Picasso tapestries, Martha Graham dance highlight Pocantico Center's summer season

This summer, the Rockefeller Brothers Fund presents a season of free and low-cost programming at The Pocantico Center in Tarrytown exploring themes of renewal and reimagination. 

Performances, tours, and exhibitions will bring new life to historic spaces, enduring artistic traditions, and iconic works of art.

The season opens June 4 with this is the beginning, this is the end, a performance by renowned choreographer Joanna Kotze examining the cyclical nature of history. Tours of the Marcel Breuer House, Japanese Garden, and the outdoor sculpture collection at Pocantico offer ways to experience the former Rockefeller estate while Kykuit is closed for the 2026 season.

The summer season also introduces two new modern art installations at Pocantico. Woven Wonders: Kykuit’s Picasso Tapestries features Nelson Rockefeller’s collection of wool and silk reinterpretations of paintings by Pablo Picasso, and an outdoor Sculpture Walk showcases works on loan from The Museum of Modern Art by Marino Marini, Ursula von Rydingsvard, and more. Both are accessible with registration for select Pocantico programs, as well as during gallery hours on Fridays and Saturdays through March 2027.

Pocantico will also participate in Upstate Art Weekend ( June 26-28), an annual event celebrating the cultural vibrancy of upstate New York. UAW programming at Pocantico includes an official revival of Ian McKellen’s legendary Acting Shakespeare (June 26), a curator-led tour of Woven Wonders (June 27), and extended gallery hours.

Martha Graham Dance Company in Hope Boykin’s En Masse. Photo: Luis Luque

Other season highlights include Martha Graham Dance Company’s 100th anniversary celebration (Aug. 7), an afternoon jazz festival honoring Ken Peplowski (July 25), and the bilingual musical SPANGLISH SH!T (Sept. 18). 

Once home to the Rockefeller family, The Pocantico Center campus is owned by the National Trust for Historic Preservation and operated by the Rockefeller Brothers Fund. Pocantico hosts a robust slate of programming — including conferences for nonprofit and policy leaders, artist residencies, tours, performances and exhibitions, and educational programs for the community.

Visit rbf.org/pocantico/events for a complete season calendar; registration in advance is required. 

Robert Brum is a freelance journalist who writes about the Hudson Valley. Contact him and read his work at robertbrum.com.