For nearly half a century, CPW—formerly known as the Center for Photography at Woodstock—has served as both incubator and mirror for photographic practice in the Hudson Valley and beyond. Artists passed through its galleries, darkrooms, workshops, and residencies not just to show work, but to argue with it, refine it, and test what photography could be in a given moment. With the launch of the “Upstate Photography Biennial,” CPW is formalizing that long-standing role—and turning it outward—by offering a new, recurring platform dedicated to lens-based work made north of New York City.
The inaugural Biennial, slated to open May 30 and run through September 6, will survey contemporary photographic practice across upstate New York, featuring up to 30 artists working in formats that range from straight photography to documentary, experimental work, installation, and video. Organized by CPW curators Adam G. Ryan and Marina Chao, the exhibition will occupy the entire first floor of CPW’s newly renovated Kingston headquarters at 25 Dederick Street—a symbolic and literal expansion for an institution that has recently planted deeper roots in the city.
An open call for submissions runs from December 15 through January 31, with no application fee. Eligibility is broad but purposeful: artists who live and/or work in north of New York City. The Biennial’s premise isn’t about defining a single regional aesthetic; it’s about acknowledging the sheer range of work being produced across a geography that’s often flattened or overlooked in national conversations about photography. If the Hudson Valley has become a crossroads—of migration, of media, of artistic reinvention—this exhibition aims to reflect that complexity rather than tidy it up.
Selected artists will also be included in a small-run, high-quality catalogue produced in-house by CPW Press, using the organization’s new Canon v700 printer. It’s a detail worth noting: in an era of endlessly scrolling images, CPW is doubling down on the book as an object, a record, and a way of slowing down how photography is encountered and remembered.
Submissions will be accepted exclusively through Submittable and require a single, cohesive body of work (5 to 10 images), along with a short bio, project statement, and CV. Artists will be notified by March 1.
For photographers working in the region—whether emerging or long-established—the Biennial represents more than an exhibition opportunity. It’s a signal that the region’s work deserves sustained attention, serious presentation, and a regular place on the calendar. In other words: not a one-off, but a new fixture.
