Millay Arts

Austerlitz, NY

Millay Arts will support the work and creative process of multidisciplinary artists through residencies, educational and cultural programs that enrich lives and communities locally and globally. Founded in 1973, Millay Arts has hosted over 3,000 creators at its historic estate of Steepletop, the former home of Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Edna St. Vincent Millay, located on a former blueberry farm in the Hudson Valley. Facilities include the Barn (built in 1926 from a Sears Roebuck kit) and the Main House, and the organization is committed to becoming a net-zero campus through its Climate Strategic Plan.

A 2024 FCI Technical Assistance Grant supported assessment of a solar panel installation at the Barn, extending a 2022 NYSCA Capital Projects initiative. It was estimated that the system could produce approximately 280,423 kWh over twenty-five years with savings directed to keeping the Core Residency free of charge and implementing increased stipends for artists.

A 2026 FCI Technical Assistance Grant will support installation of a high-efficiency air-to-water heat pump and rooftop solar panels for the Main House, continuing the phased decarbonization following successful improvements to the Barn facility. The project is expected to reduce net site energy costs by approximately 56 percent, with solar panels estimated to cover 102 percent of energy bills and yield approximately $66,000 in savings over twenty-five years.