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Lewiston, NY – Artpark is ready to erupt with renewed energy: with inspiration, invention, joy, compassion, and reflection. The 2022 season is a global schedule of ninety-six acts from ten nations and four continents working alongside North American artists.

“Our programs in performing and visual arts are inspired by the environment and the history of Niagara and guided by Artpark & Company’s commitment to art, nature, culture and our community’s place in the global society,” explained Sonia Kozlova Clark, President. “We have listened to our public. Many suggested we work to provide joy, as well as the challenging innovations in our time. We are asked to inspire, to educate and to reflect upon the varied histories of the land we occupy – from the powerful current of the Niagara Gorge created by the formation of the Falls, to the native cultures inhabiting this land for millenia, to the history of invention stemming from Nikola Tesla and the Creative Associates.”

Standout events are highlighted below. Be sure to visit our 2022 calendar throughout the coming weeks for updates.

The season will begin with the celebration of Earth Day (April 22) as part of a rich season-long native arts program capturing our symbiotic relationship with the Natural World through the indigenous lense.

The concert lineup speaks to music’s diversity and vitality and represents a bold return to large in-person gatherings and the communal experience concerts provide.

Artpark’s Amphitheater and Mainstage Theater performance spaces will be alive with rock, pop, jazz, alternative, and more. Audiences will enjoy legends like Earth, Wind & Fire, Patti LaBelle and Elvis Costello to the current sounds of Modest Mouse, Jack White, Bon Iver and rising stars Goose to Trombone Shorty’s curated traveling festival showcasing the music of New Orleans and much more. Artpark’s 3rd annual Strawberry Moon Festival on June 18th will not only feature Canadian music favorites Blue Rodeo, but the award-winning Inuit “tribal-funk” music group Pamyua along with a day-long traditional Indigenous arts and cultural programming; from Indigenous art, food, dance, storytelling, hands-on creative workshops, and the mesmerizing and exciting Smoke Dance Competitions.   

Plasticiens Volants, a 40-year old French institution practicing street theater spectacle with their unique inflatable puppetry, returns to Artpark’s grounds after two breathtaking performances in 2017 (“Big Bang”) and 2019 (“Pearl”). Performing outdoors on August 20th, Plasticiens Volants will present Artpark audiences with a new show: “Leonardo, Dreams & Nightmares” celebrating the insatiable curiosity and polymathic pursuits of Leonardo Da Vinci. Everything is connected and up in the air in a form of giant painted inflatable puppets created and manipulated by the unique mastery of Toulus-based artists.

With the intention of bringing new artists and celebrating music’s global reach and impact, Artpark’s New Music in the Park series opens on June 26 with the return of Sō Percussion, and performing with them will be Dominic “Shodekeh” Talifero, groundbreaking beatboxer, vocal percussionist and breath artist in a WNY premiere. Additional concerts will include: bandoneon virtuoso and composer JP Jofre and his Hard Tango Chamber Band; new music wind quintet WindSync; and Gamelan music from Indonesia performed by Buffalo’s-own Nusantara Arts. New directions in jazz will be featured in a concert by the Buffalo Jazz Composers Workshop. The season will also feature the category-defying Squonk Opera, now celebrating its 30th anniversary.

The world is shaken by the war in Ukraine, affecting so many people, including local residents with roots and loved ones across Eastern Europe. Planned as one of the highlights of the 2022 season is the return of Ukrainian ethno-chaos band DakhaBrakha. Scheduled for a July 14 performance in the New Music in the Park series, the quartet will present an original live soundtrack to the iconic and more relevant than ever film “Earth” by Alexander Dovzhenko at Artpark Mainstage Theater.

The current schedule of more than 30 concerts is available here with more to be announced soon.

Artpark will continue its commitment to celebrating our region’s Indigenous artists with a series of workshops, performances and special events curated by Indigenous Programs Producer, Michele-Elise Burnett. Programs will include: an online celebration of Earth Day (April 22); an in-person Spring Awakens program at Artpark’s Native American Peace Garden (May 14 & June 4); the annual Strawberry Moon Festival; and the continuation of Indigenous Ways of Knowing during the Free Family Saturdays programming. This year, Artpark presents The Red Dress Exhibit: If only they could tell their stories, a powerful and healing installation that raises awareness to racist crimes targeting Indigenous women and girls.

Now in its 12th year, Artpark Fairy House Festival on July 9th welcomes visitors of all ages to marvel at fairy house creations by professional and community artists. Special musical guests Mucca Pazza will entertain with a rock & roll marching band, street theater extravaganza. Highlights will include aerial and acrobatic feats – Battements de Cirque – by Montréal-based Anouk Vallée-Charest. And, of course, the whimsical and enchanting Artpark Fairies and roaming musicians will be outfitted by artist and designer Uta Bekaia of Tbilisi, Georgia.

Exploration of the interactive and physical theater arts continues with the Hip Hop-meets modern dance-meets cirque nuovo company from France, Art Move Concept. Their show “Anopas” comes to Artpark’s Mainstage on July 22 & 23. This summer also sees the return of Montreal-based Cirque Barcode and Acting for Climate, whose work focuses on lowering the environmental impact. They will perform outdoors in the Emerald Grove, July 30 & 31. Also, South Korean artist Juyung Lee and his group Galmae will transform a crowd of spectators into a problem-solving collective on August 27-28 with a performance “C’est pas là, c’est par là” (It’s Not That Way, It’s This Way!)

Artpark also continues its program of artistic residencies and development of new work. Jon Lehrer Dance Company will create a new choreography and film around Artpark’s 2021 major installation “Murmuration” by SO-IL. Additional artistic residencies invite Czech artist Kateřina Šedá working with independent curator Claire Schneider, President, C.S.1 Curatorial Projects, to create a new project exploring the relationships between people within the Village of Lewiston.

Renowned opera producer, conductor and stage director Gil Rose has been engaged for an extended residency to explore the feasibility of new opera programming and development of an Artpark Opera Strategic Plan with a potential live performance. Artpark’s collaboration with Buffalo’s Torn Space Theater will continue on a new production entitled “CrossWalk” on June 17.

This summer Artpark will launch a new adult education initiative: The Artpark Devised Performance Institute (ADPI) that brings together cutting edge international companies who push the boundaries of physical performance with participants interested in an intensive study of creating physically.

Returning to the theme of history, nature, and artistic experiences, Artpark’s new-and-improved free Sonic Trails audio app by Holladay Brothers and SoZo Creative is an immersive and empowering way to experience the dynamic traditions of Artpark's historic location daily from dawn until dusk.

As always, Artpark continues its now expanded community and family programming with its now expanded FREE Family Saturdays in July and August, Visual Arts Camp for three one-week sessions in July, and Artpark Bridges program empowering underserved people of varied abilities. See details at artpark.net.

This year’s programming is led by Artpark President Sonia Kozlova Clark, Vice President of Concerts and Marketing Dave Wedekindt, and Indigenous Arts Producer Michele-Elise Burnett. Artpark is proud to announce its new team, including Global Visual Arts Curator Rochelle Steiner and Regional Curator Albert Chao, who will be adding new visual arts programming in the future. They are supported by the expanded operations team. Meet the expanded Artpark team here.

Artpark acknowledges that it sits on lands inhabited by Indigenous peoples for millennia and would like to honor all those who have walked before the ones visiting the site today. The entire staff is grateful for the opportunity to live, work and play here in Lewiston, and gives thanks to the ancestors who have served as stewards of this special place.

Artpark thanks its season funders M&T Bank Foundation, Cullen Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, New York State Council on the Arts, New York State Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation, FACE Foundation, Mid-Atlantic Arts Foundation, Artpark Board of Directors and Artpark Beverage Sponsor Try-It Distributing.


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SCHEDULE OF EVENTS (as of March 24, 2022):

 

Amphitheater Concerts

DATE

CONCERT/ EVENT

May 27

Modest Mouse

 

May 29

Lake Street Dive

 

June 8

An Evening With Goose

 

June 14

Trombone Shorty's Voodoo Threauxdown

June 21

Patti Labelle

June 28

Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats

 

July 2

Flogging Molly + The Interrupters

July 5

Barenaked Ladies with Gin Blossoms & Toad the Wet Sprocket

July 12

Tedeschi Trucks Band with Los Lobos & Gabe Dixon

July 27

Bleachers

 

July 31

Earth, Wind & Fire

August 1

Khruangbin

August 3

Sad Summer Festival

August 9

Elvis Costello & the Imposters

August 10

Ziggy Marley: A Live Tribute to His Father

August 23

Dispatch & O.A.R. with G. Love

 

Mainstage Theater Concerts

 

DATE

CONCERT / EVENT

May 18

Needtobreathe

 

May 28

The Head and The Heart

June 7

Bon Iver

 

June 9

Chvrches

 

June 11

The War On Drugs

July 9

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban™ In Concert

 

July 11

Death Cab for Cutie

 

July 29

"Weird Al" Yankovic

 

August 21

Jack White

 

 

New Music In the Park

 

DATE

CONCERT/ EVENT

June 26

So Percussion with Dominic “Shodekeh” Talifero

July 3

Nusantara Arts (Gamelan)

July 14

DakhaBrakha + film “Earth”

July 16

Squonk Opera

July 24

Buffalo Jazz Composers Workshop

Aug 7

WindSync

August 13

JP Jofre Hard Tango Chamber Band

 

Festivals, Street Theater, Dance and Special Events

(check here for more details as they become available)

 

DATE

CONCERT/ EVENT

June 17

“CrossWalk” by Torn Space Theater

June 18

Strawberry Moon Festival

Featuring: Blue Rodeo, Pamyua, Indigenous arts + more

July 9

Artpark Fairy House Festival

Featuring: Battements de Cirque (Montreal)
Mucca Pazza

July 22 & 23

“Anopas” by Art Move Concept

July 30 & 31

Cirque Barcode & Acting for Climate Montreal

August 20

Plasticiens Volants in “Leonardo, Dreams & Nightmares”

 

Camps / Family Programs

(go to artpark.net for more details as they become available)

 

DATE

EVENT

July & August

FREE Family Saturdays

Three one-week sessions:

July 11-15; July 18-22; July 25-29

Visual Arts Camp

June-August (various dates)

Artpark Devised Performance Institute

(tbd)

Artpark Bridges

 

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The Earl W. Brydges Artpark is being operated by Artpark & Company, Inc. for the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation under a long-term collaborative agreement.



Contact: Dave Wedekindt 716-472-6030

dwedekindt@artpark.net