Our Story

United by a penchant for rule-breaking and a dedication to accessibility, Laurie De Chiara and Stefan Saffer of ArtPort Kingston have been establishing and curating left-of-center, industry-leading experiential art organizations for over 25 years. 

Without declaration, they would pave a way for the commercial and popular rise of interactive art experiences and galleries worldwide. Both De Chiara and Saffer were born curious. De Chiara's early experiences with her Art Professor mother and internship under Peggy Guggenheim in Venice shaped her unconventional curatorial approach, while Saffer's journey from rural Franconia to organizing collaborative open-air events in Nuremberg and London developed his commitment to disrupting traditional art boundaries.

Both curators have exhibited a knack for recognizing and investing in urban environments that soon bloom into industry-leading arts destinations. This was true for De Chiara's Chelsea gallery in 1997, Saffer's "Sandwich Project" near Brick Lane Market, and Galerie müllerdechiara in Berlin, which opened in 2001—where the two first met. Throughout their partnership, including the birth of their daughters in 2006 and 2008, they established the nonprofit ArtPod in 2010, furthering their eclectic brand of curating for "non-art" audiences. Group exhibitions such as "Play" (2021) at The Staatsgalerie Stuttgart broke conventional rules by inviting viewers to touch, move, and influence artwork, drawing unprecedented crowds and solidifying their reputation for accessible, unconventional experiences.

In 2015, De Chiara and Saffer moved with their young daughters to Kingston, NY, a historically significant Hudson Valley city on the edge of cultural redefinition. After curating successful shows in the historic Cornell Steamboat Building, they developed what is now ArtPort Kingston, which remained open during the Covid-19 pandemic and inspired the 2020 launch of ArtStream, a public exhibition of site specific sculpture installations along Kingston's historic railway trail. The organization has since moved to a permanent location in Kingston's Midtown and has become synonymous with a dynamic cultural destination with multiple rotating exhibitions.

De Chiara understands her curatorial work as offering a therapeutic experience where art exists undefined, given new meaning in each interaction. Saffer reflects on his grandparents and the importance of creating art experiences that welcome everyone without fear of being "out of place." Together with ArtPort’s team they dream of integrating art into society in plentiful, meaningful ways and continue working to see that vision realized.