Community Programs

Programs for Adults

ISLAND WORKSHOP DAY

Haystack opens our season with Island Workshop Day, a special program for residents of Deer Isle, Stonington and the greater Blue Hill Peninsula and is designed for individuals of all skill levels and backgrounds. Presented in partnership with the Healthy Island Project, workshops are offered in ceramics, metals, graphics, fiber, blacksmithing, writing, and woodworking; taught by local and regional artists.

OPEN DOOR

For the past 35 years, Open Door has welcomed Maine residents to campus for an intensive three-day weekend and is designed for individuals of all skill levels and backgrounds. Workshops are offered in ceramics, metals, graphics, fiber, blacksmithing, writing, and woodworking; taught by established artists from across the country.

HAYSTACK COMMUNITY LABS

The Haystack Community Labs offer diverse programs and workshops that extend beyond digital design to embrace traditional craft techniques. These activities emphasize skill development, knowledge exchange, and innovation–fostering inspiration within the local community and nurturing future makers, artists, and designers.

Programs for Youth

STUDENT CRAFT INSTITUTE

For nearly 40 years, the Student Craft Institute has brought high school juniors and seniors from larger cities and small towns to some of the most remote parts of the state and coastal communities to campus for this immersive three-day program. Students who attend might be some of the most experienced in their class - or show great promise, interest, and potential in the arts.

STUDIO BASED LEARNING

For the past 25 years, students from the Island and across the Blue Hill Peninsula have taken part in Studio Based Learning. The program encourages creative problem solving and community building for young people in our area, providing the opportunity to participate in immersive workshops over the course of three days.

CREATIVE MAKERS COLLABORATIVE

Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, Pioneer Prize, and Project Launch are partnering to develop and implement a new after-school program for Blue Hill Peninsula and Deer Isle high school students. This program will expose students to a range of exciting areas of technology through hands-on experience with support and mentorship.

FAB LAB INTERNSHIPS

Beginning in 2018, Haystack established a paid internship program for area high school students. Interns assist in running the Fab Lab on the Haystack campus, help session participants, and shadow volunteers that oversee the lab. Job training and exposure to participants and faculty from across the US and abroad make for a rich and impactful experience.

MENTOR PROGRAM

For the past twenty years, the Mentor Program has provided high school students with the opportunity to learn from professional artists and makers in their community. Taking place each winter, students participate in small cohorts and work with their mentors over an extended period of time, while forging connections with their peers that often extend far beyond the program itself.

OUT MAINE WEEKEND

Presented in partnership with OUT Maine, this is our first dedicated program for LGBTQ high school students from throughout the State of Maine. The goal of the Haystack Out Maine Weekend is to empower and inspire young people to see themselves in their fullest capacity and model an open and out life in the arts. The program provides an immersive three-day experience in a safe and supportive environment, working alongside nationally recognized artists from the LGBTQ community.