NEWSLETTER
Known for its lush green landscapes, rugged hiking trails, and incomparable farm-to-table cuisine, the Hudson Valley is also a haven for artists and art lovers in search of creative innovation and community. Visitors can tour the historic homes of groundbreaking artists, see soaring works of art at outdoor sculpture gardens, take in a movie at an independent film house, or attend an annual event that celebrates the artistic spirit of the Hudson Valley. Discover even more world-class arts and culture in every region of New York State with I LOVE NY’s newly launched regional map and guides, upcoming calendar of events, and more. Photo Credit: @bently.potter.photography on Instagram
JUMP TO: Visual Arts | Theaters and Performing Arts | Historic Sites and Landmarks | Music and Film | Events and Festivals
Visual Arts
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Large-scale works by Maya Lin, Richard Serra, Anthony Caro, and many more are on display at this 500-acre outdoor museum located in New Windsor. The enormous site-specific sculptures interact with the dramatic landscape that surrounds them, allowing the viewer to contemplate the relationship between art and nature. Explore the grounds solo or with a guide.
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Set some time aside to explore the cavernous warehouse space at Dia Beacon. When you do, you’ll encounter an enormous spider (Crouching Spider, Louise Bourgeois) that manages to be menacing and graceful at the same time. You’ll enter a gallery of mirrors (Six Gray Mirrors, Gerhard Richter) that reflect you, the viewer, and that play with the natural light from windows above. These and many more large-scale works by world-class artists are on view at this one-of-a-kind modern art museum housed in a former Nabisco box-printing factory in Beacon, on the banks of the Hudson River.
In the late 1930s, a once-thriving bluestone quarry sat idle. Local teacher and trained sculptor Harvey Fite purchased it and built a home at the quarry’s edge. The following year, he began the project that would define his legacy. To create Opus 40 in Saugerties, Fite fitted every stone by hand and, using dry stone masonry techniques, did so without the use of mortar or cement. The result of his life’s work is a 6.5-acre earthwork sculpture. Visitors are invited to tour the walkable sculpture, explore the adjacent quarry trails, and visit the on-site gallery and museum.
The West Wing, opened in June 2023, offers impressive Hudson River views, provides an additional 3,000 square feet of exhibition space, and is merely one good reason to visit this Yonkers museum. Visitors can also view superb works of art, gaze at the stars in the Planetarium (ticketed shows only), tour the 1877 Glenview Historic Home, and enter Red Grooms’ The Bookstore, a unique sculpto-pictorama that depicts a whimsical literary world bursting with color.
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More than 60 large-scale works of contemporary art dot a pastoral landscape at this sculpture and architecture park in Ghent. Open year-round, Art Omi invites viewers to witness how nature and art interact within the 120-acre park. Also on-site is the Newmark Gallery, featuring art and video exhibitions. Live music and dance, artists' open studios, and art camps for kids are on the regular calendar of events.
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Perhaps the most unique Hudson Valley arts venue is Maxon Mills, a seven-story restored grain elevator that is now an art space operated by artists for the community. This contemporary art cooperative in Wassaic hosts seasonal exhibitions and offers year-round artists' residencies. The Art Nest hosts a plethora of opportunities for kids to nurture their creativity. Business hours vary throughout the year, depending on exhibition schedules.
A handful of exhibitions are curated annually at this non-collecting Katonah institution, allowing for a dynamic range of visual arts unbound by medium or historical periods. Rotating exhibits throughout the years have featured textiles, photography, digital art, sculpture, and experimental works. Exhibits are housed in a sleek building designed by New York architect Edward Larrabee Barnes. Docent-led tours are offered for those who wish to learn more about the art on view.
Garner Arts Center provides studio space for artists to create and exhibit their work. Art lovers can reap the rewards by attending exhibitions of the art made on-site. And it is not only exhibitions on offer. Film screenings, live performances, and special events occur throughout the year. An absolute must-see is the Creekside Sculpture Trail, with works by renowned artist Ted Ludwiczak. Garner Arts Center is set on the grounds of a repurposed 19th-century textile mill in Garnerville; any art on display is made even more compelling against its stark industrial surroundings.
Theaters and Performing Arts
There’s always something cool going on at Fisher Center, located on the picturesque campus of Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson. The productions, whether focused on music, theater, or dance, strive to break free of conventional performances and push the envelope of creativity. The results are often provocative and courageous displays of talent. Fisher Center is devoted to giving voice to new and undiscovered artists. The theater is housed inside a stunning building designed by Frank Gehry.
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To complement the many art galleries clustered on Warren Street, which make Hudson an art lover’s delight, is an innovative performing arts center on nearby Front Street. Established in 2010, Basilica Hudson, housed in a renovated 1880s industrial factory, hosts live music, dance parties, movie screenings, and other art events rooted in innovation. Basilica SoundScape, a music, art, and cultural festival, is a popular annual event.
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Nurture your inner musician by joining the community choir or taking part in an African drumming class. If you’d rather watch from afar, there are plenty of live performances to see at Hudson Hall, housed in an 1855 building that once served as Hudson City Hall. This is a multi-arts center, so a glance at the calendar will also reveal art exhibits, plays, musicals, and even a chess club.
By staging well-known productions like Fiddler on the Roof and Romeo and Juliet as well as original plays, this community theater fulfills its goal of delivering diverse, high-quality performances. Theater lovers can attend seven main stage productions throughout the season. Special events are frequent and include cabarets, a One-Act Playwright Festival, and children’s workshops. Most events take place at Drew United Methodist Church in Carmel.
This community hub in Bedford aims to create a welcoming gathering spot for all. They accomplish this by hosting a varied calendar of events, from film screenings to live music to author talks to community-building events. The Let’s Talk series invites people to discussions and shared experiences related to mental health. Classic Tuesdays give movie buffs a place to view old favorites on the big screen, while Sensory-Friendly film screenings are held periodically. Food and drinks are available at the Playhouse Café, which also hosts monthly live music.
If you’re longing to share your special talent on stage, clear the second Friday of every month for Open Mic, an evening of poetry, spoken word, and music, co-hosted by Ossining’s Bethany Arts Community and Hudson Valley Books for Humanity. Additional programming to look for includes stand-up comedy, dance performances, painting workshops for older adults, and an eclectic selection of seasonal events. Bethany Arts Community Sculpture Park is also located on the grounds.
Center for Performing Arts at Rhinebeck
The mainstage has held performances of West Side Story, Les Misérables, My Fair Lady, and many more beloved musicals. The Center also engages the community by offering theater workshops for kids and teens, and dance classes that range from tap to hip hop to ballet. An annual summer camp holds theater programs for kids ages 5-17.
A train depot built in 1893 and situated on the banks of the Hudson River in Garrison has proven to be the ideal combination for excellent acoustics. That means audience members will enjoy crystal clear sound when they attend a play, musical, reading, one-person show, or full-cast production on the Philipstown Depot Stage. The pristine acoustics are an added perk; the main reason to buy tickets is to sit back and enjoy the performances brought to life on stage.
Historic Sites and Landmarks
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Frederic Edwin Church, a preeminent 19th-century artist, world traveler, and self-taught architect designed Olana and lived there with his wife and their four children. It was their oasis on the Hudson River. Now, visitors can hike and picnic on Olana’s 250 acres. The Hudson home is also open for tours (tickets required). Inside Olana, visitors can view works of art by Church, who is considered a master of the Hudson River School of landscape painting.
Edward Hopper House Museum & Study Center
What better way to delve into the life of an artist than to visit the house he was raised in? Edward Hopper lived in his Nyack home until he was 28 and returned frequently to visit his family for the rest of his life. Built in 1858, it is now a historic house museum open to the public. A ground floor gallery displays early works by Hopper and contemporary artists who have engaged with Hopper’s works. The artist’s second-floor bedroom has been recreated, providing a glimpse into his early life and sources of inspiration.
Samuel F.B. Morse, the man credited with inventing the telegraph and Morse Code, spent summers in this 40-room Italianate mansion built in 1850. Now, the landmark country estate in Poughkeepsie is open for guided tours (April-October). Visitors are also welcome to explore the gardens and grounds, which offer dramatic views of the Hudson River. Five miles of winding carriage roads serve as hiking trails. In the Visitors Center, the Transverse Gallery exhibits contemporary art.
Music and Film
Caramoor Center for Music & the Arts
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The Rosen family were great patrons of the arts. Their Katonah home, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, now serves as a venue for live music. Visitors can attend performances featuring chamber music, folk, jazz, and much more. Some concerts take place in the Music Room, amidst Renaissance furniture and Gothic tapestries while others happen outdoors in the Venetian Theater, Spanish Courtyard, Friends Field, or Sunken Garden.
Photo by John Fischer
Whether you’re itching to sing along to your favorite musical film, see a splashy Broadway show, or view the opera via the Met Live in HD, check out the offerings at this 944-seat theater in Poughkeepsie. Bardavon, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is the oldest continuously operating theater in New York. The 1,500-seat Ulster Performing Arts Center (pictured) in Kingston also falls under the direction of Bardavon and between the two, the selection of concerts, films, and performances is enough to fulfill any theater lover’s dreams.
Photo Courtesy of Tarrytown Music Hall
Wealthy New Yorkers, the Rockefellers and Vanderbilts among them, once gathered here for concerts and balls. Later, the Tarrytown Theater was one of the first to show silent films. Since then, powerhouse performers like Bonnie Raitt, Dionne Warwick, and Rufus Wainwright have graced the stage. Built-in 1885, Tarrytown Music Hall is the oldest operating theater in the county. They continue to bring world-class music to the area and are also intent on giving the stage to emerging artists.
On the inside, The Falcon exudes rock star ambiance, while outside, Marlboro Falls cascades down for picture-perfect views. The top floor Main stage includes a 150-seat theater, restaurant, and bar. Beneath, The Falcon Underground & Avalon Archives is an intimate pub and music museum, displaying photos, posters, instruments, and lots of music memorabilia. Finally, layered decks, a garden, and a performance stage make up the Outdoor Oasis, Stage, & Waterfall Walkway. Catch a show of live blues, rock, jazz, and much more from both local and international award-winning musicians at this Marlboro hot spot.
Photo by Russell Peborde
Grab a bite at Take 3 Wine Bar & Café and then catch a flick on one of the five state-of-the-art movie screens. Select from independent, documentary, and foreign films. Q&As with film directors, movie screenings followed by live music, and movie sing-alongs for kids are among the Pleasantville theater’s many regular events.
Staging innovative performances for the local community is the goal of this intimate performance hall in Ancram, which was originally built in 1927. Entertainment runs the gamut but is always inventive. A season of performances may bring to the stage musical storytelling, variety shows, readings, comedy, and performance art. A Spring Open House kicks off the season each year.
Catch first-run and classic films at Columbia County’s oldest and largest single-screen movie theater. Built in the Spanish Renaissance style, the theater has changed little since featuring its first movie in 1926, making it Chatham’s local architectural treasure. Film buffs shouldn’t miss Crandell LIVE!, a series that features Q&As with filmmakers, actors, and writers. Crandell Kid Flicks brings family-friendly films to the big screen on Saturdays from January through April.
If you can’t make it to London’s West End any time soon, check out NT Live, a series that brings British plays to the big screen. If movies are more your speed, join the First Friday Film Club for post-film discussions hosted by filmmaker Neil LaBute, or the Directorial Debuts series, featuring the earliest films made by established directors. The Moviehouse, located in Millerton, also shows first-run films, cult classics, and documentaries.
The Picture House Regional Film Center
Two locations (Bronxville and Pelham) feature first-run, independent, and classic films (tickets are half-price on Tuesdays). The Film Club offers a series of weekly screenings followed by post-film discussions. The film center also hosts unique film festivals, workshops, and sneak preview events with filmmakers. Young movie buffs can partake in the many workshops, classes, and camps offered to kids.
Events and Festivals
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Every October, breweries, galleries, parking lots, and alleyways across Kingston transform into venues for the annual O+ Festival. The weekend-long event features a packed schedule of music, visual arts, public art performances, and wellness events. The goal of O+ is to deliver preventative and therapeutic health services to creative individuals who may not otherwise have regular access to them. This means that during festival weekend, all participants and volunteers can access health services at the O+ Clinic.
Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival
Photo Credit: Gabe Palacio
In September 1987, A Midsummer Night’s Dream launched the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival. Since then, the festival has rightly earned a reputation for staging innovative and engaging productions, attracting an audience of more than 35,000 people each season. Typically, three plays rotate throughout the June to September season. Performances currently take place under an open-air tent in Garrison, on the site of the festival’s future new home, slated to be a permanent outdoor theater. The new venue is expected to be completed in the summer of 2026.
Bard SummerScape and Spiegeltent
Every summer for more than 20 years, Bard SummerScape brings two months of exceptional opera, theater, dance, and music to the stage in Annandale-on-Hudson. The summer arts festival prides itself on innovative theater. SummerScape also features Spiegeltent, which is essentially a summer-long party replete with music, dance, and dynamic performances.
A daylong festival featuring blues, Americana, folk, and bluegrass happens at Katonah’s Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts. The annual event brings talented artists, including Grammy Award winners to audiences. Performances take place throughout the grounds, giving festivalgoers a chance to check out the various venues at this historic site.
Rock out all day long to the music of famous headliners, as well as local and emerging artists. The rock music festival has been going strong for nearly 20 years. The event happens on Parkway Field in Pleasantville. Food and beverages, a beer & wine garden, and kid-friendly activities are on hand all day.
Powerhouse Summer Theater/Vassar College
When you see a performance at Powerhouse Theater, you may well be witnessing Broadway’s next hit. That’s a testament to the talent displayed on stage for six weeks every summer in Poughkeepsie, when musical and play workshops, and readings of works-in-progress take place at Vassar College. Established in 1985, Powerhouse Theater continues to be an important step in the development of new, engaging theatrical productions.
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The Hudson event kicks off with a pre-festival Community Day, consisting of a block party, barbecue, and an all-ages jam session. The festival itself takes place over three days in October and brings thrilling jazz performers to the stage at historic Hudson Hall.
What began in 1999 as a small local festival has bloomed into a nationally recognized event. For 10 days in October, movie lovers can get a peek at the best upcoming films, of both American and foreign origin. Past festivals have hosted post-screening panels with filmmakers, writers, and actors. A special touch is the “Saturday Sneak” preview when the film is revealed to the audience only moments before it begins. FilmColumbia takes place at the historic Crandell Theatre in Chatham.
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