DEER ISLE—Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, in response to the growing uncertainty around the Coronavirus pandemic and in an effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19, has made the difficult decision to cancel all programming for the entirety of the 2020 season.

Haystack relies on the generosity of so many extraordinary people—from our dedicated staff and board of trustees to the faculty, visiting artists, technical assistants, program participants, donors, volunteers, and visitors—who come from the local community and state, the US, and from around the world. “We need to do everything we can to ensure the health and wellbeing of all our local community while also recognizing the potential impact of bringing groups of people—local, regional, national, and international—to a remote and rural community during, and after, a public health crisis. In essence, we have made this decision to help flatten the curve of the virus now, and to do our part in ensuring it remains that way for the coming number of months,” said Paul Sacaridiz, Haystack’s Executive Director. He added, “While this has been a very difficult choice for us to make, we believe that it is the most socially responsible step we can take with the information available to us at this time.”  

The Haystack staff has, and will continue to, work remotely until further notice. A dedicated website page has been created to provide updates as well as answers to frequently asked questions. Until further notice, the Haystack campus and its facilities--including the grounds, campus store, dining hall, studios, and accommodations--are closed to the public.

The Haystack staff and board are grateful for the creative, generous, and supportive people who make up the Haystack community and look forward to welcoming everyone back very soon.

STAY INFORMED ABOUT COVID-19: For the latest up-to-date information, these important resources can be helpful:

coronavirus.gov

cdc.gov/coronavirus

usa.gov/coronavirus

maine.gov/DHHS/mecdc/infectious-disease/epi/airborne/coronavirus.shtml

ABOUT HAYSTACK

Haystack Mountain School of Crafts is an international craft school located on the Atlantic Ocean in Deer Isle, Maine. Founded in 1950 as a research and studio program in the arts, Haystack offers one and two-week studio workshops to participants of all skill levels as well as the two-week, Open Studio Residency program, exhibitions, tours, auctions, artist lectures, and shorter workshops for Maine residents and local students. We also support visiting artists and scholars from a variety of fields including science, literature, music, and the visual arts, who are invited to spend two weeks at the school focusing on their work. Additionally, Haystack functions as a ʻthink-tankʼ in looking at craft by publishing annual monographs and organizing a variety of conferences and symposia that examine the field in broader contexts. These include collaborations with other institutions like the Center for Craft, Center for Bits and Atoms at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum, Smithsonian Institution, among others.

Follow us online: haystack-mtn.org | @haystack_school