Upstate Art Weekend Launches Open Studios with 240 Artists

Upstate Art Weekend (UAW) founder Helen Toomer has launched Open Studios by UAW, a new initiative taking place May 16–17, 2026, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. across the Hudson Valley and Catskills. The event opens the working spaces of 240 artists to the public, including Josh Dorman, Kathy Ruttenberg, Sarah Cameron Sunde, Andrew Moore, Kate Steciw, Natalie Baxter, Jesse Bransford, and Lala Abaddon. Concurrently, the group exhibition “Earthen Plot,” curated by Toomer, opens May 15 at UAW HQ in Kingston (236 Wall Street, Room 103) and runs through June 29, 2026. Featuring 37 artists selected from the Open Studios participants, the show examines themes of land, material, and place. The main Upstate Art Weekend follows June 25–29, 2026, with 160 participating organizations. Toomer emphasized the intimate nature of Open Studios, contrasting it with the larger summer festival.