The Kingston Midtown Arts District (MAD) announces its Celebration of the Arts Expo will take place on Saturday, July 8th, 2023 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at The Kingston Center of SUNY Ulster located at 94 Mary’s Avenue in Midtown. This free, family-friendly event will bring many familiar and new opportunities to experience and explore the arts. As in the past, the 9th annual Art Expo will feature many workshops, demos and community art-making projects.

Come Get Creative With Us

“I’m very excited about this year’s Celebration of the Arts Expo because there is such a wide array of workshops to choose from – workshops to stimulate all the creative juices,” says Neville Bean, MAD Board Member and Events Chair. “Visitors can join at their own pace or observe the demonstrations. Come experience a new art form, learn a craft from another culture, take an acting class, or join in and participate in a community art making project.”

Local artists will offer a wide range of free, family-friendly activities throughout the day. Participants can learn how to make paint pigments from rocks and eggs, a variety of folk arts, join workshops on improv comedy or world music rhythms utilizing different percussion instruments. Throughout the day there will be ongoing presentations and demos in photography, printmaking and ceramic techniques such as wheel throwing, stamp making and creating cyanotypes. New this year will be two themed artist panels, one to be held in Spanish and one in English. Stay tuned for more information; forthcoming details on speakers, moderators and panel themes will be announced shortly.

“The teaching artists of the Expo represent the diverse talents of Kingston’s creative community and will offer opportunities for people of all ages and abilities to engage directly in the arts. Art is for everyone!” exclaims Lisa Kelley, Executive Director of MAD.

Kingston juice bar and eatery, We Got the Juice, will be popping up in The Kingston Center’s café space to offer healthy food options, snacks and fresh bottled juices for purchase.

This year’s Celebration of the Arts Expo sponsors include Bailey Pottery, RUPCO, R&F Handmade Paints, Herzogs, Hudson Valley Federal Credit Union. This event is made possible, in whole or in part, with support from the federal American Rescue Plan Act funds awarded to the City of Kingston by the U.S. Department of the Treasury. Kingston Midtown Arts District programs are made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.