June 6–September 7, 2026
The Medina Triennial announces its 2026 inaugural edition in Western New York.
The Medina Triennial, a new contemporary art initiative rooted in the Western New York Village of Medina along the Erie Canal, will launch its inaugural edition from June 6 to September 7, 2026. Conceived as a platform for critical inquiry and cultural exchange, the Triennial will present over 50 works—many newly commissioned and site-responsive—by local, national, and international artists and collectives. Spanning the historic town, the exhibition will be free and open to all.
As the first initiative of its kind in the region, the Triennial is curated by Co-Artistic Directors Kari Conte and Karin Laansoo. Artist-led and rooted in place, the Triennial reimagines how contemporary art can live in—and grow from—rural environments. Held every three years, it supports long-term research and collaborative processes, positioning small-town geographies as vital sites of cultural and critical imagination.
The 2026 exhibition will unfold across a dozen indoor and outdoor sites, from sandstone warehouses and industrial ruins to public spaces and stretches of the canal itself. Artists are developing projects in close dialogue with the community—highlighting the material histories and contemporary concerns of the region. With research and site visits already underway, the curatorial framework emphasizes sustained presence and long-form engagement.
Pre-Triennial programming begins in September 2025 with the opening of the Medina Triennial Hub, a year-round venue for public events, artist residencies, and institutional collaborations. Housed in a renovated 19th-century sandstone building overlooking the canal, the Hub will host a slate of programs leading up to the 2026 Triennial that bridge artistic practices with rural knowledge, industrial history, and ecological futures.
The Triennial’s curatorial team brings both ties to the region and a global perspective on contemporary artistic practice. Kari Conte is an independent curator and writer based between New York City and Türkiye. Karin Laansoo, Founding Director of the Estonian Contemporary Art Development Center and Artistic Director of Kai Art Center, splits her time between Tallinn and Rochester, New York. The curatorial team was selected by a Steering Committee composed of leaders from institutions including the Buffalo AKG Art Museum, Burchfield Penney Art Center, Corning Museum of Glass, Memorial Art Gallery, and the University at Buffalo.
Initiated by the New York Power Authority and the New York State Canal Corporation, the Triennial forms part of the broader civic and cultural revitalization of the Erie Canal, marking the bicentennial of its construction. The Triennial was conceived through a two-year planning process in collaboration with partners across Medina, Buffalo, and Rochester, as well as the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA), and a coalition of artists, educators, and community leaders. The initiative responds to the urgent need for cultural investment outside of major metropolitan centers, while positioning Western New York as a site of continued relevance within the field of global contemporary art.
The next edition of the Triennial will take place in 2029.
Press contacts: For press inquiries, interviews and image requests, please contact Caterina Berardi Director, Cultural Counsel, caterina@culturalcounsel.com.
