Millay Arts Celebrates 50 Years of Connection, Continuity, And Creativity

For a half century, Millay Arts has been a beacon of creativity, a sanctuary and a source of inspiration for thousands of poets, writer, painters, sculptors and musicians. On Saturday, September 9, the residency program held a 50th anniversary gala at its jaw-droppingly beautiful property at Steepletop, the Austerlitz home of Edna St. Vincent Millay. The creative spirit was evident throughout the evening, as resident alumni returned to the scene of their inspiration (some performing works formed during their time there), and the art of current and past residents was on display in the studios. Millay Arts can boast among its alumni recipients of National Book and MacArthur Awards, Guggenheim Fellowships, Pulitzer Prizes and other prestigious honors, many for works that were created while in residence. The evening’s special honoree was James Lapine, playwright, screenwriter, author and librettist who won the Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical three times — he was a Millay Arts Fellow in 1978. In his remarks, Lapine noted that among the gifts of time and space the residency offered him, “Millay inspired me to be a better citizen of the arts.”