MedinaTriennial2026
35+ artistsfromaroundthe globe
LaunchingJune 2026
RootedinplaceCommunityengaged
The Medina Triennial is a new contemporary art triennial—rooted in place, shaped by community, resonant with global ideas, and free for all.
As the first initiative of its kind in the region, the inaugural Medina Triennial will bring together 35 artists and collectives from across the globe from June 6 to September 7, 2026, to realize a town-wide exhibition and public programs that are both expansive in scale and grounded in the local context.
Artist-led and community-centered, the Triennial is co-curated by Kari Conte and Karin Laansoo, and will reimagine how contemporary art can live in—and grow from—rural environments. Taking place every three years, it supports long-term research, site-responsive commissions, and collaborations that position small-town geographies as vital sites of cultural and critical imagination.
The Triennial was initiated in partnership with the New York Power Authority and the New York State Canal Corporation as part of a broader effort to revitalize the Erie Canal. It builds on alliances with art institutions and universities in Buffalo, Rochester, and beyond. These partnerships will shape the inaugural Triennial and will continue into the second edition in 2029.
Located in Medina, along the historic Erie Canal in Western New York, the Triennial draws on the town’s layered histories. With a population of 6,000, Medina embodies the convergence of industry, agriculture, immigration, and civic life, reflected in its preserved 19th-century architecture and engaged community. Though modestly-scaled, the town is rich in cultural and ecological significance, situated between Buffalo and Rochester and surrounded by farmland, wetlands, and canal infrastructure.
The Medina Triennial Hub launched in Fall 2025 as a space for collaboration and community engagement leading up to the 2026 Triennial. Located in the center of Medina, the Hub is a storefront that serves as both a public programming and residency site. Designed by Serweta Peck, the Hub combines workspace, program areas, a free art library, and adaptable gathering spaces. The inaugural residency season hosts artists Mary Mattingly and James Beckett. Mattingly’s Triennial commission, Floating Garden (2026)—a barge-based living artwork on the Erie Canal—began production this September with the participation of local residents and volunteers.
The Medina Triennial will act as a connective tissue—bridging artistic practices with rural knowledge, industrial history, and ecological futures.
Upcoming
Oct 18, 2025, 12–6 PM
Saturday Sessions
Medina Triennial Hub
Nov 7, 2025, 2–3:30 PM
Friday Sessions
Medina Triennial Hub
Nov 8, 2025, 12:30–4 PM
Saturday Sessions
Medina Triennial Hub
Past
Oct 4, 2025, 11 AM–5 PM
Saturday Sessions
Canal Village Farmers' Market and Medina Triennial Hub
Sep 28, 2025, 11 AM–1 PM
Sunday Sessions
Medina Triennial Hub
Sep 27, 2025, 2:30–8 PM
Saturday Sessions
Medina Triennial Hub
Press Releases
Medina Triennial Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization incorporated in New York. Your support powers a bold new triennial grounded in place, shaped by artists, and committed to long-term impact. Please make a tax-deductible donation today, whether it’s $5 or $5,000 all support will go toward the realization of our free and accessible programming.
Please donate online below or make checks payable to “Medina Triennial Inc.” and mail to:
Medina Triennial Inc.
345 N Main Street
Medina, NY 14103
Medina Triennial 2026
- Kari Conte
Co-Artistic Director - Mary Fellios
Curatorial and Programs Manager - Matthias Hollenback
Head Producer - Karin Laansoo
Co-Artistic Director - Federico Rosario
Community Engagement and Programs Coordinator - Ekrem Serdar
Associate Curator, Planning (until September 2025) - Shirley Verrico
Operations Manager - Other Means
Graphic Design
Steering Committee
- Joyce Hwang
Professor of Architecture, University at Buffalo, State University of New York - Margot Muto
Lead Academic and Donor Engagement Specialist, Memorial Art Gallery, University of Rochester - Aaron Ott
Curator of Public Art, Buffalo AKG Art Museum - Scott Propeack
Executive Director, Burchfield Penney Art Center - Karol Wight
President and Executive Director, The Corning Museum of Glass
NYPA Team
- Angelyn Chandler
Vice President of Planning - Joana Pacheco
Capital Planning Manager - Canals
Work With Us
- Check back soon
Medina Triennial Hub
345 N Main Street
Medina, NY 14103
The Medina Triennial Hub is open to the public every Saturday from 12 to 6 PM and during programs.
General Inquiries:
[email protected]
Sponsorship and Partnership Inquiries:
[email protected]
Media Inquiries:
Caterina Berardi
Director, Cultural Counsel
[email protected]