‘Its Beauty is in Slowing Down’: Helen Toomer on Upstate Art Weekend

Marko Gluhaich What inspired you to start Upstate Art Weekend?

Helen Toomer There’s so much magic up here in the Hudson Valley and the Catskills. When I moved here in 2016, I would put together itineraries for friends who came to visit. I had been in the city for over a decade and many of my friends are in the art world, so when they visited, I’d show them art in the area – like how Dia’s on the other side of the river from Storm King.

I’m an organizer at heart and thought it could be great to make this into a thing. It wasn’t until the pandemic hit that I realized how lucky I was to be upstate with all this space while many of my friends were feeling trapped in the city. By June 2020, I thought to myself, screw it, I’m organizing this. So, I emailed some friends and called some people, and by August, I launched it.

We had about 23 participants at first. Magazzino, Storm King and Dia have all been great from the start. Stoneleaf Retreat, where I run a residency for women and families, hosted our opening event, with an exhibition of Keisha Scarville’s ‘Passports’ [2012–ongoing]. Of course, I thought nobody would come, but that would be okay; I’d tried my best – and then over 400 people showed up.

It was magic – people coming together, having conversations around art and reconnecting. It’s all just snowballed from there.

MG When you moved upstate, did you already have a connection to the arts community?

HT Not really. I knew the incredible organizations like Thomas Cole, and galleries like September and Elijah Wheat, but I didn’t fully grasp the arts scene. The region is vast, and it’s a joke how something 45 minutes away is ‘close by’. Starting Upstate Art Weekend was, in part, a selfish way for me to discover all these amazing arts spaces.

MG Can you talk about this year’s new initiative, Upstate Open Studios?

HT Upstate Art Weekend has grown in terms of locals discovering art right in their own backyards – and by that, I mean an hour away. I’ve also had people fly in from places like Miami and Chicago. It’s amazing.

Upstate Open Studios grew out of local artists who were excited to be included in Upstate Art Weekend exhibitions but also wanted to share their studios. Anyone who registered within the same geographical parameters as Upstate Art Weekend can participate.

We have 185 artists involved. You’ve got artists like Nancy Baker Cahill, who has work currently on view at the Whitney, as well as those who have never before opened their studios. So that’s also been very interesting. It’s all about discovery. I feel like it’ll be very much a collaborative experience, where artists and organizations contribute their work and visitors choose where to go.

MG You mentioned being an organizer. How does Upstate Art Weekend relate to your other work, like the Stoneleaf Residency?

HT Everything I do is in service to artists. They’re magical beings. I honestly think the world would be a much darker place without them. The residency provides artists with time and space. Upstate Art Weekend gives them more eyes on their work – and hopefully sales.

I also have a soft spot for arts workers who work tirelessly to keep organizations afloat but are here because they love doing it. We started this thing called ‘Spotlight’, which shines a light on those individuals working behind the scenes.

MG How does Upstate Art Weekend exist beyond the weekend?

HT We are now in the sixth edition, and I’ve been thinking about how to make it year-round. We’ve started by establishing a headquarters here, which will host exhibitions and events. I’ll also start organizing tours and other fun things.

MG What goes into organizing Upstate Art Weekend?

HT A lot goes into it; it is time consuming. My family in England doesn’t understand what I do. They think I’m always out in fancy dresses drinking champagne. Meanwhile, I’m glued to Excel spreadsheets and coming up with social media posts at 4 in the morning.

This year, we have a team from Space Design and Productions taking care of all the admin, which has been fantastic. We also worked with local designers at BEST Creative Studio for a rebrand, and our materials look gorgeous. It feels a bit more grown up. As an eternal perfectionist, I always want to do more and better.

MG How has Upstate Art Weekend evolved since its first iteration?

HT The biggest thing is recognition. People know what it is. I saw an Upstate Art Weekend bag on the subway the other day and nearly lost my mind.

It’s also grown in terms of collaboration. More organizations join every year, and I’ve loved their supportive spirit in promoting it and promoting their neighbours.

In Kingston, for instance, I’m coordinating not only with art spaces but with local businesses, too. We’re going to have a massive party at Assembly on the Friday night as a benefit for Noise for Now.

MG What have you noticed about the development of the upstate arts community since you started?

HT I’ve definitely noticed growth. The Hudson Valley has always been a hub for creativity, but we’ve seen some heavy hitters like The Campus and Sky High Farm Biennial open in recent years.

This is why I’m thinking more about year-round programming: it’s impossible to do everything in one weekend. I don’t want people to treat it like a race. I don’t want people rushing from one thing to the next. I think the beauty of it is really being able to slow down, pick only a couple of things a day and then see where it takes you.

Upstate Art Weekend takes place from 17–21 July 2025. 

_{Main image: ‘Presence’, 2025, exhibition view. Courtesy: upbringing and Upstate Art Weekend}