Art is experienced individually, each viewer bringing their own ideas and interpretations to the work. It is also meant for everyone. And yet art-world commerce means that much of what’s produced today is inaccessible and unaffordable, often treated as an investment for the one percent. Upstate Art Weekend presents a compelling alternative. Named “New York’s Best Summer Art Shows” by The New York Times, this five-day festival brings together over 400 artists across the Hudson Valley and the Catskills. The festival, which runs from June 25 to 29, features more than 160 exhibitions, performances, installations, and events. Stretching from Hudson to Beacon, Upstate Art Weekend offers the public an intimate look at the region’s thriving creative scene, all within a two-hour train ride from New York City. —Clara Scholl