Creative Explorers Family Day

Saturday, April 25, 2026

Explore the simple elegance of Japanese short form poetry and the joys of creative play with one of our most familiar and accessible mediums: cardboard! Join us 10 am to 4 pm at the West End Arts Campus to explore Haiku Poetry at the Cayuga Museum of History & Art and Cardboard Crafting at the Schweinfurth Art Center.

Visit the Cayuga Museum to learn about Haikus and compose your own original haiku poetry, then swing on over the the Schweinfurth Art Center and create your own original cardboard art creation to take home.

ADMISSION IS FREE FOR FAMILIES!!

May First Friday

Friday, May 1, 2026

The Central New York chapter of the National League of American Pen Women will read poetry and prose inspired by works in Made in NY 2026, a juried exhibition of New York State artists at the Schweinfurth Art Center. The reading is part of the Art Center's First Friday celebration, from from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Visitors can also tour From Regalia to the Street: Photography by Alex Johns-Hamer and Untamed by Cara Stetson, two other exhibitions on display. This event is free and open to the public. Light refreshments available.

Artist's Talk by Alex Johns-Hamer

3 p.m. Saturday, May 9, 2026

Alex Johns-Hamer is a Syracuse, NY, based event and portrait photographer whose work is currently featured at the Schweinfurth Art Center. Johns-Hamer currently serves as the event photographer for Ganondagan State Historic Site, as well as covering events for Madison Country Tourism. Other notable recent clients include Colgate University, Syracuse University, Rochester Museum Science Center and University of Rochester among others. In the beginning of his career Johns-Hamer served as a photojournalist and correspondent for Indian Country Today, covering Standing Rock protests, the original Hiawatha Belt returning to Onondaga Lake, various marches in NYC and Washington DC, and the Tribal Nations Conference. Currently Johns-Hamer serves as contributing photojournalist to Zuma Press news wire service.

The event is free and open to the public.