There is a rhythm to spring in the Mohawk Valley. It begins with gallery doors opening wider, theatre lights warming earlier in the evening, and calendars filling quickly with performances, exhibitions, and celebrations. Culture here is not seasonal filler. It is foundational. It is how our communities gather, celebrate, reflect, and move forward.
From nationally recognized art collections and Broadway-caliber productions to intimate jazz sets and family festivals, this region delivers a cultural season that rivals cities many times our size. What makes it different here is proximity. You are never far from the experience. You can stand in front of a masterwork in the afternoon, attend a live performance that evening, and still be home before midnight.
This is your guide to where the Mohawk Valley comes alive this spring.
By Megan Wright
Art in the Mohawk Valley stretches across counties and communities, weaving together institutions with national reputations and grassroots creative spaces that define local character. From Utica to Cooperstown, Rome to Old Forge, Canajoharie to Clinton, this is a region where art is both preserved and created.
Munson anchors Utica with exhibitions, film weekends, concerts, book discussions, and family programming inside one of the area’s most iconic cultural institutions. In Cooperstown, Fenimore Art Museum and Fenimore Farm pair American art with living history and seasonal traditions. Rome Art & Community Center blends historic charm with accessible classes and exhibitions. The View in Old Forge continues to evolve as a major Adirondack arts destination. The Arkell Museum connects American art with Mohawk Valley history, while Pratt Munson Gallery showcases the next generation of artists finding their voice.
What distinguishes this arts community is participation. You are not limited to observation. You can enroll in a ceramics class, attend a blacksmith workshop, join a book discussion, bring your children to a free family art day, or meet artists at an opening reception. Major institutions and independent studios coexist seamlessly, each contributing something meaningful.
This spring, do more than scroll past an event. Step inside. Wander an exhibition. Register for a workshop. Stay for the reception. Art in the Mohawk Valley is active, accessible, and deeply rooted in place.
MUNSON, UTICA
Since 1919, Munson has created transformational arts experiences that cultivate curiosity and creativity, enlightening, educating, and inspiring our community. Munson serves as a steward of a remarkable cultural resource while fostering meaningful connections through dynamic programs and exceptional experiences.
This spring, discover an inspiring lineup of exhibitions, concerts and performances, book discussions, film screenings, and more. Explore Munson’s renowned Collection, featuring American paintings, sculpture, decorative arts, and modern and contemporary works that invite reflection and conversation. Enhance your visit with a stop at the Museum Shop for thoughtfully curated gifts and unique finds. Make it a family outing to Art Alive! for hands-on crafts and a performance by BAM Percussion on Tuesday, April 7.
As the cultural heart of Utica and a leading force in the region’s arts community, Munson invites all to engage, discover, and find a sense of belonging.
UPCOMING EVENTS:
• Through April 12, 10:00am to 5:00pm: “Constellations: Works on Paper from Three Collections”
• March 7–8, doors open at 10:00am: Oscar®-Nominated Film Shorts Weekend
• March 14, 7:30pm: Concert In The Court: Live From Laurel Canyon: “James & Joni, Their Stories, Their Songs”
• March 17, 11:00am: Book Club: “All The Beauty In The World”
• March 21, noon: The Met: Live In HD | “Tristan Und Isolde,” Richard Wagner
• March 22, noon to 3:00pm: Food + Art Unite
• April 7, 10:00am: Art Alive! Free Family Day
• April 10-12: Spring Weekend at Munson, featuring the beloved exhibition, “Art in Bloom”
• April 21, 6:00pm: Book Club: “All The Beauty In The World”
• May 9, 1:00pm: The Met: Live in HD | “Eugene Onegin,” Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
• May 16, 7:30pm: Keyboard Conversations: “More Music of Joy And Peace”
For tickets and to learn more, visit munson.art!
FENIMORE ART MUSEUM & FENIMORE FARM & COUNTRY VILLAGE, COOPERSTOWN
Fenimore Art Museum is known for its dedication to American art and folk traditions, with a mission centered on preserving, interpreting, and sharing American history and culture. Through its exhibitions, educational programs, and community outreach, the museum highlights the richness and diversity of the American experience across generations and backgrounds.
Located across the street is Fenimore Farm & Country Village, a historic village that offers a complementary, hands-on interpretation of 19th-century rural life and a working farm featuring resident pigs, Lucy & Ethel, horses, chickens, sheep and more. The living history museum features historic buildings, costumed interpreters, and interactive demonstrations that bring early American farm life to life for visitors of all ages.
UPCOMING EVENTS:
Fenimore Art Museum:
• March 3, 2:00pm – 3:00pm: Virtual Tour: Highlights of the Thaw Collection of American Indian Art
• March 6, 7:00pm: 2026 Cabin Fever Film Series: Hamnet
• March 20, 7:00pm: 2026 Cabin Fever Film Series: One Battle After Another
• April 1: Opening Day at Fenimore Art Museum
• April 1: New Exhibitions Open at Fenimore Art Museum including: ‘Faded Elegance: Portraits of Havana’ by Michael Eastman, ‘Pints and Paintings: Thomas Cole and Frederick Church’s Tavern Signs’, ‘Young at Art’, featuring artwork from students across the region
• April 26, 1:00pm – 3:00pm: Sign Painting Workshop for Kids 8-12
• May 10, 5:30pm – 7:30pm: Members’ Reception
• May 12, 12:30pm – 2:30pm: Food for Thought: Thaw Collection of Native American Art
Fenimore Farm & Country Village
• Every Sunday in March, from 8:30am – 1:00pm: Sugaring Off Sundays
• March 14, 10:00am – 12:00pm: Snow Snake Workshop
• March 18, 10:30am: Farrier Demonstration
• April 1: Opening Day at Fenimore Farm
• Beginning April 1 – October 31: 1:30pm (weather permitting) Tractor Rides
• Beginning April 1 – October 31: 3:30pm Daily Milkings in Sweet Mable Barn
• Workshops available beginning April 1: Blacksmith Workshop, Basketmaking, Candle Making, Sheep Shearing, Broom Making, Bread Making & More!
• May 9, 10:00am – 4:00pm: From the Medicine Cabinet
• May 23 – 24, 10:00am – 5:00pm: Heritage Plant Sale
Workshops and events are added daily! Check out our website for additional information and registration: www.fenimoreart.org and www.fenimorefarm.org
VIEW ARTS CENTER, OLD FORGE
The View Arts Center in Old Forge aims to create a welcoming and fun environment that enriches, entertains, educates and inspires people. The core values of the center started back in 1951, where Miriam “Mirnie” Kashiwa hosted the first Central Adirondack art show in her front lawn. As her art grew and more people joined her, a building now known as the View Arts Center was founded in 2011. They have prioritized, not only the spectator experience, but also the environment, as they push to minimize their environmental impact with eco-friendly energy systems and more. The View offers a variety of art experiences this spring including art exhibitions, community events, performances, classes, and workshops.
DON’T MISS IT:
The Central NY Watercolor Society Signature Show and the 75h Central Adirondack Art Show, March-May.
UPCOMING EVENTS:
• March 1-7: Wild Whimsy: The Fantastical Natural World
• March 1-7: Curious Constructions
• February 18 – March 25, every Wednesday: 6 Week Hand Building Class
• March 5, 19, & April 2: Boards, Bags, and Brains: Cornhole
• March 7: Ceramic Planter
• March 12 & 26: Boards, Bags, and Brains: Trivia Night
• March 13 – April 4: 2026 Regional High School Art Exhibition
• March 13 – May 9: The Central NY Watercolor Society Signature Show
• March 14: Ceramic Bunny Bobble Head
• March 20 – May 9: 75th Central Adirondack Art Show
• March 21: 2026 Regional High School Art Exhibition Opening Reception
• April 10 – May 9: Intersecting Paths by Stephen Fletcher
• April 25: Murder Mystery Dinner Theater
Be on the lookout for more spring events at www.viewarts.org.
ARKELL MUSEUM, CANAJOHARIE
The Arkell Museum in Canajoharie traces its roots back to the mid-1920s, when local industrialist Bartlett Arkell founded the Canajoharie Library and began sharing his personal art collection with the community. The positive reception to those early displays led Arkell to break ground on a dedicated gallery building in 1927, establishing what became the museum’s original art gallery space. From those beginnings, the institution has grown into a public museum that continues to present a significant collection of American art alongside exhibits on Mohawk Valley history.
UPCOMING EVENTS:
• March 7: Opening day for first annual Local Author Book Fair
• March 14: Arkell Museum and Canajoharie Opening Reception
• Through August 2: To Be Seen: Representations of Women in the Arkell Museum Collection
• Through December 30: Adam Miller: Comedia Humana
• Through December 30: Happy Little Beech-Nuts
Regional Galleries art by:
• Britt LoSacco (2024 Art of NY – Best in Show)
• Fernando Carpaneda (2025 Art of NY – Best in Show)
• Arts Factory Artist Phyllis Lapi
For more event information visit www.arkellmuseum.org.
THE OTHER SIDE, UTICA
The Other Side Community Forum & Gallery has a mission to spread art and ideas throughout the Utica community. As a third space for people to meet and gather, The Other Side hosts a variety of events every month to keep people interested. The space has a cozy gallery of art work for people to enjoy year-round. However, they pride themselves on the art and entertainment events that they are able to offer to their community. Coming up this spring people can expect intriguing presentations, musical performances, and a variety of art installations with potentially a word from the artists themselves. The space is also available for bookings for events such as community meetings, parties, music and theater performances and more.
DON’T MISS IT: Stacked & Bound, March 6-28; Reggie Watkins Quintet, May 23.
UPCOMING EVENTS:
• March 6 -28: Stacked & Bound: Sculptures by Charles Fisher
• March 7: Monday Night Jams
• March 11: The Psychology of Making and Keeping Friends – Hamilton at The Other Side
• March 12: Blues at The Other Side
• March 14: Clifford Carter – Jazz at The Other Side
• April 17: Mark Hynes – Jazz at The Other Side
• May 23: Reggie Watkins Quintet – Jazz at The Other Side
More events are sure to come this spring! Stay updated with more events at https://theothersideutica.org.
PRATT MUNSON GALLERY, UTICA
The Pratt Munson Gallery is located inside the Munson Art Museum, where it displays work of students enrolled at Pratt Munson College of Art and Design. This gallery gives these creative students an opportunity to put their work out into the world, as the college is a stepping stone to the Pratt Institute located in Brooklyn, N.Y. The goal of this gallery is to give Pratt students exposure and provide cultural enrichment in the community. This gallery is open on Tuesday – Saturday from 10:00am – 5:00pm and on Sunday from noon – 5:00pm.
UPCOMING EVENTS:
• March 1 – 6: Jenie Gao: The Deer Garden
• March 13 – April 3: Quincey Spagnoletti: Home Studio Munson Artist-in-Residence Exhibition
• April 10 – May 6: Pratt Munson First-Year Exhibition
Stay up to date on these up and coming artists at www.munson.art/exhibition/pratt-munson-gallery/open-call.
ROME ART & COMMUNITY CENTER, ROME
The Rome Art & Community Center has a deep-rooted history in the City of Rome. The house was built in 1923 by a couple with an architecture background and a love for art and furnishings. The couple was such a big part of the community, when they passed in 1966 the City of Rome purchased the house to create the nonprofit organization that it is today. The center offers a variety of events and entertainment coming up this spring. From children’s day camps to paint and sip events to fresh art exhibitions on display, Rome Art & Community Center has it all. Become a member and enjoy the art classes at lower prices every month or pick a night to go out in the community and express your creativity at the studio.
UPCOMING EVENTS:
• March 5 – 27: Urban Life Art Exhibition
• March 2, at 6:30pm: The Mighty Craic
• March 10, at 6:00pm – 8:00pm: Spring Tulips Paint & Sip
• March 18, at 6:00pm – 8:00pm: Paper Quilling Gift Box Paint & Sip
• March 20: Art Infusion Day Camp – Superintendent’s Day
• March 23, at 6:30pm: Music Monday with Collage Jazz
• April 6 – 10: Art Infusion Day Camp – Spring Recess
• May 25: Art Infusion Day Camp – Memorial Day
CANVAS. STAGE. SOUND.
For more event information visit https://romeart.org.
MORE TO EXPLORE:
MUSEUMS, CLASSES & CREATIVE HAPPENINGS
The Arkell Museum in Canajoharie traces its roots back to the mid-1920s, when local industrialist Bartlett Arkell founded the Canajoharie Library and began sharing his personal art collection with the community. The positive reception to those early displays led Arkell to break ground on a dedicated gallery building in 1927, establishing what became the museum’s original art gallery space. From those beginnings, the institution has grown into a public museum that continues to present a significant collection of American art alongside exhibits on Mohawk Valley history.
Wellin Museum of Art, Clinton
• March 20: Wellin Kids | Poetic Poetry
• April 6: Wellin Kids | Beaded Pattern Palooza
• May 2: Wellin Kids | Fan-Tastic Designs
www.hamilton.edu/wellin
4 Elements Studio, Utica
Adult and youth programming is offered throughout the spring, with varying start dates.
Adult Workshops
• Clay Date (Adults)
• Adult Wheel Throwing Workshop for All Levels
• Botanical Clay Platters
• Creative Platter Glazing
Kids / Teens Art Programs
• Kids Wheel Throwing
• Winter Art Camp for Kids
For full schedules, pricing, and enrollment details, visit: 4elementsstudio.org
Paul Nigra Center for Creative Arts, Gloversville
• March 1 -12: 2026 Winter Art Show
• March 20 – May 14: 2026 Regional Art Show
www.pncreativeartscenter.org
DON’T MISS IT: 2026 Winter Art Show, March 1-12, at Paul Nigra Center for Creative Arts. Pictured above, left to right: “Big Brown Bear” by John Carver, “Golden Sunset” by Gabriella Gabriel Dillmann, and “Snow Melt” by Marion Kratky”.
