The Upstairs Gallery, operating
as a not-for-profit enterprise, is Ithaca's premier art gallery.
In the 10 shows mounted each year there is a wide variety
of art exhibited from pure abstracts to figurative painting and
landscapes. In addition, the gallery is made available to other
non-profit groups for shows of art and textiles. A surprising
number of artists live and work in the Finger Lakes Region, some
with international reputations and others embarking on their
careers.
The Upstairs Gallery opened in 1963, the first commercial art
gallery in the Ithaca area. Its objective was to bring
to this area art work of high professional standards for sale
on consignment.
After a year and a half the original owners were unable to continue
in business so the gallery was kept open by a group of volunteers
dedicated to the same ideals. These volunteers kept the
gallery alive, expanded the number of days of the year it is
open and developed imaginative new outreach programs.
The Gallery has not lost sight of its original purpose:
