Chesterwood 2026 Season May 15 – October 31

American Renaissance sculptor Daniel Chester French’s iconic statue of the Minute Man takes center stage this season in the Residence Galleries, while the annual Outdoor Sculpture Show and Performing Arts Series highlight Chesterwood as a thriving hub for the arts.

The 122-acre summer residence, studio and gardens of American Renaissance sculptor Daniel Chester French will be open to visitors from May 15 – October 31, 2026.

The Minute Man – Examining Patriotism, Victory and Loss headlines as the main exhibition in French’s recently renovated residence, featuring works by French and his colleagues alongside contemporary artists exploring notions of liberty, victory, and fighting for one’s country. The Woodshed Gallery will host Grigori ’s Art Studios: How Artistic Processes Inform Architectural Design from May 16-20, followed by the Berkshire Potters Collective’s exhibition Revolutionary Tea Pots running August 1 – September 27, in honor of the 250th Anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. 

Chesterwood’s annual outdoor sculpture exhibition entitled In the Open: New England Sculptors Reclaim the Landscape opens June 15.

Chesterwood will host three resident artists throughout the season: sculptor Stephen Saxenian, muralist Joel Haynes, and musical artists the Bel Canto Duo
On July 18, Chesterwood will host its second annual Chesterwood Garden Tea Party to support the institution’s growing initiatives for children, including the newly minted Kids Summer Sculpture Camp, monthly ice cream socials, and a multigenerational workshop on botanical weaving. The institution also hosts a special dinner event, The Patriot’s Table: A Culinary Journey Through American History with Heirloom Fire’s Chef James Gop on August 28-29.

Chesterwood’s performing arts series ArtsAlive! showcases programs in music, dance, literature, poetry, and theater from June through September. Highlights include Boston Baroque’s The X-Tet, Reson8 Vocal Octet, 25Great Barrington Public Theater, the New England Poetry Club, a panel discussion on patriotism with former Governor Deval Patrick, former editor of The Washington Post Martin Baron, and historian Kendra Field.

Chesterwood – the summer home, studio and gardens of American Renaissance sculptor Daniel Chester French (1850-1931) – will open its doors for the summer season. A site of the National Trust for Historic Preservation since 1969, Chesterwood boasts nine buildings, enveloped in a 122-acre landscape with mountain views, formal gardens and woodland trails forged by French. Daniel Chester French created some of his most iconic work at Chesterwood, notably the seated Abraham Lincoln for the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., dedicated in 1922.

Chesterwood’s 2026 season highlights another of French’s iconic sculptures: the Minute Man, a 7-foot tall bronze statue that stands watch over the famed North Bridge in the Minute Man National Historical Park in Concord, Massachusetts. Unveiled in 1875 for the Centennial celebration of the battle of Lexington and Concord, the Minute Man has come to represent the spirit of the American Revolution.

“Daniel Chester French helped give form to America’s highest ideals – liberty, courage, sacrifice, and shared civic purpose,” says Chesterwood Executive Director Miguel Rodriguez. “His sculptures continue to remind us that democracy is not only preserved in our institutions, but also in the values and stories we choose to honor. At Chesterwood, keeping his legacy alive means preserving not just the home and studio of a great artist, but a space where art, history, and the American spirit continue to speak to each new generation.”

Summer 2026 Exhibitions:

 Main Exhibition – Residence Galleries The Minute Man – Examining Patriotism, Victory and Loss May 15 – October 31

The main exhibition this season is centered around Daniel Chester French’s iconic statue of the Minute Man, which has come to symbolize American patriotism. The exhibition will explore notions of liberty, victory, fighting (and dying) for one’s country as depicted in portraits, monuments, and memorials by Daniel Chester French and his colleagues. The exhibition will also include works by contemporary artists who are addressing these same themes and topics today. Curated by Dana Pilson, Chesterwood’s Curatorial Researcher and Collections Manager.

Outdoor Sculpture Show In the Open: New England Sculptors Reclaim the Landscape June 15 – October 31

The 48th annual outdoor sculpture show at Chesterwood features works by contemporary New England sculptors. Details and participating artists will be released later this year.

Woodshed Gallery Exhibition I

Art Studios: How Artistic Processes Inform Architectural Design

Grigori Fateyev, Architect and principal and owner of Art Forms Architecture May 15 – July 15

Grigori Fateyev exhibits four projects that explore the typology of the art studio. The display includes sketches, freehand drawings, renderings, 3D models, and photographs that document the design and creative process involved in constructing a studio space, and illustrate Fateyev’s approach to balancing the unique functional requirements of the artist’s practice with the interplay of New England landscapes. One of the projects presented will introduce a proposal for the Woodthrush Art Center on the grounds of Chesterwood. Informed by research into the historic landscape design by sculptor Daniel Chester French, the Art Center complex would provide multiple studios tailored to various practices: woodwork, painting, ceramics, a multipurpose space, and a gallery.

Woodshed Gallery Exhibition 2 Revolutionary Tea Pots Berkshire Potters Collective August 1 – September 27

In commemoration of the Boston Tea Party on December 16, 1773, the Berkshire Potters Collective will host a regional potters’ show at Chesterwood focused on teapots themed as revolutionary. Ceramic artist Leslie Ferrin writes of the exhibition, “This regional survey of both functional and sculptural teapots at Chesterwood offers an opportunity to reflect on the location, Daniel Chester French’s studio. French’s idealism and his sculptures commemorate events and individuals related to our history. At Chesterwood and at the other events marking the 250th anniversary, it is not just a celebration of the signing of the Declaration of Independence but the opportunity to acknowledge the power of protest and its ability to change the course of history. It couldn’t come at a better time as we face challenges to democracy in our nation today.”

Artists in Residence Program

Since the 1970s, Chesterwood has hosted artists in a variety of disciplines through partnerships with organizations in which residency opportunities are a key element of their mission. Chesterwood’s longstanding partner, the National Sculpture Society in New York, will place sculptor Stephen Saxenian in residence at Chesterwood in the month of June. Chesterwood will also host two other artists in residence this season: painter and muralist Joel Haynes in July, and the Bel Canto Duo of cellist David Downing and oboist Darci Gamerl in August.

Chesterwood Special Events & Educational Programs

On Saturday, July 18, 2026 at 3 PM, Chesterwood will invite guests to Chesterwood’s second annual Garden Tea Party, a signature fundraising gathering under the big tent for tea, cocktails, and live entertainment in support of its growing activities for children and families. This year’s celebration will feature a Tableau Vivant performance by actor and filmmaker Doria Bramante, and will honor National Sculpture Society Executive Director Gwen Pier and journalist Martin Baron.

New this season is a Kids Summer Sculpture Studio in collaboration with the Berkshire Art Center from July 6 – 10 that invites children ages 8-14 to explore hands-on sculpture techniques, collaborative creations, and mixed-media constructions. Chesterwood will also partner with High Lawn Farm to continue its series of monthly ice cream socials for children and families on June 28, July 12, and August 9 from 3:00 – 4:00 p.m., a tradition started by the French family that was revived last season. And on August 23 at 9:30 a.m. fiberartist Robert Cohen will teach a multigenerational botanical weaving class. Berkshire Art Center will also host several classes for students of all ages at Chesterwood this season, including: Discovering the Landscape through Pastel on June 7, Guided Watercolor Plein Air on July 12, Human/Nature: Live Figure Drawing on July 7, 14, 21, and 28, A Photographic Walk on August 9, and Photography of Daniel Chester French’s Studio on September 20. Another educational event this season is Moth Night, to be held on Chesterwood’s grounds on July 24, which celebrates the beauty, life cycles, habitats, and importance of moths in a program led by Matthew Rymkiewicz of the Berkshire Environmental Action Team.

On August 28 and 29 at 6:00 p.m., Chesterwood will hold The Patriots Table: A Culinary Journey Through American History with Chef James Gop. An immersive culinary and cultural weekend set on the grounds of Chesterwood, this experience invites guests to step in to a richly told story of American identity through the lens of food, fire and the legacy of Lincoln. In collaboration with Heirloom Fire and Taylored & Thyme, this event is anchored around a theatrical open-fire dinner inspired by Abraham Lincoln’s Inaugural Banquet, blending culinary artistry, historical resonance, and elevated ambiance.

ArtsAlive!

In its capacity as a center for creativity, Chesterwood presents numerous programs of music, dance, theater, and the literary arts with its series ArtsAlive! from June through September. Designed to be a resource to bring community together to experience the arts and feel connected in the intimate setting of the historic studio and formal gardens, ArtsAlive! continues the deep tradition of creative history at Chesterwood where Daniel Chester French often invited artists, dancers, musicians, and writers to share their work and draw inspiration.

Calendar

All events will take place at 5:30 PM in the Studio unless otherwise noted.

 June 11: Latin Pianist and composer Leo Blanco’s Sugar Road Project Leo Blanco’s acclaimed Sugar Road Project explores how African diaspora impacted the musical culture of Latin America while his ensemble, Son Mass, fuses these Afro-Caribbean rhythms with modern jazz.

June 23: Music and the Mind with Mark Shapiro – Part 1 Last season the witty and “insightful” (The New York Times) American conductor Mark Shapiro took Chesterwood audiences on a tour of recent thinking about the musical mind, exploring how we perceive, process and respond to music. In two follow-up sessions this summer, Maestro Shapiro recapitulates this material and applies it to classic repertoire, with demonstrations from Beethoven’s groundbreaking Symphony No.1.

July 7 & 9: Dancer Ian Spencer Bell with Pianist Lauren Aiola Aiola will play Schubert’s complete Moment Musicaux, while Bell will dance Isadora Duncan’s Third Moment, Maria-Theresa Duncan’s Fifth Moment, and a movement of his own in the style of Duncan, along with a new work.

July 8 at 5:00 p.m. Patriotism in Practice: History, Media, and Civic Life – A conversation with Governor Deval Patrick, journalist Martin Baron, historian Kendra Field, and more! Throughout the season, Chesterwood will examine the theme of patriotism through the work of French and his contemporaries, alongside contemporary perspectives. As part of this exploration, Chesterwood hosts a panel discussion on patriotism to be moderated by Governor Deval Patrick that includes journalist and author Martin Baron and historian Kendra Field, Professor of History at Tufts University.

July 10: Reson8 Vocal Octet presents Hero Songs

A chamber music ensemble of Pittsburgh’s acclaimed Resonance Works, this group will present the song cycle Hero Songs by Petter Hilliard and Matt Boresi. Hero Songs is a meditation on heroism and service, contemplating the past, present, and future of fortitude, effort, and sacrifice.

July 15: We (too) the People: Voices from the New England Poetry Club

The New England Poetry Club is presenting poetry by two NEPC members. Patrick Donnelly, former poet laureate of Northampton and program director of The Frost Place, is the author of five books of poetry, most recently Willow Hammer (Four Way Books, 2025). Cammy Thomas’s most recent work is Odysseus’ Daughter, poems written in response to the Odyssey (Parkman Press chapbook, 2023). Four Way Books published three of her previous poetry collections.

July 22 & 23: Reviving Chesterwood’s Tableaux Vivants with Doria Bramante

A popular art form during the Victorian period, and a favorite by Daniel Chester French at Chesterwood, a tableau vivant (French for “living picture”) is a static, silent scene featuring one or more actors in costume, meticulously posed to recreate artworks, historical scenes, or literature. Bramante returns to Chesterwood with two evenings of her much-acclaimed interpretation of master works of art, using Daniel Chester French’s original frame.

July 31: Latin Jazz with Richard Peña Trio

Puerto Rican guitarist Richard Peña intricately blends the traditional sounds of Afro-Caribbean music with the modern raw energy of jazz and bebop improvisation through his guitar’s warm and cutting sound. In addition to his latest 2025 album, The Latin Side Of Jazz Guitar, he has recorded five award-winning albums.

August 1: Boston Baroque’s The X-Tex performs Sounds from Spain

This subset of the GRAMMY® Award-winning period instrument ensemble Boston Baroque makes its debut at Chesterwood with music from the Spanish Baroque and arrangements by Spanish composer Olivia Pérez-Collemir, joined by tenor Karim Sulayman.

August 4: Artists Gardens in New England with author and garden Designer Jana Milbocker at 4:30 p.m. Some of our most beloved painters, sculptors and authors were inspired by the gardens they created. Their New England gardens were a dynamic form of artistic expression and we are fortunate to be able to visit them today. After a tour of the recently restored studio garden, enjoy an armchair tour of the private havens of Edith Wharton, Julian Alden Weir, Childe Hassam, Emily Dickinson, Augustus Saint-Gaudens, Celia Thaxter and others in Daniel Chester French’s Berkshires estate.

August 5: We (too) the People: Voices from the New England Poetry Club

The New England Poetry Club returns to Chesterwood for a second program of poetry by NEPC members. Tim Mayo’s poetry collections include Muscle Memories of Love and Disaster, published in March, 2026 by Bainbridge Island Press. Pamela Wax is the author of Every Single Beast of My Heart (Sheila-Na-Gig, 2026)

and previous collections including Walking the Labyrinth (Main Street Rag, 2022), and Starter Mothers

(Finishing Line Press, 2023).

August 6: Pablo Casals, a cellist in exile – A conversation with historian and journalist Pedro Reina-Perez

When Pablo Casals first set foot in Puerto Rico in 1955 – his mother’s native land – his life took a dramatic turn. One hundred years later, Pablo Casals’ scholar Pedro Reina-Perez, takes us into a deep examination of the artistic journey after Casals’ exile.

August 7: Opera Night! – American Music from the Operatic Stage An evening featuring America opera repertory with soprano Emily Misch, baritone Evan Bravos and pianist Christopher James Ray.

August 12: The Bel Canto Duo in Concert – The Making of a Master

The dynamic husband and wife duo of Darci Gamerl and David Downing returns to Chesterwood after a one-month music composition residency last season. This summer they will present The Making of a Master inspired by Daniel Chester French.

August 15: Sherman Chamber Ensemble with Mezzo-Soprano Sandra Piques Eddy

The program will include Samuel Barber’s Dover Beach and Ottorino Resphighi’s Il Tramonto for mezzo-soprano and string quartet.

August 18: Music and the Mind with Mark Shapiro – Part 2

Last season the witty and “insightful” (The New York Times) American conductor Mark Shapiro took us on a tour of recent thinking about the musical mind, exploring how we perceive, process and respond to music. In two follow-up sessions this summer, Maestro Shapiro recapitulates this material and applies it to classic repertoire, with demonstrations from Beethoven’s groundbreaking Symphony No.1. Participants will enjoy and benefit from attending either or both sessions.

August 19: Harold Holzer on Lincoln’s Favorite Music

Harold Holzer is joined by a special guest singer to present Lincoln’s favorite music. Holzer is a scholar of Abraham Lincoln and the political culture of the American Civil War era, and is the author of Monument Man: The Life and Art of Daniel Chester French.

August 20: Classic Meets Jazz with pianist Anastasia Dedik and saxophonist George Michael

This concert features classical repertoire performed by Anastasia Dedik, followed by a 30-minute jazz set from saxophonist George Michael.

August 27: Great Barrington Public Theater – Ten Minute Plays

In partnership with Great Barrington Public Theater, Chesterwood welcomes Artistic Director Jim Frangione for a series of ten-minute plays.

September 6 at 3 p.m.: Salsa Dance Party at Chesterwood with Manolo Mairena and his Salsa Band, featuring the Salsa y Control Dancers

Closing the season is a Salsa Dance Party featuring singer-songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Costa Rican artist Manolo Mairena, whose captivating music and dynamic stage presence have garnered him an international following.

About Chesterwood

Chesterwood, a site of the National Trust for Historic Preservation since 1969, is the summer home, studio and gardens of American Renaissance sculptor Daniel Chester French (1850-1931). French created some of his most iconic work at Chesterwood, notably the seated Abraham Lincoln for the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. (1922). Located in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, Chesterwood preserves a 122-acre landscape with mountain views, as well as formal gardens and woodland trails designed by the sculptor. Chesterwood displays a collection of French’s original sculpture, plaster maquettes, paintings and furnishings throughout the French family residence, the sculptor’s studio, and exhibition galleries. Public appreciation in sculpture is fostered through an annual contemporary sculpture exhibition, artist residencies and workshops. Chesterwood is recognized as both a National Historic Landmark and a Massachusetts Historic Landmark.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation is a privately funded nonprofit organization that works to save America’s historic places.

Meeting Minutes 02.04.26