The Community Arts Network of Oneonta has been supporting artists, engaging the community and promoting the arts in the greater Oneonta region for more than 50 years.
Formerly known as the Upper Catskill Community Council of the Arts, the organization has been a vital non-profit offering low-cost or free arts education to residents. Each year, CANO provides opportunities for hundreds of artists to showcase their diverse creative talents to the public through literary readings, art exhibits, concerts and more.
Thanks to the generosity of the Wilber family, the organization resides at 11 Ford Ave., right off of Main Street. Many CANO programs are in the Wilber Mansion, one of the city’s notable historic buildings. The downstairs boasts updated galleries where visual artists present their work, and dancers, drag artists, musicians and more perform for intimate audiences. Artist studios and offices are located upstairs. The art studio is situated behind the mansion, adorned with murals by local artists.
The Summer Arts Program provides art instruction to kids age 6-10 years old, Monday through Friday for nine weeks. Due to the high demand of local summer programs for youths, registration fills up quickly. A teens program was introduced last summer, offering painting and drawing workshops. Funding from a New York State Council on the Arts grant has revitalized and broadened arts education offerings this year. This summer, the teens program expanded with watercolor, ceramics and writing workshops. After-school art programs for kids and teens, and workshops for adults on topics such as health and well-being and small business marketing, will take place this fall.
Longstanding events, such as the Chili Bowl Cook-Off and Fundraiser, bring the greater community together. CANO’s City of the Hills Festival is downtown Oneonta’s largest arts festival, held Sept. 13 and 14 this year with 60 artists, crafters and vintage vendors selling their wares to thousands of attendees of all ages. The event is free and open to the public, featuring performances, concerts and mural unveilings. SUNY Oneonta, Huntington Memorial Library and Greater Oneonta Historical Society are a few of the partnering organizations that offer demonstrations, art activities and more. This year, Foothills Performing Arts Center closed the festival by presenting a screening of “Anomaly,” a short film created by Laurens graduates Ryan Jenkins and Spencer Sherry.
This area is recognized for the diversity of talented artists and writers who reside here. Exhibitions and Writers Salon provide a safe space for local artists and writers to present their work. New events, like A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Speakeasy, utilize art installations, music and performances to create an immersive arts experience where attendees are encouraged to dress within the theme.
CANO was a volunteer-run organization with a dedicated board of directors for more than 10 years until I was hired as executive director in 2021. Part-time Programming Director Alysa Blasetti and I are hands-on in most aspects of the organization, but volunteer efforts of board and committee members, as well as contracted artist instructors, are still necessary to provide residents with a wide range of programming, education and events.
The greatest challenges have been a lack of funding and dedicated volunteerism. However, community support continues to grow as the involvement of younger artists and creative people broadens the scope of programming offered.
For more information about CANO, visit their Facebook and Instagram accounts, canoneonta.org, cityofthehillsfest.org or email admin@canoneonta.org.