named programs · 4 · from sources
What they call their work
Applebarn Series
Weekly public event where residents share their work and creative process through 10–15 minute presentations, fostering dialogue between artists and the local community.
Artist Residency Program
Interdisciplinary residencies for 6–10 artists or scholars at a time, lasting 2 weeks or longer (1 week in winter), offering studio space, housing, and community engagement in the Adirondacks.
Named Fellowships
Includes Master Artist, Trillium, JBL!, First Peoples, and Alumni Fellowships, providing financial support and honoraria to selected residents based on need, discipline, or identity.
Teaching Fellowship
Fellowship for residents across disciplines who contribute to community engagement by teaching or leading workshops during their residency.
activities · 8 groups
What they do
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Artist Residencies and Studio Programs 2 activities
- Hosts interdisciplinary artist and practitioner residenciesOffers residency opportunities for artists, scholars, farmers, chefs, activists, and other creatives in ceramics, literature, visual and performance arts, farming, cooking, and activism. Residencies last 1–2 weeks or longer, with support including housing, studio access, mentorship, farm share, and program access, and are open year-round with structured programming during summer and winter seasons.
- Operates resident internship programs with work-exchange and training componentsRuns Farm + Food and Studio Resident Internship programs that provide experiential learning in sustainable agriculture, food preservation, land stewardship, studio operations, kiln management, and teaching. Interns receive full fellowships valued at $2,300 weekly in exchange for 30 hours of weekly work, with additional benefits including housing, mentorship, farm share, studio access, and opportunities to sell artwork.
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Artist Support Grants 1 activity
- Administers specialized fellowship programs for underrepresented and meritorious groupsFunds targeted fellowships including the First Peoples Fellowship for Indigenous artists, the Trillium Fellowship for artists and scholars of color, the John Brown Lives! Fellowship for humanists, the Strand Bookstore Fellowship for Strand staff, the Master Artist Fellowship for career-meritorious individuals, and the Alumni Fellowship for returning participants. Awards include stipends, honoraria, and residency coverage, with amounts ranging from $3600 to $4600 plus additional support.
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Community Art Education Workshops 1 activity
- Offers educational workshops, courses, and retreatsProvides interdisciplinary courses and workshops in pottery, cooking, fiber, filmmaking, poetry, gardening, orchard care, beekeeping, nutrition, food justice, foraging, and preservation, taught by teaching fellows, staff, and local experts. Also offers multi-day retreats and writing intensives, including alumni-focused programs and selective small-group mentorship cohorts.
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Local Food Market Operation 1 activity
- Operates a diversified working farm and community food access programsFarms and stewards 320 acres within Adirondack State Park to produce food for programs and the local community. Operates a Farm Store selling pasture-raised meat, eggs, vegetables, and local products; runs an Egg Share and Gardan Share program; and maintains a Free Food Fridge with 24/7 seasonal access. Profits from food sales are returned directly to producing farmers.
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Healthcare Education Scholarships and Fellowships 1 activity
- Provides fellowship funding to residency participantsAwards over $360,000 in fellowships annually to support residency participation, including need-based and merit-based awards. Fellowships reduce residency costs significantly—for example, a $1550 weekly fellowship covers more than two-thirds of the cost, reducing participant expense to $750 per week.
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Literary and Cultural Publishing 1 activity
- Publishes an annual interdisciplinary journalCurates and publishes _The Gardan_, an annual journal showcasing artistic work and fostering cross-disciplinary dialogue. Accepts submissions via an open, year-round call with a September 1 deadline and produces thematic issues based on received contributions.
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Alumni Community Building 1 activity
- Supports alumni engagement and continued participationMaintains an active alumni community with ongoing support, including a 10% discount on program registration fees, opportunities for return residencies through the Alumni Fellowship, and participation in the annual Alumni Week retreat limited to six selected alumni.
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Uncategorized 1 activity
- Facilitates community engagement through public events and lecturesHosts the weekly Applebarn Series and Friday Applebarn Series featuring free public talks by residents and diverse voices on cultural, social, and creative topics. Also organizes public lecture series by resident interns and special events such as the Summer Firing Celebration, mini-festival celebrating sheep and wool, and annual food and social justice summits.
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financials · form 990 · fy2025
revenue
Total revenue$1.03M
Contributions & grants$791K77%
Program service revenue$106K10%
Investment income$8K1%
Other revenue$123K
expenses
Total expenses$636K
Program expenses80%
Admin / overhead17%
Fundraising3%
Salaries & benefits$274K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$2.22M
Cash$246K
Investments$0
Liabilities$41K
Net assets$2.18M
Liquid reserves4.7 mo
6 years on record · 2020–2025 · YoY revenue +5.8%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2025
Who runs it
paid leadership · 1
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| MICHELE DROZD | Executive Director | 40 | $89K |
relationships · 14
Who they work with
- Adirondack State Park Government — Hosts Craigardan's 320-acre campus within its protected area.
- Applebarn Lecture Series Partner — Hosts public presentations by resident interns as part of a shared lecture series.
- Birds & Muses Partner — Collaborating organization that launched Bookgardan in collaboration with Craigardan; Bookgardan is the signature program for Birds & Muses.
- Craigardan Residency Alumni Network — Alumni collectively fund and award the annual Alumni Fellowship and participate in community-building activities.
- John Brown Lives! Partner — Co-funds the JBL! Fellowship with Craigardan, providing a $1000 fellowship and $500 grant for awardees.
- John Brown Lives! Partner — Co-funds the John Brown Lives! Fellowship, providing a $1000 fellowship and hosting a public event at John Brown Farm in Lake Placid.
- Kate Moses Partner — Literary mentor and program designer who guides Bookgardan participants through mentorship, curriculum delivery, and residency leadership.
- New York State Council on the Arts Government — Funds Craigardan's public arts programming with support from the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.
- New York State Council on the Arts Government — Primary funder supporting the residency program, with additional support from the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.
- Strand Bookstore Partner — Co-sponsors the Strand Bookstore Fellowship for one of its staff members to attend a two-week residency at Craigardan.
- fiber artists Partner — Partners with fiber artists to participate in the Spring Lamb Jam celebration.
- local sheep farmers Partner — Collaborates with local sheep farmers to host the Spring Lamb Jam festival.
- partner farms Partner — Supplies products to supplement artists-in-residence farm shares and provides raw materials for culinary residents.
- wool enthusiasts Partner — Engages wool enthusiasts as participants in the Spring Lamb Jam event.
strategies · 4
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Interdisciplinary Integration of Art, Agriculture, and Communitymethodology: interdisciplinary_creative_practiceBy integrating creative practice, sustainable agriculture, and community engagement, Craigardan stimulates imagination and experiential learning because cross-disciplinary immersion in land-based work fosters deeper cognitive and emotional connections to place and practice.
- Organic, Mentorship-Driven Creative Developmentmethodology: mentorship-based organic developmentBy prioritizing intuitive, content-first development supported by mentorship and peer encouragement—rather than technical critique—Craigardan preserves creative freedom because emotional truth and generative process lead to more authentic and impactful artistic outcomes.
- Place-Based Cultural Exchange and Reciprocal Learningmethodology: sense_of_place_through_cultural_exchangeBy facilitating cultural exchange and reciprocal interactions with local communities—through storytelling, shared meals, skill-sharing, and material collaboration—Craigardan builds a deep sense of place because lived, relational experiences ground creativity in ecological and social context.
- Solidarity-Based Food Access and Reciprocal Exchangemethodology: solidarity-not-charityBy distributing food through models of solidarity and reciprocal exchange—such as trading eggs for kitchen scraps or offering full fellowships in return for labor—Craigardan strengthens community interdependence because mutual contribution fosters dignity, reduces waste, and embeds sustainability into social practice.