Acknowledgement? There is a land acknowledgement on our About webpage.
The participants of UPSTATE ART WEEKEND are located throughout the region that is now known as the Hudson Valley, the shared ancestral land of the Lenape, Mohican, Schaghticoke, and Wappinger peoples, who were forced from their lands through colonialism and genocide. We acknowledge that these Native peoples were the original stewards of this beautiful land on which we come together and celebrate the region's cultural vibrancy, and that these peoples continue residing on these lands today. We acknowledge, recognize, and honor the indigenous communities of this region from the past, present, and future.
This land acknowledgement is only a starting point and will be updated as we continue to grow and learn about the Native stewards of this land.
UPSTATE ART WEEKEND is an evolving annual event and after each edition, we take time to evaluate and reflect on how to move forward. One of our strategies for improvement is a publicly shared visitor feedback form, which we share every year.
