10-Year Tenure of Transformational Leadership; a Beloved Residential Craft School Transformed by Prioritizing Innovative Strategy, Community Engagement, and a Positive Vision for the Future

Williamsburg, MA – April 19, 2025 for immediate release

Snow Farm – The New England Craft Program, a non-profit residential craft school, celebrates the ten year anniversary of Mary Jo Murphy’s appointment as Executive Director. In the past decade, through her leadership, Mary Jo has accomplished transformational change through a unified vision, inspiration, and a call to action. Snow Farm has blossomed into a vibrant and thriving residential craft school – the only one in Massachusetts and one of just nine in the United States.

“It is a joy to creatively lead such a beloved residential craft school and work with a talented team, dedicated Board, and supportive Snow Farm community. Together, we believe in the transformational power of creating and immersing yourself in the creative process. Creating builds empathy, kindness, wellness, inner peace, hope and community, which is more important than ever.”

“The past 10 years, we have reduced barriers to this creative opportunity, prioritized excellence in craft, and increased access and engagement at this special place. Snow Farm is a beloved place for many and we take seriously the care and nurturing of this non-profit to keep it relevant for the future. We are now one of the largest arts organizations in Hampshire County and are an economic driver, contributing significantly to the economy of our county and The Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Our best years are still ahead and we continue to invite the community to be a part of the journey,” said Mary Jo.

Janet Dunlap, President of the Board of Directors, stated that “It has been a pleasure to partner with Mary Jo over the past 10 years. Under her dynamic leadership, Snow Farm’s reputation has grown within the craft and local community – following emerging trends and allowing working artists to support their craft with teaching opportunities. You feel the Snow Farm magic across our studios, in the shared common areas, and in the dining room where the meals have a focus on local, seasonal ingredients.””

During Mary Jo’s tenure, the organization’s budget has doubled, with strong gains in earned income and the cultivation of a broad base of donors. She has also overseen many physical improvements to the historic buildings and 50 acre former dairy farm from which Snow Farm has operated for the past 40 years and which was purchased by the organization in 2016.

Through her leadership Mary Jo has:

• Transformed the entire operation, programming, and structure of the organization.
• Diversified Snow Farm’s teaching artists with representation from the region and beyond, included emerging artists to advanced artists; over 130 different artists come and teach at Snow Farm annually.
• Invested over $1 million dollars in property improvements and bringing all of the 9 different studios (Fibers, 2D, 3D, flameworking, metalsmithing, ceramics, flat glass/mosaics, wood, and glass blowing) up to professional standards. Most recently, brought water infrastructure up to best practices and added restroom facilities to the lower campus.
• Expanded access to include: High School Scholarships, Workshop Access, Works Study Program, Diversity Scholarships, and partner with organizations such as Massachusetts College of Art and Design Glass Program, Scholastic Art Awards, Boston Arts Academy, Springfield Conservatory for the Arts, Soldier On, Greenfield Community College and recently MA Cultural Council’s Card to Culture to offer access to the broadest audience possible.
• Navigated the non-profit through the pandemic and retained all staff positions.
• Grown the Seconds Sale, an annual fundraiser, every year resulting in $100,000 paid to participating local artists and craftspeople in 2024.
• Secured significant grant support from Windgate Foundation, Webster Foundation, and the MA Cultural Council Operating Grant and MCC’s Capital Facilities Fund.
• Supported the local economy by annually purchasing $500,000 in goods and services from local businesses.
• Built up staff to 11 full-time, year around dedicated and experienced team plus 130 teaching artists, and 40 more seasonal staff.

Nestled in the foothills of the Berkshires, Snow Farm, a residential craft school offers immersive craft and fine art workshops of different lengths and featuring nine different studios, where students come from the area and across the country to participate in craft and fine art workshops and artist residencies, bringing important tourism dollars to the Commonwealth of MA.

Snow Farm looks forward to the opening of the annual workshop season, running May through October, hosting 130+ instructors delivering over 200 workshops across nine unique studio disciplines, as well as many independent artists for various residency programs.

About Snow Farm

Snow Farm’s is a 501(c)3 nonprofit with a mission to provide exceptional studio craft and fine art instruction for people of all ages in an inspiring residential setting. We offer an evolving, expansive community where every experience is intended to awaken and nourish the life-changing power of creativity. Each year we offer an extensive catalog of hands-on craft workshops in our nine studio spaces, a Teen Summer program every July, and artist residencies throughout the year. Students and residents stay on campus in our rustic contemporary dorms, farmhouse, and cottage or choose to commute from nearby. In November, we host our annual Seconds Sale, one of the largest holiday craft fairs in Western Massachusetts.

About Mary Jo Murphy

Mary Jo Murphy is a longtime resident of Pittsfield, MA where she lives with her husband and two children. She came to Snow Farm with an extensive background in nonprofit development and arts administration. She’s a graduate of Wilkes University in Pennsylvania with a BA in Art Administration, and has an MBA in Entrepreneurial Thinking and Innovative Process from Bay Path College in Longmeadow, MA. Read more about Mary Jo’s professional history on her Linkedin Profile.