For 50 years, Lewiston’s Artpark has been one of the premier concert venues for Western New York. Juxtaposing local and internationally renowned artists with the scenic landscapes of the Niagara River, the venue seamlessly mixes nature and art. On this Silver Jubilee, let’s look back to the founding of Artpark and trace how it became a hub for visual and performing arts.
25 miles north of Buffalo in the heart of Niagara County lies Lewiston. While the town of 16,000 was founded in 1818, it holds a much deeper natural and precolonial history. The town overlooks one of New York’s natural wonders: The Niagara Gorge. The rapid Niagara River cuts a large canyon dividing Lewiston from Ontario, Canada on the other side. Surrounding this striking canyon are pristine woods, home to over 450 species of plants and animals. The area’s forests, containing stunning rock formations, are a reminder of Western New York’s prehistoric glacial history.
Long before Artpark – or even Lewiston’s – founding, this area has been home to countless cultures. On Artpark’s current site, excavations have uncovered over 2,000 years of indigenous history. The most striking monument to this is an 1,800 year old burial mound within the park. Recognizing this important indigenous history, Artpark frequently collaborates with indigenous artists. In addition to displaying works by indigenous artists, Artpark hosts the annual Strawberry Moon Festival. The Festival highlights the arts and culture of local indigenous groups, while highlighting the interconnectedness of humanity.
While the beauty of Lewiston has drawn visitors for countless decades, Artpark dates its history back to 1974. In that year, the New York State Parks Commission and nonprofit Artpark & Company collaborated to found the park. In that year, the Earl W. Brydges Artpark State Park was established, encompassing 150 acres of arts, music, and nature spaces. The park’s current facilities consist of land reclaimed following the construction of hydroelectric power plants along the river.
Since its beginning, artpark’s mission has been to “produce and present excellence in the performing and visual arts, and create a unique cultural experience in a casual, natural setting.” Tracing its artistic history, Artpark has succeeded in this mission.
Artpark began as a hub for avant-garde visual artists. Inspired by its natural surroundings, many of the park’s early exhibitions dealt with the impermanence of art. Due to this, many of the pieces were destroyed, removed, or left to decay. Bolstered by robust state-funding, the site attracted hundreds of artists throughout its first decade in operations.
Among these early works was Adam Sonfist’s Pool of Virgin Earth. The piece – consisting of a 25 ft diameter – basin was meant to catch seeds falling from the area’s trees. By making art from the natural surroundings, Sondfists’ works highlighted the ethos behind Artpark’s early years.
These experimentations continued, attracting 200 artists through the 1980s. In 1974, artist Gordon Matta-Clark erected “Bingo,” a criticism of urban decay and government handling of the Love Canal Crisis. Art took all forms at the park, with artists even burying an “oldsmobile time-capsule” under the soil as part of artistic experiments.
The 1990s marked a shift in Artpark programming. With a funding cut to visual arts, the park began to highlight outdoor concerts more and more.
While music was highlighted more starting in the 1990s, it played an important role in Artpark’s operations from the start. The park’s opening included the construction of its MainStage theater. The theater hosts an 82” by 96” stage and indoor seating for 2,400 people. Additionally when the theater’s rear gate was opened, an additional 2,000 could watch from the outdoor lawn. With these immense facilities, Artpark’s mainstage was one of the largest theaters in the state.
The venue opened to the world on July 25, 1974 with a performance from the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra. Opening with “O Canada” and the “Star-Spangled Banner,” the orchestra performed nine pieces ranging from Tchaikovsky to Chopin.
The venue’s first year of performances is a who’s who of the greatest names in music history. Miles Davis, John Prine, Don McLean, Blue Öyster Cult, and more all played at Artpark, bringing audiences everything from jazz to hard rock. Included within these legends was a young Bonnie Raitt, selling tickets for only $3.
In addition to concerts, Artpark’s theater was a haven for stage performance. 1975 was the first full year of stage performances, including five performances of Man of La Mancha. These performances drew over 10,000 visitors to the park. Since then, Artpark has produced 104 productions, attracting 2.5 million to the venue. Performances have included Shakespeare’s Hamlet and Todd Almond & Lear Debessonet’s The Odyssey. These performances have highlighted local talent, broadway stars, and even international legends like ballet dancer Mikhail Baryshnikov.
As part of Artpark’s shift towards live performances, a second concert venue was constructed. Built on top of the aforementioned “oldsmobile time capsule,” the outdoor amphitheater more than doubled Artpark’s capacity. Sitting directly over the Niagara Gorge, the amphitheater can host up to 10,000 concert-goers in its outdoor facilities. Since its construction, the amphitheater has become a haven for Artpark’s concerts. It has hosted musical legends like Ringo Starr, Bob Dylan, and Aretha Franklin. Additionally, newer artists including Arctic Monkeys and Lizzo have performed at the venue.
On top of concerts, Artpark remains dedicated to its avant-garde roots. Artpark regularly features experimental musicians, including Null Point, Alarm Will Sound, and Laurie Anderson. Anderson’s “Stereo Decoy” is of note, featuring a piano and violin duet played on opposite sides of the US/Canada Border. The performance used broadcasting technology in tandem with the Niagara Gorge’s natural acoustics, keeping the tradition of environmentally inspired art at the site alive.
Artpark additionally remains dedicated to exhibiting visual artists. Walking around the park today, visitors will encounter a number of art pieces – both new and old. Among the new additions is a sculpture titled Murmuration, which mimics the appearance of a flock of birds. Beyond sculpture, The Solo Roths Waltz Across the Red Colossus Lot and Unity In Diversity highlight colorful calligraphy and paintings on pavement.
Among the works on display today are two from 1979. Gene Davis’ Niagara 1979 consists of 364-foot multicolored lines next to the mainstage theater. At 43,000 square feet, it was the largest painting at the time of its completion. Due to the importance of this piece, hundreds banded together in 2017 to restore it to its original beauty.
Even the park facilities are works of art. Most notable is Scott Burton’s Picnic Table and Four Benches also from 1979. The piece consists of a minimalist picnic setting, inspired by European avant-garde movements. This work is just another testament to Artpark’s famed blending of art, nature, and leisure.
Throughout its shows and exhibitions, Artpark places a special emphasis on community involvement. This takes the form of the “Artpark Bridges” program. The program’s goal is simple: Connect, Empower, Create. In order to do this, Artpark connects people from the diverse population of Western New York, empowers them to display their talents, and create art for the public. This involvement has taken many forms, including both the aformeneitoned stage production The Odyssey and visual art piece The Solo Roths Waltz Across the Red Hot Colossus Lot.
2024 marks an important year for Artpark. Beginning in late May, Artpark has held its annual Summer Concert Series. So far, artists like Sarah McLachlan, Bonnie Raitt, and Norah Jones have all performed. There are still two months of concerts left, offering visitors the chance to see country, psychedelic, opera, and more. In addition to upcoming Summer concerts, Artpark has special programming to celebrate its 50th birthday. July 24th will feature a special Birthday Bash event. The exclusive fundraiser event will feature food, drinks, and festivities throughout the day. At the center of this event is a performance by Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo, followed by a special fireworks show.
Fore more information on Artpark, its history, and upcoming events, visit its website here.
