As New York lurches into full-blown swamp mode—teetering between torrid heat, high humidity and sudden, moody summer storms—city dwellers resume their annual search for cooler air and greener pastures. As ever, pastoral upstate destinations offer the promise of both respite and a tightly curated slate of exhibitions across museums, galleries, artist-run spaces and an increasingly robust network of biennials.
One of the best ways to experience the full sweep of this programming is by visiting Upstate Art Weekend, which returns from Thursday, July 17 and runs through July 21 with a densely packed lineup of cultural initiatives in the Hudson Valley and beyond. Launched in 2020 with just twenty-three participants, the event has ballooned to include more than 155 exhibitors.
Still, Helen Toomer—the brains behind Upstate Art Weekend—asserts that keeping your itinerary simple is key: you can’t see it all, and that’s okay because you can always come back later in the season.
“This event isn’t about rushing,” she tells Observer. “It’s about slowing down, soaking in the journey between stops, and experiencing the natural beauty of the Catskill Mountains and Hudson Valley along the way.” At its heart, Upstate Art Weekend is a celebration of community, collaboration, art and the outdoors—four elements Toomer considers essential to our collective well-being. “It was created to spotlight the incredible organizations, artists and cultural spaces that make this region so special, and to help forge lasting connections between visitors and locals alike.”
We combed through the official lineup and the programming of some of our favorite independent spaces to put together a curated guide to this season’s must-see upstate art shows.
