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MacDowell
Peterborough, NH, United States
4.5(2)
About
Founded in 1907, MacDowell is one of the oldest and most prestigious artist residencies in the world. Set on a 450-acre wooded campus in southwest New Hampshire, MacDowell provides exclusive studio use, private accommodations, and three prepared meals daily (including lunch delivered to the studio door) for residencies of up to eight weeks. Approximately 300 artists in seven disciplines are awarded Fellowships each year, selected solely on artistic excellence from a pool of roughly 4,000 applicants — an acceptance rate of about 1 in 20.
Open Calls
Ratings
4.5
Exceptional
2 reviews
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Reviews
A
Alex Rivera
Attended 2024 · February 26, 2026
Transformative — the best creative month of my life
I attended MacDowell as a mid-career painter and left a changed artist. The privacy of your studio (lunch delivered in a picnic basket!) combined with the intensity of the community dinners creates a remarkable rhythm. Seeing what other disciplines produce under the same conditions pushed my own work in directions I hadn't considered. The staff are extraordinarily supportive. I applied 3 times before getting in — absolutely worth the persistence.
Pros
Total privacy during work hours, exceptional cross-disciplinary community, prestige opens doors afterward
Cons
Competitive — many rejections before acceptance. Remote location means you need a car for errands.
J
Jordan Kim
Attended 2023 · February 26, 2026
Excellent but the social dynamics can be intense
MacDowell lives up to its reputation in almost every way. The studios are private and well-equipped, the food is genuinely good, and the forests are beautiful. My only note is that the community of 30 artists living and eating together for weeks at a time creates social pressures that not everyone navigates easily. Come with clear intentions for your work and you'll be fine. Came as a composer, left with a nearly-finished song cycle.