
The staff at MacDowell welcome all questions that might arise before, during, and after a Fellowship. Below we try to help you envision our rural New Hampshire climate and culture, with the hope that everyone will feel supported in the making of new work and new friends.
Peterborough is a small town in a rural corner of New Hampshire with the MacDowell campus situated between a neighborhood of single-family houses and undeveloped land.
MacDowell studios are scattered across a 450-acre property
- Studios are assigned according to each artists’ project description and date availability and cannot be changed after arrival
- Artists with mobility limitations will be assigned to barrier free studios nearest the dining room and library—all other artists can expect a minimum of twice daily walks of as much as one mile
- MacDowell’s gravel roads are not open to public traffic; only staff and Fellows’ cars will be seen on campus (The relatively few artists who will have a car while in residence are encouraged to provide rides to town for others who do not)
- Because our roads are unlighted, a bright beam flashlight is needed year-round and is indispensable in winter when sun can set as early as 4 p.m.
- During arrival orientation, all Fellows are provided with a paper map, verbal identification of landmarks and nearest studios/neighbors to help assure easy navigation for the full residency period
- Frequently sighted wildlife include deer, wild turkey, hawks, porcupine, and the occasional owl (Reclusive black bears and bobcat are rarely seen and it is worth noting that aside from the nearly tame deer, all local fauna have an instinctive fear of humans and generally run or fly off before a camera can be gotten out of one’s pocket)
- In winter MacDowell roads are well plowed and sanded after every storm, but icy conditions are an unavoidable reality December-March, and spring can be quite muddy. Boots and/or good walking shoes are always recommended (Fellows are encouraged to borrow provided walking staffs and elastic boot cleats for stability and traction in icy conditions)
- In warmer months, bicycles can be borrowed from a bike-rack located between the library and dining hall—please bring a bike helmet if taking to public roads beyond MacDowell
- Artists are provided keys to open their studio, their dormitory (unless studio is live-in), the laundry facility, and the James Baldwin Library
Studios are assigned to provide the best available space to support individual project descriptions within viable residency dates
- Artists’ accurate and timely answers to questions posed during the scheduling process are essential to allow staff to optimally assign studios
- Unless driven by medical necessity, artists may not request a change of studio; advance notification of such need is essential to allow for responsive support
- Because MacDowell’s schedule needs to be revised throughout the year, studio assignments are not shared before arriving on site
- Roughly half of the artists-in-residence are assigned to a studio plus a bedroom in a dorm-style building; the balance of artists are assigned to live-work spaces
- Non-live-in studios include a twin bed allowing for the option of using the studio as a live-in in combination with the shower/bath at the dormitory
- See MacDowell studios page for historical and renovation details
Wi-Fi internet access is available only in the James Baldwin Library and in a building with Zoom space
- Internet access is not provided in MacDowell studios and cellular service providers are inadequate for streaming or data transfer
- Artists whose work requires high speed internet in the studio are encouraged to consider residency programs other than MacDowell
- While MacDowell has set aside modest spaces for occasional video-conferencing, teaching multiple classes per week and similar recurring commitments are not compatible with being in residence
Cellular phone connectivity on campus varies widely according to service provider (Verizon currently has widest coverage, T-Mobile least)
- All nationally marketed cellular service providers reliably support text messaging sufficient for emergency contact purposes
- All cellular services support 911 mutual aid and on-site staff contact information is clearly posted in all studios
While the first day in residence is a bit like the first day at a new school, it is worth remembering that all artists arrive in the same fashion and no one stays for more than six weeks.
- MacDowell’s culture is built on mutual respect and by definition, all artists are members of the resident community upon arrival
- A MacDowell tradition: at dinner, artists already in residence stand to introduce themselves (name and creative discipline) on those days when there are arriving Fellows and there is also a group goodbye on days of departure
- To accelerate familiarity, all artists’ names, short bios, and thumbnails are posted near the dining room
- Artists often choose to share their work by putting an after-dinner presentation on the calendar; while no one is obliged to present or attend others’ presentations, they have often been described as informative, fun and inspiring
MacDowell does not offer dedicated exercise facilities
- Jogging routes and trail maps are available upon request
- In warmer months, a car is needed to access local swimming ponds
- The local gym, Performance Fitness, with short-term memberships is about three miles from MacDowell
A Small Town in the Monadnock Region of New Hampshire
- With seven smaller towns relying on Peterborough’s commercial district, the downtown has more to offer than might be expected for a town with population of about 6,000
- Demographically, New Hampshire is less heterogenous/more White than the nation as a whole
- Politically, Peterborough leans strongly toward the Democratic party regarding candidates in national elections
- Fellows who’ve participated in community gatherings have frequently noted a warm welcome from locals who are curious about visiting artists
- On per capita basis, New Hampshire ranked 49th out of 50 states with regard to violent crime (2020)
- MacDowell Fellows’ demographics vary greatly from week to week
- A directory of local services is provided to aid those looking for religious services, AA groups, medical providers, etc.
- Favorite destinations for past Fellows include the Town Library, the Toadstool (an independent bookstore), Harlow’s (a friendly and unpretentious pub), Nature’s Green Grocer, Belletetes (a building supply/hardware store) and Steele’s (an old-fashioned stationer)