“The Pillow” is a treasured 220-acre National Historic Landmark, a recipient of the prestigious National Medal of Arts, and home to America’s longest-running international dance festival.
Each year thousands of people from across the U.S. and around the globe visit the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts to experience the Festival with more than 50 dance companies and 500 free performances, talks, and events; train at The School at Jacob’s Pillow, one of the most prestigious professional dance training centers in the U.S.; explore the Pillow’s rare and extensive dance Archives; and take part in numerous Community Programs designed to educate and engage dance audiences of all ages.
To support dance creation, presentation, education, and preservation; and to engage and deepen public appreciation and support for dance.
Creation: New work and the development of the art form are supported through commissions, the Pillow Lab In Process Series, and the Jacob’s Pillow Dance Award.
Presentation: World premieres, U.S. debuts, ecstatic and diverse artists, and collaborations with composers, visual artists, and writers comprise over 150 performances presented each Festival season.
Education: The School at Jacob’s Pillow provides training by eminent faculty that not only produces great dancers, but also great artists. The Intern Program, Public School Programs, and Community Classes educate people of all ages about the art of dance.
Preservation: The Pillow is a National Historic Landmark with rare and extensive dance Archives encompassing materials from 1894 through today. The photography collections, films, library, exhibits, and video viewing stations are free and open to the public.
Engagement: The general public, students, scholars and artists are invited to experience dance through more than 200 free performances and talks, rehearsals, class observation, tours and interaction with artists, scholars, writers, filmmakers, and composers.
Jacob’s Pillow takes great pride in its role as a presenter, educator, engager, and chronicler of dance. The Board and Staff share a level of passion, enthusiasm, and dedication to our mission, the Pillow’s history, the dance field, and those within it. The following values drive our work:
Inclusion: We encourage a broadly diverse group of individuals to participate in our programs and join our Board and Staff, and insist on being inclusive of all peoples regardless of their race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, socio-economic background, physical or mental ability.
Leadership: We listen carefully, take the time to reflect on our successes and challenges, admit when we do not know something, and are accountable for our actions; recognizing that a crucial part of our role is to mentor the next generation of artists, arts administrators, and production staff.
Integrity: We trust each other to be respectful, honest, and straightforward; we earn each other’s trust every day by acting with the highest of ethical and moral standards and by discussing issues openly and transparently.
Flexibility: We understand that the ability to take risks, creatively problem-solve, re-prioritize, troubleshoot challenging circumstances, and occasionally let go of assumptions is vitally important to the adaptability and resilience of our organization.
Partnership: We believe that our success as individuals and as an institution is made possible by reciprocal relationships with people and organizations in communities that surround us, and by thoughtful and intentional relationships with artists, audiences, members, funders, and colleagues in the field.
Sustainability: We are active stewards of our environment and protect the health and well-being of our historic campus and the people who animate it. We sustain the field of dance by preserving our past, engaging with our present, and investing in our future.
We are committed to providing an inclusive environment that cultivates the celebration of the art of dance and its positive impact on communities. We are dedicated to fostering a safe, comfortable, and enjoyable experience for everyone on our beautiful campus. You, as patrons and visitors of Jacob’s Pillow, are expected to contribute to our mutually respectful and welcoming community, supporting the world of dance and its citizens for generations to come.
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