The native bluestone and timber buildings which house the Woodstock School of Art had their beginnings in 1939 when they were commissioned to be constructed as a school for arts and crafts under FDR’s New Deal program, The National Youth Administration. Today, the studios and buildings of the Woodstock School of Art, on thirty-eight pristine woodland acres, are listed in the National and New York State Registers of Historic Places. Broader in scope than most art education centers and unique in its mission as an independent school dedicated to freedom of expression for both instructors and students, but with a clear emphasis on principles and technique, the Woodstock School of Art encourages the student to find his or her own way. A spirit of cooperative engagement and helpful assistance expresses the school’s attitude toward its instructors and their students.

The Woodstock School of Art holds classes throughout the year, summer and winter, in air-conditioned or radiant heated studios, newly renovated but retaining the rugged country charm of the original stone and timber buildings. An average of more than eight hundred students from the United States and countries abroad currently enroll in any given year. Since its inception, and continuing to this day, hundreds of renowned artists and notables in the art world have been associated with the school.

The schedule includes daily classes in drawing, painting, composition, sculpture and printmaking, with workshops in specialized techniques under the guidance of experts in their respective fields.

Add to the mix the cafes, restaurants, theater, art galleries, antique shops, a first-run movie house, a library with wireless internet access, swimming, tennis courts, horseback riding, and walking along the many secluded trails, the experience of coming to Woodstock and attending the Woodstock School of Art is likely to be as fulfilling and unforgettable as it will be productive.