CHATHAM — Art Omi plans to break ground on its mammoth $60 million network of pavilions and visitor center in the spring, officials said Tuesday.
Art Omi Pavilions at Chatham will be built on a 190-acre site and encompass up to 18 pavilions that will display legacy stand-alone exhibitions of internationally distinguished artists and collectors showcasing their work.
Pavilions received a $2 million grant through the state’s Regional Economic Development Council initiative in December and a $5 million grant from the New York state Council on the Arts as part of its Capital Projects Fund Awards in June.
“The projected cost of the entire project is $60 million, but we’re still securing funding for the rest,” said Art Omi Communications Director Jess Maxwell.
The grant will serve as a catalyst for the realization of 18 innovative Pavilions, poised to become a prominent visitors’ hub and cultural landscape in the Hudson Valley.
Gov. Kathy Hochul weighed in on the Pavilions’ impact on the local economy and the importance of shovel-ready projects.
“New York state is supporting our growing communities by investing in shovel-ready projects that will encourage job creation and help boost local economies,” Hochul said in a statement. “The range of these projects reflects crucial Regional Economic Development Council input from the stakeholders who know their local assets and industries best, helping us make strategic investments to create opportunity in our communities, both now and for the future.”
Located along the Hudson Valley’s famed art route, the Pavilions will form a vital link between iconic landmarks such as Storm King, Dia:Beacon, Magazzino, Forge Project, Foreland, Jack Shainman Gallery: The School, up to The Clark and MASS MoCA, Art Omi said in a statement.
Art Omi is a nonprofit arts center with a 120-acre sculpture and architecture park and gallery, and residency programs for international artists, writers, translators, musicians, architects and dancers.
“This grant serves as a pivotal step in elevating Art Omi into global cultural prominence, enhancing Chatham’s charm,” said Ruth Adams, co-executive director of Art Omi with Jeremy Adams. “The Pavilions, envisioned as an international arts haven, will beckon visitors to experience unique architectural expressions and legacy art exhibitions and will offer exposure to world-class art collections. This transformative project not only fosters creativity and diversity but also solidifies Art Omi as a beacon that will attract tourists, locals and art enthusiasts worldwide.”
The first phase of the project is expected to open to the public in the fall of 2025, according to Art Omi officials.
“The project’s mission is to advance the legacy and collective power of creative expression from leading artists, architects and collectors in an inclusive and sustainable natural landscape,” Art Omi found Francis Greenburger said in a statement. “The visitor experience of self-guided exploration will be informed by the landscape of woodlands, meadows and 360-degree Hudson Valley views, intermingled with unique structures built by world-class architects, all activated by dynamic artworks.”
Artistic collaborators include Alice Aycock, Rakuko Naito and Tadaski Kuwayama, the Institute for Studies on Latin American Art and Torkwase Dyson.