Artpark unveils its 50th Anniversary Season

Artpark unveils its 50th Anniversary Season

Artpark, Western New York’s premier summer destination for live performance, music, and interactive art is celebrating its 50th Anniversary with an exciting  season of lineup packed with music, art, festivals, family programs and much more.

 

Dave Wedekindt, Interim President of Artpark & Company remarks, “While a milestone anniversary is a natural occasion to look back, we are also looking forward to the next 50 years. When visiting the grounds this year patrons will see a transformation in some of the ways they will move about and enjoy the park, setting the stage for the Artpark 2030 vision plan which we are working to reveal to the public in the near future.”

 

He continues, “Artpark is a beautiful place, but it’s our people who truly make it great. Artpark & Company’s dedicated Board of Directors and our event volunteers who give tirelessly of their time and support. The generous donors, members, foundations and sponsors who help us fulfill our non-profit mission. Our partners, the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation and elected officials. The seasonal employees offering service or teaching with a smile. The Village and Town of Lewiston, and the many patrons such as yourself who purchase tickets and concessions. And last but not least, our talented staff who inspire with their energy, knowledge, commitment and creativity every day.”

 

Artpark visitors this season will enjoy musicians who’ve led long, successful careers alongside newer faces on the scene. There are programs for both the young and young-at-heart to learn and create art, and art installations to both delight and inspire. Festivals celebrate unity and connections to our land. And Artpark Bridges brings together our neighbors of different abilities and backgrounds.

 

The current schedule of events follows below, and additional events will be announced soon. Please visit artpark.net for more information.

 

Artpark Mainstage Theater

 

Artpark Amphitheater

 

New Music in the Park Series 

 

 

  • August 25 - UltraSound: The Secret Symphony of Plants at Artpark Mainstage Theater

 

Live Plant Installations: July 13, 2024 from 11am-6pm, July 27, 2024 from 11am-4pm and August 3, 2024 from 11am-4pm



Unique Outdoor Festivals & Events:

  • June 29 –Strawberry Moon Festival featuring Smoke Dance Competitions and live performances by Robert “Freightrain” Parker, Tonemah (Kiowa/Comanche/Tuscarora), and Geneviève Gros-Louis Salamone from the Huron-Wendat Nation.

  • July 13 – Artpark Fairy House Festival featuring a performance by Jon Lehrer Dance Company and Artpark Bridges and tour the woods to discover Fairy Houses by local artists.

  • July 24 - 50th Anniversary Gala: Celebrate Artpark’s 50th Birthday. Enjoy a delicious dinner catered by Oliver’s, open bar, signature cocktails and exciting auctions on the Mainstage Theater. Then up to the Amphitheater Skyboxes to enjoy dessert and more excitement at the Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo concert followed by a spectacular fireworks celebration!  Contact Wendy Diina at wdiina@artpark.net or 716-754-9000, ext. 154 to purchase Gala table sponsorships and tickets. 

  • August 10 - Cirque Kikasse, Alouette by Brandon Vickerd, Trail of Treaties and Free Family Saturdays to be featured at The Lewiston Arts Festival in conjunction with Artpark.

  • August 31 - 3rd Annual Better Off Read Summer Book Festival in Lower Park. Free to attend.

 

Creations and Libations

Artpark has expanded its series of art-making for Adults 21+ with the following programs that include beverage options along with your custom created art masterpiece! Space is limited.

Two sessions per date: 3:30pm-5:30pm & 6pm-8pm
 $50 per person

$35 per person 

  • Wine & Wheels: June 5, 6, 12, 13, 18, 19, 25, 26, 27  July 9, 10, 11, 16, 17, 18, 23, 24, 25, 30, 31
    $65 per person

 

Education & Exploration at Artpark

  • An exciting new field-trip program for Elementary, Middle and High School-aged children created to help young people explore, self-educate and invigorate ideas within nature.

 

Included are workshops that focus on topics of social justice, equity, environmental sustainability, culture and freedom through the arts and will be led by a variety of local teaching artists including members of the Haudenosaunee. Also featured are live raptor flight demonstrations, Niagara-Gorge hikes, geology talks, and history walks.  Artpark is a site for Indigenous people, the first Railroad, British Troops, French Troops and a stop for Freedom Seekers on the Underground Railroad.

 

This program is for organized groups and organizations with 15-150 participants.  

For more information please contact: twinslow@artpark.net



Indigenous Programs

  • Medicine Wheel Workshops - June 11, July 16 & August 13, 10am-12pm

  • Trail of Treaties- August 10 & 11 at the Lewiston Art Festival

  • Stories by the Fire with Indigenous Elders, August TBD



Family Fun At Artpark

 

Celebrating Artists in Residency

  • Craig Walsh; June 11-24, Monuments at Artpark will debut August 9 and run until August 18th

  • Jon Lehrer Dance Company: In residence July 1-13. Free public performance on July 13 at 3PM on the Emerald Grove stage (Lower Park)  

 

Based in New York City since 2019, Jon Lehrer started his company in 2007 in Buffalo, NY, quickly garnering local, national, and international acclaim.

Jon Lehrer Dance Company (JLDC) continues to tour worldwide, performing Jon’s dynamic choreography known for its unique blend of artistry, athleticism, and entertainment, keeping audiences on the edge of their  seats! This year’s residency celebrates a long and fruitful* relationship between Artpark and JLDC, culminating with another breathtaking performance and collaboration. (*not sure long and fruitful sounds great - any better ideas??)

 

The performance on July 13 will feature two of Lehrer’s most well known works, his latest creation, and a world premiere:

  • Bridge and Tunnel - a playful homage to growing up in Queens, NY set to the music of Paul Simon.

  • A Ritual Dynamic - the piece that started it all in 2007!

  • mingos! - premiered in September 2023, this wild comedic romp tells the story of a Flamboyance of Flamingos who turn into an Ostentation of Peacocks.

The performance will culminate with a world premiere collaboration created during the residency between JLDC and Artpark Bridges, under the direction of Cynthia Pegado. Feeding off the excitement and beauty of last summer’s successful collaboration, Jon, Cynthia, the JLDC dancers and Artpark Bridges dancers will create another heart felt and poignant work highlighting their shared joy for movement. Don’t miss your opportunity to experience why the Buffalo News proclaimed, “Lehrer has built its fan base through the sheer creativity of its work, the incredible athleticism of the dancers and irresistible vibe of a company that has figured out how to strike that elusive balance between art and entertainment.”

 

  • Tiffany Mills Company: July 30-August 3, with performance August 3 at 3:30pm

  • Brandon Vickerd: August 7-9, Alouette installation August 9-22 in the Village of Lewiston

  • Edreys and Alexa Wajed of Eat off Art: September 8-26, Freedom Mural opens September 27

 

Please visit artpark.net for additional events and information.

 

Tickets for events are available at the Artpark Box Office starting Friday, May 17. Box office hours are Tuesday-Friday 10AM-4PM, Saturday 10AM-2PM and extended hours on performance days. Tickets are also available online anytime at ticketmaster.com.

 

The 2024 Artpark Season is sponsored and supported in part by: 

M & T Bank; Cullen Foundation; New York State Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation; Parks & Trails New York; Town of Lewison; Niagara County Legislature; New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature, HSBC Bank;  Labatt Blue Light; Bud Light; Southern Tier Brewing; Buffalocal,  Northtown Automotive Companies; the Artpark & Company Board of Directors and individual donors.

 

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More Information

Established in 1974 as a collaboration between New York State Parks and the nonprofit Artpark & Company, Artpark welcomes artists to enjoy and be inspired by the dramatic scenery and rich history of the Niagara River Gorge, and welcomes visitors and locals to enjoy the art and experiences created on its 150 acres. Over the decades, Artpark has hosted tens of thousands of avant garde visual artists, cutting-edge performers, beloved bands and musicians, poets and writers, and more, earning a worldwide reputation as a special place to make and experience art. This living cultural legacy weaves into the area’s history and present-day significance to Western New York’s Indigenous population, the more recent history of investment in sustainable hydroelectric power that both shaped and funded the site, and the Niagara River and Gorge’s extraordinary natural beauty.


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The Earl W. Brydges Artpark is being operated by Artpark & Company, Inc. for the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation under a long-term collaborative agreement.