A year-long celebration of the arts in Beacon takes place the Second Saturday of every month from 12 - 9pm.  Galleries and shops feature artist receptions, music and other special events.  Beacon has been named one of the top 100 art towns in John Villani's “Art Guide Book for Traveler’s”. Main Street’s restaurants offer a wide range of cuisine: Thai, Spanish, Italian, Southern Barbeque, gourmet deli's, natural foods and more.  Monthly guides and maps are available at the participating locations and event information is on the Beacon Arts Community Association (BACA) website www.beaconarts.org

August 14 - September 11

Windows on Main Street is a unique and exciting public art project entering it’s sixth year in Beacon, New York.

Each summer, local artists engage with Main Street businesses to create a month-long art exhibition displayed in storefront windows located along our mile-long Main Street.

“Windows on Main Street creates opportunity for local artists to interact with the Beacon community,” says Katy Peace, an organizer of the event. “People really look forward to discovering what new perspective our artists bring to the concept of commerce in a small town.”

This year, 20+ local artists will be displaying site-specific installations in retail storefront windows along Main Street. Participants include:

Michael Bowman, Max's on Main, 246 Main Street
Kit Burke-Smith, Salon Arje, 532 Main Street
Monica Church, Hudson Valley Federal Credit Union, 342 Main Street
Simon Draper, Antalek and Moore Insurance Agency, 340 Main Street
Carol Flaitz, Chill Wine Bar, 173 Main Street
Katie Ford, Paper Presence, 133 Main Street
Beth Haber, Artisan Wine Shop, 180 Main Street
Erica Hauser, Dickinson's Antiques, 440 Main Street
Sarah Horan, Cup & Saucer Tea Room, 165 Main Street
Peter Iannarelli, Moxie Salon, 544 Main Street
Myra Kooy, RiverWinds Gallery, 172 Main Street
Tanya Kukucka, Fire Lotus, 474 Main Street
The Ladies Auxiliary, Blackbird Attic, 442 Main Street
Janine Lambers, Seed to Fruit, 528 Main Street
Teresa Marra, Too the Nines, 506 Main Street
Kristie Phillipson, Bank Square Coffee House, 129 Main Street
Dan Rigney, Hudson Beach Glass, 162 Main Street
Steve Rossi, Be Mine Again Consignments, 457 Main Street
Dakin Roy, Relic Antiques, 174 Main Street
Keely Sheehan, Echo Boutique, 470 Main Street
Emily Sylvester, Poppy's Burgers and Fries, 184 Main Street
Dan Wolf, Zuzu's Leaf and Bean, 453 Main Street

View our weblog for a dynamic map of Windows on Main Street http://beaconwindows.blogspot.com.

In addition to the month-long public art exhibition, Windows on Main Street will feature two receptions. The Opening Reception will occur at Chill Wine Bar on Saturday, August 14, 6:00-9:00pm. The Closing Reception will be held at Zuzu’s Coffeehouse on Saturday, September 11, 4:00-6:00pm. The project will also be documented in a self-published book, which will be available at the closing reception.

This year, the event is organized by independent curator Katy Peace and Melissa Tatge of Melissa Tatge Creative.

Windows on Main Street is part of Beacon’s August Second Saturday celebration, a monthly celebration of the arts in which galleries and shops are open from 12:00-9:00pm for openings, performances and other events. Beacon's Second Saturday is a project of the non-profit Beacon Arts Community Association (BACA). BACA is also the fiscal sponsor for Windows on Main Street. For more information about Second Saturday events in August, please visit: www.beaconarts.org.

The Angel Sponsor for Windows on Main Street 2010 is Rhinebeck Savings Bank. Additional sponsors include individuals and local businesses: Binaifer & Navroz Dabu, Hudson Valley Federal Credit Union, and RiverWinds Gallery.

Windows on Main Street 2010 opens on August 14 and runs 24/7 until September 11.

And come see the results of Electric Windows!

ELECTRIC WINDOWS 2010: Public Art Installation and Live Music! July 31
Three 19th C. Buildings in Beacon, NY, to be Revitalized by Renowned Street Artists - Public Art Installation and Live Music!

The historic river city of Beacon in New York’s Hudson Valley transformed into a Mecca of Urban Art when local gallery Open Space unveils the new ELECTRIC WINDOWS 2010. In a one-day live art and music event, 28 of some of the country’s most prolific street artists converged on Main Street to create original, large-scale works that are permanently installed on the exteriors of vacant 19th-century buildings.

Electric Windows 2010 Map
The public installation and launch of the exhibition will be held on Saturday, July 31, at 510 Main Street, beginning at 12pm. ELECTRIC WINDOWS will then be a permanent public art destination, to remain on view year-round. New this year, Beacon’s architectural phenomenon, the Roundhouse, and a second unused storefront across Main Street – adjacent to Beacon’s historic dummy traffic light – will also be upcycled into large-scale “canvases”.

And see all the openings at Second Saturday, August 14, 2010

Event Highlights: Second Saturday, August 14, 2010
opening receptions unless otherwise indicated. click on highlighted text for more info.

2:00 pm - 5:00 pm Ballet Arts Studio: Participate in, or observe, master dance classes
3:00 pm - 5:30 pm & 6:00 pm 9:30 pm Music On The Squares: Free Summer Concert Series
4:00 pm - 7:00 pm RiverWinds Gallery: "The Horizon Line” New Works by Ellen A. Lewis
6:00 pm - 9:00 pm bau 69: Kirsten Olson "Motile: JUST ADD WATER"
6:00 pm - 9:00 pm Hudson Beach Glass: Catherine Welshman painting
6:00 pm - 9:00 pm Windows on Main Street 2010: Opens
6:00 pm - 10:00 pm Gallery G: Carol Flaitz "Artistic Reflections on Nanotechnology"
6:00 pm - 10:00 pm Marion Royael Gallery: "Uncommon Sense"

go to www.beaconarts.org for links to all these events.

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Beacon: the art happens here
September 25-26, 2010

Beacon NY-Beacon Open Studios (BOS) is a city-wide art event, connecting local artist and their studios to the public. BOS provides a casual environment in which visitors can chat with artists in their workspaces while allowing an up-close look at what artists do behind closed doors. Visitors to this event can pick up a free map for self-guided tours of the 70 artists’ studios that will be open. Tourists and art enthusiasts alike have total viewing access to workspaces where artists display past, current and artworks in progress. Many of Beacon’s artists have shown nationally and internationally, some have their works in the permanent collections of respected art institutions. For other participating artists it may be their first time showing in any public situation. Beacon Open Studios is in its second year, scheduled for September 25-26, 2010. All studios will be open from noon-6pm on Saturday and Sunday.

Beacon, New York is located 60 miles north of New York City, situated on the Hudson River with Mount Beacon to the east. Known as an art destination mainly because of the 7 year old Dia: Beacon, Beacon is also home to a vibrant creative community—artist, writers and musicians populate this small city, many of whom have migrated here from one of the 5 boroughs. The city’s numerous art galleries often display an abundance local artistic talent, but that barely scratches the surface of the creative forces happening in the studios and private workspaces. On the weekend of September 25-26, 2010 visitors will have a chance to experience a wide sampling of the art that is made by artists who live and work here by attending Beacon Open Studios. Beacon-the art happens here.

There will be a lot of art to see on Open Studios weekend, art-seekers should begin their day at the Kickoff Exhibition located at Hudson Beach Glass’ 2nd floor gallery, 160 Main St. open daily, 10-6pm, Sunday 11-5pm. This site will serve as Beacon Open Studios Headquarters. The Kickoff Exhibition features a single work by each of the participating artists giving an overview of the offerings and allowing a chance to pick and choose the studios to visit. Pick up an Open Studios free map while you are there and chart your course for the day.

Hudson Beach Glass is also the location of the BOS Kickoff Party. On the evening of Friday September 24th from 7-10 pm there will be a Kickoff Party celebrating the efforts of the artists, organizers, sponsors, volunteers and art enthusiasts. Snacks and beverages will be served. The Kickoff Party is free and open to all.

Before arriving in Beacon, visitors can check out the BOS website www.beaconopenstudios.org where you can download a copy of the map and see images of artists’ work. Each registered artist has their own page on the BOS website featuring images of their work, links to their personal websites and contact information. Artists are also organized by medium for those interested in a specific style of art. This is a handy tool to utilize after the Open Studios weekend as well, to keep in touch with artists whose work you admired in their studio.

The BOS free map will serve as your guide around town not only to where the art happens but to the restaurants and coffee shops where you can rest and recharge between studio visits. Maps to the studios will be available at many Main St. shops, galleries and restaurants including: Beacon Falls Café, The Beacon Bagel, Homespun Foods, Cascadas Mexican Restaurant, Zuzu’s Leaf & Bean, Bank Square Coffee, Poppy’s, Isamu, Poppy’s, and many other locations.

For those short on time, you’ll want to visit studio buildings occupied by multiple artists. Spire Studios is conveniently located within a short walking distance to the Metro North train station and will be showing 8 artists. The former site of Beacon High School has been converted into artists’ studios, now know as Beacon Studios, where you can expect to see the work of about 30 artists. Parents of young children will be glad to know that there will be a kid’s art project room at Beacon Studios. Budding visionaries can draw, paint and create after being inspired by the work of the Open Studios artists. Children must be supervised by a parent or adult companion while in the kid’s art project room.

Beacon Open Studios is made possible with the support of the Beacon Arts Community Association (BACA) whose mission is to promote Beacon as an art destination. BOS aspires to bring visitors from the surrounding areas to create a stronger sense of awareness of Beacon as an art destination. For more information on the arts in Beacon and for resources and accommodations in the area please visit: www.beaconarts.org

Click on the website listed for more information about the galleries and shops