Our Vision

The mission of the Catskill Mountain Foundation is threefold, to provide educational opportunities in the arts, to bring the experience of the arts to our Catskill community, and to support artists and arts organizations in the development of new works through residencies.

Educational Opportunities in the Arts

Catskill High Peaks Festival: Music with Altitude! from August 27 to September 4, features four exciting classical music concerts; fascinating lectures and master classes open free to the public; a residency for over 20 young emerging musical stars from around the world who will study under the direction of Yehuda Hanani, Artistic Director, and other eminent faculty; a literary exploration of Hudson River School paintings in the context of 19th century literature; and a daily showing of films on a music theme.

The Catskill Mountain Foundation Piano Performance Museum, featuring the Steven E. Greenstein collection of historic pianos from the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries, opened on June 11 with a mix of jazz, classical music performed on period instruments, and dance collaboration organized by Kenneth Hamrick, fortepianist, harpsichordist, and teacher. The museum is open on weekends for tours through the summer. The museum hosted a class from Hunter Elementary School this spring as part of their "Know Your Composer" project, and development of educational programs incorporating history, science, and music is well-underway.

In its 4th year, the National Dance Institute Mountaintop Workshop for children age 9-13 will take place in the new Orpheum Performing Arts Center in Tannersville in the last 2 weeks of July, culminating in an enthusiastic performance on July 30 with our Mountaintop youth and the Celebration Team of NDI dancers from NYC. This is the inaugural program at the Orpheum which is opening in July after 10 years of planning and construction.

Educational programs at the Sugar Maples Center for Creative Arts in Maplecrest in the Town of Windham, offer an exciting curriculum of visual and studio arts courses and the "Art Explorers" program for children in our community.

The Arts in Our Community

Year round performing arts programs in music, theater and dance, including classical chamber music performances, comedy, theater, and puppetry performances for the entire family.

A gallery and craft shop featuring the finest work of local artists and craftspeople.

A literary arts center/independent bookstore with one of the largest selections of books on the Catskill region in the area and exceptional literary arts programming.

The Mountain Cinema at the Doctorow Center, offering 3 screens with the finest in Hollywood and independent films.

Publication of the Guide Magazine, a four color monthly arts oriented magazine serving and promoting the Catskill Region.

Support for Artists in Development of New Works

Growing our partnerships with other arts organizations to develop arts residency opportunities at our facilities on the Mountaintop.

Orchard Project - In its fifth year, the Orchard Project invites theater companies and artists from around the globe to Hunter for intense work and collaboration on new productions. More than two-thirds of these works have gone into production, on stages ranging from Broadway to regional theaters, from off-off Broadway to international houses.

Harrison Atelier - Harrison Atelier and choreographer Catherine Miller continue development of their new dance work PHARMACOPHORE at the Orpheum Performing Arts Center during the month of August. This new dance work offers a meditation on the role of psychotropic drugs in contemporary society. On August 19, PHARMACOPHORE will be showcased at the Orpheum.

Hudson River Fellowship - The Hudson River Fellowship is an initiative that offers a historical Hudson River School location for painters to develop their skills using techniques reminiscent of the nineteenth-century American realist painters. The Hudson River Fellowship is led by Jacob Collins, an extraordinarily respected artist, teacher, and role model in the field of contemporary realism.

We are in active discussions with other arts organizations exploring possible future partnerships.