Boasting prominent alumni such as James Baldwin, Audre Lorde, and Leonard Bernstein, MacDowell hosts artists from all over the world in Peterborough, New Hampshire, with studios scattered across a 450-acre property. There is no wi-fi in the studios (a huge plus for those who truly prefer to get away from the world while at residency programs) and all meals are provided, including lunches delivered to one’s cabin in a basket and dinners taken communally. There is no fee to attend and need-based travel grants and stipends are available. Applicants may only submit one application in a two-year period, and their next application season opens on January 1, 2023.
What We Do
MacDowell’s mission is to nurture the arts by offering talented individuals an inspiring residential environment in which to produce enduring works of the creative imagination.
What We Believe
MacDowell believes that the arts, artists, and creative processes are of primary importance. MacDowell was founded in 1907 around a belief in the inherent value of providing artists with uninterrupted time and supportive spaces in which to work.
We believe in the worth and dignity of all people. We aspire to understand and value the complex lives of the artists, staff, trustees, and all others who continue to support our mission.
We believe in a world that works for artists because art makes a better world. We strive to match the love that artists have of their work with our love of them as people. We support their vision through care, passion, and an unwavering belief in their importance to our society. We believe that when we give our very best to our artists, they give their very best to the world. The path of an artist is hard enough. We strive to ease that burden through care and a joyful, supportive community.
We believe MacDowell must play a role in fostering equity within the arts, with equity itself calling for the recognition of historically unequal starting points. We will use our wealth of experience and resources to create opportunities for people who have in the past been excluded from access to the arts and advancement within the organizations that serve them.
And we believe in the responsible stewardship of our ecological and financial resources. We are committed to taking care of our land, our physical plant, our endowment, and our community.