Art Omi Upstate Benefit 2026

Art Omi Upstate Benefit 2026

When: Saturday, September 26, 2026 | 5:30–10 PM
Location: Pocketbook Hudson | 549 Washington Street, Hudson, NY 12534

We invite you to join us for the annual Art Omi Upstate Benefit on Saturday, September 26 from 5:30–10 PM as we honor philanthropist, art collector, curator, and photographer Jack Shear.

TICKETS / DONATE IN LIEU OF ATTENDING

This year's benefit unfolds at Pocketbook Hudson Hotel and Baths, the recently opened hotel, restaurant, and cultural complex in a historic 1885 textile factory, and our newest partner in bringing art and community together across the Hudson Valley.

Schedule

• 5:30 PM: Cocktail party with libations, hors d'oeuvres, and live music from FlamenKora.
• 7:00 PM: Argentine feast prepared by Ambos Executive Chef Norberto Piattoni.
• Following dinner: Live auction and paddle raise hosted by Jacqueline Towers-Perkins.
• The evening concludes with dessert.

About the evening

The benefit raises support for Art Omi's programs: five international residency programs for architects, artists, dancers, musicians, and writers; a 120-acre Sculpture & Architecture Park with more than 60 artworks on view; rotating exhibitions in the Newmark Gallery (all free and open to the public); and arts education programs including summer camps, public school partnerships, and weekend workshops.

Your support at any level makes this evening—and Art Omi itself—possible.

Jack Shear, Our 2026 Honoree

Jack Shear has supported local organizations throughout Columbia County and the arts internationally. In 2022 he donated a collection of 75 Tibetan Thangka paintings and objects to Skidmore College, Vassar College, and Williams College. He serves on the executive committee of MoMA’s International Council and on the board of the Foundation for Art and Preservation in Embassies.

Jack has built a collection of over 2,000 works on paper ranging from Old Masters to contemporary artists. In 2020 he was honored by The Drawing Center and he serves on the Drawings and Prints Committee at the Museum of Modern Art, New York.

As a photographer, Jack has published books including Knot, which pairs his photographs with poems and prose by Forrest Gander. His work is represented in the permanent collections of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art, and the Albany Institute of History and Art.

As the husband of Ellsworth Kelly, Jack continues to honor his legacy as President of the Ellsworth Kelly Foundation and Executive Director of the Ellsworth Kelly Studio. In 2023 he donated 207 artworks by Ellsworth Kelly to 22 American museums and oversaw exhibitions and publications marking Ellsworth’s centennial.

FlamenKora

FlamenKora interweaves improvised trumpet and flamenco guitar with traditional mandinka kora and vocals from Senegal to create multicultural music. The ensemble is led by trumpeter and composer Volker Goetze, with kora master Ali Boulo Santo Cissoko and flamenco guitarist Roberto Monteiro.

“FlamenKora exudes a remarkable sense of cultural diversity... showcasing an uncanny ability to listen and respond to one another, resulting in an exquisite musical beauty.” – JAZZIZ (US)

Jacqueline Towers-Perkins

Jacqueline Towers-Perkins is an international auctioneer and CEO/Founder of Towers & Co, an auctioneer agency and fundraising consultancy. Her clients have included international royalty and figures from entertainment and business. She previously held senior positions at global auction houses, including Sotheby’s New York.

Pocketbook Hudson Hotel & Baths

Nestled in a historic textile factory built in 1885, Pocketbook Hudson Hotel & Baths blends history, design, art, and cuisine. The complex includes a communal bathhouse; Ambos—an open-fire restaurant; café and bar; Ether—a subterranean nightclub; galleries; and a street-level market.

Ambos

Ambos, Pocketbook Hudson's evening restaurant, is brought to life by Chef Norberto Piattoni and is inspired by Argentine heritage and fermentation practices, featuring local meat, seafood, fresh pasta, and produce transformed by live-fire cooking.

Questions?

For more information please email Lux Krueger, Associate Director of Development, at Lkrueger@artomi.org

2026 Sponsors

Sustainer
- On behalf of Aven A. Kerr Trust
- Heather & Rishi Bhandari

Leader
- David Israelow
- Sarah & Marcus Oliver

Patron
- BKSK Architecture
- Cherrie Nanninga
- Joanne & Robert Ollman
- SKOLNICK Architecture

Supporter
- Richard Hayden
- Noelle Lamuniere
- Gabriella Sperry

Friend
- Peter Frank & Jonathan Lerner
- Ashley Garrett & Brian Woods
- Herrington's
- LeChase Construction
- Carsten Otto & DeWayne A. Powell

Support

Major support for Art Omi is provided in part by the Francis J. Greenburger Family Foundation, the Mellon Foundation, Time Equities Inc., and the New York State Council on the Arts, with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

In-kind support provided by Pocketbook Hudson, Preferred Hotel Partner of Art Omi.