Thank you for lighting up The Dark.
Our inaugural winter festival was a triumph for Columbia County—80 performances of 30 world-class adventurous productions spanning music, dance, theater, installation, immersive experience, and beyond.
Thank you to the 60+ artists who illuminated Columbia County with their brilliance all week; to the 20 partner venues across five towns, who hosted performances and events with collaborative energy; to the 120 new staff members who joined our team to make it happen; to the thousands of attendees of who joined us throughout the week, whether for one performance or 20; and to you—for believing in us, and making it possible.
We’ll do it again next year. In the meantime—our merch is still available, and our saunas are still open until March 31st.
THE DARK 2026
DETAILS
Alex Harvey • The Willows • Stonykill Coffee and Records • Chatham, NY
Andrew Schneider • NOWISWHENWEARE (the stars) • PS21 Black Box Theater • Chatham, NY
Ant Hampton & Time Based Editions • Borderline Visible • Chatham Bookshop • Chatham, NY
Ant Hampton with Tim Etchells • Not to Scale • US premiere • Creative Legion • Hudson, NY
Ant Hampton with Tim Etchells • The Quiet Volume • Chatham Public Library • Chatham, NY
Arone Dyer / Droneschoir • Lode* • The Masonic • Chatham, NY
Autumn Knight • Nothing #62: a bluff • Pocketbook Hudson • Hudson, NY
Ben LaMar Gay • Cold was the Ground • Crandell Theatre • Chatham, NY
Bert & Nasi / Tim Etchells • L’Addition • US premiere • Time & Space Limited • Hudson, NY
David Lang & Bill Morrison • darker • Crandell Theatre • Chatham, NY
Emahoy Tsegué-Maryam Guèbrou • Night Prayers, piano by Thomas Feng • PS21 Black Box Theater • Chatham, NY
John Fitzgerald • The Vivid Unknown: Cloudqatsi • US premiere • PS21 Animal Barn • Chatham, NY
Julian Brave NoiseCat • We Survived the Night: A Coyote Story in Four Parts • World premiere • Spencertown Academy • Spencertown, NY
Kara-Lis Coverdale • Music for Organ • St. James Church • Chatham, NY
Kara-Lis Coverdale • A Series of Actions in a Sphere of Forever • PS21 Black Box Theater • Chatham, NY
LaJuné McMillian • Constellations • World premiere • PS21 Ice Skating Rink • Chatham, NY
Lee Ranaldo & Leah Singer • ContreJour • Basilica Hudson • Hudson, NY
Natural Information Society • Perseverance Flow • Crandell Theatre • Chatham, NY
Okwui Okpokwasili & Peter Born: sweat variant • my tongue is a blade • US premiere • Hudson Hall • Hudson, NY
Peni Candra Rini & Garin Nugroho • Setan Jawa • Crandell Theatre • Chatham, NY
Phil Kline • Force of Nature (February) • World premiere • PS21 Grounds • Chatham, NY
Raven Chacon & David Lang • Voiceless Mass and the little match girl passion • St. James Church • Chatham, NY
Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe • Nsenene / Grasshopper Republic • Crandell Theater • Chatham, NY
Sarah Hennies & Tristan Kasten-Krause • Prisoner’s Cinema • The Masonic • Chatham, NY
Sister Sylvester • Constantinopoliad • US premiere • Kinderhook Knitting Mill • Kinderhook, NY
Sister Sylvester • Drinking Brecht • Spencertown Academy • Spencertown, NY
Sister Sylvester • Shadowtime • Creative Legion • Hudson, NY
Sophia Brous • Songs for the Dark • World premiere • Art Omi Barn • Ghent, NY
Trisha Brown Dance Company • In Plain Site • The Masonic • Chatham, NY
Walid Raad • Artist Talk • Crandell Theatre • Chatham, NY
Everyday of The Dark is packed with activities that invite you to immerse yourself in a day of daring performances, sound, and spectacle. Begin by warming up in the festival’s saunas or gliding across the ice skating rink, both perfect ways to feel the chill of winter and the heat of communal energy.
Scattered around the PS21 Grounds and Columbia County, immersive installations by Andrew Schneider, John Fitzgerald, Ant Hampton, and Sister Sylvester transforming space and experience into moments of unexpected wonder. Easily plan your day at The Dark with these daily schedules.
Performances take place all around Columbia County, and PS21 is festival headquarters—we’ll have ice skating, saunas, bonfires, and drinks going all week.
Ice Skating at the PS21 Ice Skating Rink, every day, various times
Saunas at the PS21 Pond, every day, various times
Daily Community Bonfire at PS21 Pavilion with food and beverages
Monday, Feb 16 6:00PM-8:00PM
Tuesday-Sunday, Feb 17-22 11:00AM-8:00PM
Kid Flicks × The Dark • Crandell Theatre at 1:00PM
Monday, February 16: Flow
Tuesday, February 17: Labyrinth
Wednesday, February 18: Spirited Away
Thursday, February 19: Where the Wild Things Are
Friday, February 20: Frankenweenie
The Teen Ambassador Program for The Dark is a collaborative initiative led by PS21 in partnership with resident company Mammalian Diving Reflex and Hudson Hall’s Workforce Development Program, in collaboration with Operation Unite NY. Designed as an educational and professional development opportunity, the program expands access to the arts for local youth through a paid, week-long immersive introduction to the performing arts.
Teen Ambassadors receive full behind-the-scenes access to The Dark, attending world-class performances, meeting professional artists, and contributing hands-on to real artistic and production processes. The program centers youth as active participants in the festival, offering meaningful exposure to creative careers and professional pathways in the performing arts.
PS21 : Center for Contemporary Performance
Pavillion • Pond • Tent Site • Animal Haven • Black Box Theater • Grounds
Chatham, NY
Chatham Public Library • Chatham Bookstore • Crandell Theatre • The Masonic • St. James Church • Stonykill Coffee & Records
Ghent, NY
Art OMI
Hudson, NY
Basilica Hudson • Creative Legion • Hudson Hall • Pocketbook • Time Space Limited
Kinderhook, NY
Kinderhook Knitting Mill
Spencertown, NY
Spencertown Academy Arts Center
Download the Bloomberg Connects app for your free festival guide, with the activities, performances, and a map to every locations.
We extend our sincere thanks to our community partners and business sponsors for their generous support of The Dark Festival. Your commitment and collaboration are essential to making this festival possible and to strengthening the creative life of our region.
SUPPORT
Your support helps us present this ambitious new winter festival in its first year—and beyond. The Dark brings 60+ artists to Columbia County in the dead of winter for a week of 80 world-class performances across a dozen locations. It creates over 100 jobs and stimulates local business, positioning the region as a year-round cultural destination.
PS21 is growing rapidly, thanks in part to The Dark. And as a not-for-profit arts organization, we rely on our generous community of individual donors to everything we do possible.
Please contribute to PS21 today. Thank you for your support.