Monograph Series Contact Haystack Current News 2001 Summer Session Brochure Haystack Mission and Background Haystack was founded in 1950 as a research and studio program in the arts. Its founding mission was to teach fine craftsmanship, develop latent or inherent creative ability, and carry on research and development in connection with the crafts. Over the years this has been refined to include the investigation of craft in an aesthetic climate that honors tradition while acknowledging the rich potential of contemporary visual art.
People come to Haystack to develop skills and nurture the creative spirit.
They come to ask questions, reassess their work and push into the unknown. The combination of a stunning natural setting, a unique campus designed by Edward Larrabee Barnes, and the focused energy of the school community create an environment that supports a serious exploration of art, ideas and imagination.