Accepting the National Medal of Arts from Pres. Obama. Photo: Jeff Malet.
After 17 years as executive and artistic director of Jacob’s Pillow in Becket, Mass., Ella Baff is leaving the world-renowned dance colony to join the Mellon Foundation in NYC. Baff’s list of accomplishments is stunning; under her tenure, the physical area of the property was expanded, facilities were renovated, it earned National Landmark status, the archives were digitized, an endowment launched, free programming was incorporated… and she’s leaving with the Pillow's finances in the black. Most importantly, she introduced all of us to dance companies it’s unlikely many of us would have seen if not for her curatorial prowess. RI interviewed Baff several years ago when she was fully ensconced in the Berkshires (she’ll be keeping her home in Otis), but we slid in a quick exit interview now that she’s said her last customary pre-performance “Let’s Dance" at the Pillow.What will you be doing at the Mellon Foundation?I'll be Senior Program Officer for Arts and Cultural Heritage. It involves giving grants to organizations in the visual arts and performing arts and will also involve participating in various initiatives in the President and Vice President’s offices. What are you most proud of about your tenure at Jacob’s Pillow?The artists we have supported by presenting and commissioning their work. In an almost magical setting, what was the most magical moment you experienced at the Pillow?I really don’t have one answer to that. What will you miss about it?The beautiful grounds and theaters, the performances, working with artists. How would you like to see the Pillow evolve in the next ten years?That’s up to someone else now. Will your National Medal of the Arts go with you to NYC?I accepted the Medal on behalf of the Pillow. It stays on site. What would you like to see and do in the Berkshires before you take on your new role at the Mellon Foundation? Take a long walk.
