Artists, Workshops and a Yard Sale Highlight Kingston’s Eco Arts Week

In Kingston, NY, where art and activism often intersect, a weeklong celebration is returning with a focus on sustainability, creativity and community.

Midtown Kingston Arts District (MKAD) will host its fifth annual Eco Arts Week from April 25 through May 2, anchored at the Draw Studio and the Neighborhood Print Studio. But organizers say the spirit of the event stretches well beyond those dates.

“The Eco Arts Week itself is … Saturday, April 25th to Saturday, May 2nd, but really the whole month we have different activities and events occurring around that,” said Chris O’Neil of the Midtown Kingston Arts District.

This year’s theme, “Because We Care,” centers on environmental awareness and artistic expression, continuing a tradition that began in 2021.

“Which is a celebration of sustainability, creativity, and community in Kingston, New York,” O’Neil said.

Artists at work — and in conversation

A key addition this year is a trio of artists-in-residence who will spend time developing new work on site. The participating artists include James Fossett, Sanya Buaski and the EcoArt Lab collective led by Sunny Nupalts.

Each artist will take up a weeklong residency at the Neighborhood Print Studio, creating projects tied to the Eco Arts Week theme. Their work will be developed in-house and later exhibited. The public is invited to observe that process firsthand.

“They will have open studio hours at least twice a week where the public is invited to come in and meet them and see in person what they’re working on,” he said.

Workshops, talks and community access

Eco Arts Week also includes a series of free workshops, artist talks and panel discussions, many scheduled around weekends leading into and during the weeklong event.

Resident artists will also speak about their work, offering insight into both process and the environmental themes that guide it. The event’s origins trace back to Maxine Liu, an interdisciplinary artist and educator who remains closely involved as producer and organizer.

“She really just wanted to bring together local artists and the community to pursue this idea of sustainability and environmental justice and creativity,” O’Neil said.

A ‘pay-what-you-can’ art yard sale

Alongside the exhibitions and programming, a popular community event returns: the annual Art Yard Sale.Held April 25 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., the sale features donated materials — from paintbrushes and canvases to fabric and sculpture supplies — offered on a pay-what-you-can basis.

“It’s a whole array of supplies, everything is pay what you can,” O’Neil said. “It’s an amazing way to support the community and stock up on some art supplies.”

Organizers are accepting gently used donations throughout the month, with a focus on ready-to-use materials such as sketchbooks, beads and printmaking tools.

Building connections through art

As Eco Arts Week enters its fifth year, its organizers say the goal remains the same: bringing people together around shared concerns — and creative solutions.

“A celebration of sustainability, creativity, and community,” O’Neil said, “in Kingston, New York.”

Image Credit: Midtown Kingston Arts District