This fall, Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, the nonprofit cultural center at the historic site of the 1969 Woodstock festival, will offer a plethora of museum education and creative arts programming apt for all ages. Bethel Woods serves thousands annually and offers programs for children, families, teens and adults. These immersive and enriching programs focus on inspiring creativity and thoughtfulness through fun.
Continuing the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the greatest festival of all time, the Center’s programming echoes sentiments first made by 450,000 people searching for a place to speak their minds and share in the power of peace and music. Today, Bethel Woods provides guests a place where they are able to enjoy time spent fostering shared experiences and discovering new hobbies.
Each Thursday through October 30, Bethel Woods will host a support group for family members impacted by the addiction of a loved one. Creative Arts Therapy offers family members an opportunity to awaken their creativity in a supportive, community-centered process that will lead to emotional release, self-compassion and new insight. Additionally, Bethel Woods is proud to launch a partnership with Safe Homes of Orange County, co-facilitating a 12-month Creative Arts Therapy program for their clients and children. Licensed Art Therapists from Bethel Woods will be on site to show how art, music, and creative activity can foster new ways to express emotions and connect with one another.
School-based programming includes Explore the ’60s, a free for Sullivan County schools field trip program built around K-12 curriculum drawing on the content in The Museum and encouraging students to connect the ideals of the ’60s to relevant issues today. E3: Engage. Experience. Explore. brings professional performers into local classrooms (and students to Bethel Woods) for hands-on workshops. These programs ignite creativity and inspire children and their families through the arts.
October 28-November 1 – Story Pirates celebrate the thoughts, ideas, and creative habits of today’s youth. The group of change-makers returns to Sullivan County elementary classrooms for fun, interactive story creating and telling. The week-long residency culminates with a free community performance in the Event Gallery on November 2 featuring some of the Pirates’ greatest hits and the world premiere of sketches created by local students, for all to enjoy!
Plus, those who attend A Night at the Museum Sleepover the night before will be the first through the doors for the Story Pirates performance and have reserved seats. To add, sleepover attendees will experience the Museum during after-hours, hunt for treasure in the Special Exhibit, take a late night walk to the historic field, and take part in a pirate raid with Story Pirates!
November 4-8 – The New York-based, six-piece band Soul Inscribed uses hip-hop as a medium for middle school students to express themselves through projection, dance, and spoken word. On November 8, Soul Inscribed performs in the Event Gallery for a free, community evening performance.
Each Saturday through November 23, Bethel Woods welcomes museum guests to participate in drop-in workshops at The Museum at Bethel Woods. Inspired by the Museum’s collections, special exhibitions, and the spirit of the ’60s, topics rotate on a weekly basis, pairing introductory art-making skills with peace and togetherness. Upcoming workshops include:
October 5: No-Sew Cork Card Holder
October 12: Sweet Dreams Hops Pillow
October 19: Message Bracelets
October 27: Trickster Masks*
November 2: Puppets and Pirates
November 9: Winged Wind Chime
November 16: Macrame
November 23: Gratitud-i-Luminaria
*As part of Halloween at the Woods – a free day of family fun at The Museum at Bethel Woods.
Drop-in sessions are free with a suggested donation of $10; no pre-registration is required.
Two separate five-week creative workshops will be offered throughout the fall for artists of all ages, from infants to teens, with an emphasis on active and thoughtful creation in art, music, printmaking, sculpture, design and theater. The first Studio at the Woods session takes place on Saturdays, September 21-October 19 and the second session takes place on Saturdays, October 26-November 23. These workshops are fee-based, though tuition assistance is available based on financial need.
PLAY: The Classics returns this year to the Event Gallery. Presented in collaboration with Shandelee Music Festival, the series offers an affordable opportunity for people of all ages to develop an appreciation for the classics. The series shines a spotlight on young emerging artists and chamber ensembles and makes classical music accessible.
October 6: Afternoon of Chamber Music with Borisevich Duo
The Borisevich Duo, featuring pianist Margarita Loukachkina and violinist Nikita Borisevich, is an internationally acclaimed violin and piano duet, frequently performing across the United States and Europe. Mr. Borisevich and Ms. Loukachkina are winners of numerous international music competitions and have collectively performed on world renown stages such as The Kennedy Center (Washington, DC) and Grand Hall of Moscow Conservatory (Moscow, Russia), among others.
April 26, 2020: Afternoon of Choral Artistry featuring Young People’s Chorus of New York City
Francisco Núñez, whose awards and recognitions include: Musical America’s 2018 Educator of the Year Award, MacArthur Fellow, ASCAP Victor Herbert Award, New York Choral Society’s Choral Excellence Award, and Bang on a Can’s Visionary Award, is the Founder and Conductor of Young People’s Chorus of New York City.
Celebrating the power and possibility of the sixties, the Vibrations series explores what that decade means to us today. Final events within the series include:
September 28: Framing History
Woodstock photographers Elliott Landy, Lisa Law and Baron Wolman are welcomed back to the historic site for a panel to discuss how their photographs shaped the festival narrative.
October 2: Youth Leadership Day
During this day-long summit, local high school and college students will examine how they can find their passion and purpose through keynote presentations and interactive sessions.
For more information on upcoming programs, tuition assistance, and registration, please visit BethelWoodsCenter.org.
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