The sixth edition of Upstate Art Weekend (UAW) launched with a party at Assembly in Kingston, New York, founded by Helen Toomer in 2020. The festival has grown from 23 participants to 158 across 6,000 square miles, reflecting the pandemic-era exodus of artists and collectors from New York City to the Hudson Valley region. The event featured a fundraiser for abortion-rights nonprofit Noise for Now and drew a diverse crowd of attendees.
This expansion matters because it highlights the lasting demographic and economic shifts in the Hudson Valley, where median home prices have surged and income inequality has deepened. Gallerists like Kristen Dodge of September Gallery credit UAW with bringing collectors, writers, and curators to the region, enabling a more accessible art market with lower rents and a wider range of price points. The festival has become a critical platform for both established and local artists, reshaping the art world's geography beyond traditional urban centers.