Everwood Farmstead Foundation

Everwood Farmstead Foundation hosts inspiring spaces where artists can perform, teach and work in a natural environment.

It all started in 2012 with four artists—a director, actress, poet, and composer. We invited them to retreat on the farm and perform an original piece inspired by the land. We encouraged our audience to pay-what-you-can and we provided one-half of the proceeds to a local school. (Some things are too good to change!) Fireflies lit the field as our guests departed that evening, and we had the feeling our lives would never be the same.

Two years later, we built a board to support Everwood Farmstead Foundation and our mission was born—to host inspiring spaces for artists to perform, teach and work in a natural environment. While the “perform” part of the mission was already underway with our Artist Series, our board encouraged us to begin manifesting the “teach” and “work” pursuits, as well. We launched the Artist Workshops in 2015 and piloted the Artist Retreat in 2016. All these initiatives are in service to strengthening our communities through the power of art.

Over the past 10 years, we have hosted 44 live performances and provided nearly $44,000 to local school programs through our Aspiring Artists Fund. 20 workshops have inspired both professional and aspiring artists in several art forms. And perhaps most remarkable, 60 artists have traveled to Everwood to join the Artist Retreat from all over the country. Just this year, 28 artists joined us from 8 states. What started as a simple evening of art in a barn in Glenwood City has blossomed in ways that we never could have imagined.

"There are many ways to change the world and radical hospitality is one of them - opening up your doors,             entrusting us with this place and anticipating and providing what is needed - this makes you change makers.         And I will be forever grateful." Erica Berman, Artist Retreat 2022                

Donor support over the past 10 years has made it all happen. There are numerous examples of how your generous donations can help us meaningfully widen the circle of impact for all our communities:

• Fund stipends for retreating artists to cover childcare or missing wages
• Provide a hands-on non-profit learning experience for an on-site Intern
• Purchase sound equipment and hire sound engineer support for Artist Series events
• Hire vendors to maintain our website and edit our podcast, “Conversation from the Barn”

We hope you will continue to support us as we eagerly step into our next exciting decade!