This year was LUMBERYARD’s best yet.

In 2017, we reached several important milestones:

Finally!

After a lot of planning, and with the benefit of your support, we’ve finally broken ground in Catskill, N.Y.

Contractors are on site at our Water Street property managing the first phase of construction to our main building: the original concrete floor is being replaced.

R$F Social Funding for the win

We’re delighted to have secured a $5-million loan with the Rudolf Steiner Foundation.

The support of this San Diego-based social financing organization has been pivotal to our beginning construction this month.

‘It began in Catskill, N.Y.’

We imagine a day when performing artists will reflect on their beginnings as members of LUMBERYARD’s Young Performers.

In 2017, our free after school program kicked-off with some of New York’s top talent coaching dozens of youth from Greene County school district on new performance skills – from experimental dance and music composition to contact improvisation, to clowning.

BAM!

LUMBERYARD made history in July when it became the Brooklyn Academy of Music’s first-ever partner for a formal residency.

This means LUMBERYARD will provide three artists BAM has named from New York’s dance and theatre community – David Neumann, Kimberly Bartosik and Kaneza Schaal – with residencies.

Catskill, N.Y. audiences will be the first to see their pieces, which will also be a part of BAM’s 2018 Next Wave Festival.

The residencies include a $10,000 development fee, the support of LUMBERYARD’S technical team and resident dramaturg, Melanie George, as well as housing, meals and transportation.

Celebrate good times, come on!

We’ve shared many laughs and celebratory cheers with you this year.

Thank you for supporting LUMBERYARD’s annual events, including our End of Summer Shindig and The March Party.

Check out some highlights from each fête on our Facebook page. Were you there?

Boom times for a new creative economy

Others are starting to notice what we saw when we purchased our Catskill, N.Y. property: there’s something happening here.

In July, the New York Times named Catskill, N.Y. a ‘New Mecca for Artisans’. The following month, CNN described it as experiencing a ‘vacation revival’.

We’re excited to be moving forward together as more and more businesses, galleries, cafes and restaurants open in Catskill, N.Y.

New friends

LUMBERYARD connected this year with several Hudson Valley entrepreneurs and organizations that share our goal of supporting economic and cultural growth in the area.

Together with Chambers of Commerce from Greene County, Columbia County, Rhinebeck and Redhook, LUMBERYARD launched the first ever Tri-County Mixer, welcoming dozens of people to our Catskill, N.Y. campus for a behind-the-scenes look at our space before it’s transformation into the first performing arts residential facility in the U.S.

The Tri-County Mixer followed the success of an event we co-hosted in November with the Upstate Alliance for the Creative Economy (ACE) and nearby Thomas Cole House.

Senator Chuck Schumer visit

It feels pretty good when New York Senator Chuck Schumer names your years-long initiative “one of the most exciting projects I have seen,” following a tour of your space.

Thank you, Senator Schumer, for your continued support.

The start of something special

Jacob’s Pillow and The Kitchen graciously offered their spaces to us to host residencies while we’re under construction.

Through these partnerships, LUMBERYARD presented five premieres and hosted 7 residencies.

We’re grateful for their support and look forward to returning it in the years ahead.