About

Founded in 1973 and located at “Steepletop,” the historic estate of poet/activist Edna St. Vincent Millay (one of the first women to win a Pulitzer Prize), Millay Arts is a nonprofit organization that offers multidisciplinary artists residencies on our campus as well as in the community.  Located in the Hudson Valley, nestled against the Berkshire foothills of Austerlitz, New York, our sylvan seven acres border Vincent’s house and gardens (maintained by the Millay Society, a separate nonprofit) and the beautiful Harvey Mountain State Forest.

We honor and acknowledge the Mohican people, the ancestral caretakers of this place; we take this time to consider the acts of violence, displacement, and unjust treatment toward them that have occurred over many generations; we offer our respect and gratitude to the elders of the past, to those living today, and to those who will come in the future, for their careful stewardship of this land and its resources and for the rich cultural legacy they will continue to create here.

 
 

In Summer, Artists-in-Residence enjoy inspirational walks along shaded trails and lush meadows fragrant with wild thyme, flowers and blueberries; Autumn presents bright bursts of color from the falling leaves; gazing out at the snow-covered hills in Winter, the mountains are dreamlike while the sun glistens and glitters; Spring brings blossoms in the trees and pale green shoots from the ground, along with the hungry locals: owls, hawks, foxes, bears and coyotes.

To date, we have hosted 3,000 artists from around the country and the world. The shared experience of “working alone together” forges collaborations and insights, cemented by the delicious communal chef-prepared dinners after a long day’s work in the studio. Friendships formed while in residence continue long past departure and often spark professional collaborations as well as life-long networking opportunities.

Consistently recognized, our alumni are the recipients of National Book and MacArthur Awards, Guggenheim Fellowships, Pulitzer and Lambda Literary Prizes, as well as other prestigious honors. Works created while in residence — that may have not otherwise have been realized — affect and enrich lives and communities around the world.

We also present workshops, place Teaching Artists in the schools in partnership with classroom specialists (our “Poetry in Translation” program focused on ESL and ELL learners is a smash hit with the Bangladeshi population and their English teachers at  Hudson City MS/HS) and are developing a summer residency placing sculptors on local CSA farms and other nonprofits to better connect with our rural neighbors and introduce community-based public art experiences..

Our Wintertide Rustic Retreat and — new in 2021 — Steepletop Residency allow us to host a wide community of creators to enjoy the “Millay experience.”

Facilities

 

Constructed in 1926 by Vincent and her husband Eugene Boissevain from a classic Sears Roebuck kit, the Barn was renovated by Norma Millay Ellis in 1980, thirteen years after she founded the residency. Rustic and beloved by our alumni, the studios allow for intense concentration while the charming bedrooms are cool in the summer and cozy in the winter. The Barn features four bedrooms, four studios, two bathrooms, a small kitchenette and an alumni library.

Completed in 1997 and funded by a grant from the MacArthur Foundation, the Main Building is an early example of universal ADA-design.  It houses administrative offices as well as shared living, kitchen and dining spaces, along with a B&W darkroom and workstation (with computer and printer).  The Speinson Suite features a large studio, two bedrooms and bathroom, allowing us to welcome artists who are in collaboration and/or those in need of a caregiver during their residency.  The McClennan/Hope Suite features a Yamaha U1 upright piano, a bedroom and bath.

The Main Building also has two libraries: the Nancy Graves Memorial Library was donated by the acclaimed sculptor (who, like Vincent, graduated from Vassar College); the Alumni Collection contains publications from past residents.

Our Values

 

Mission

Millay Arts supports the work and creative process of multidisciplinary artists through a range of residencies that enrich lives and communities locally and globally.

Values

We are committed to prioritize diversity, equity and inclusion. We take seriously our critical responsibility as a supporter of a wide range of leading artistic voices. We pledge to continue to use our platform in the effort to realize a nondiscriminatory, equal and just world. More

Vision

We believe that the role of art and artists is essential to a just and habitable society. Artists and their works forge connection, challenge boundaries and reflect a multiplicity of voices that reveal what it is like to be alive in the world today. The gift of time and space is vital to create work that acts as a crucial catalyst for transformational change and evolution.