The Edward F. Albee Foundation is an arts foundation created with the intent of aiding young visual artists and writers. Located in
Montauk on
Long Island
Long Island is a densely populated continental island in southeastern New York (state), New York state, extending into the Atlantic Ocean. It constitutes a significant share of the New York metropolitan area in both population and land are ...
, New York, it was started by its namesake, playwright
Edward Albee
Edward Franklin Albee III ( ; March 12, 1928 – September 16, 2016) was an American playwright known for works such as ''The Zoo Story'' (1958), ''The Sandbox (play), The Sandbox'' (1959), ''Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?'' (1962), ''A Delicat ...
, in 1967, after revenue from his play
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
''Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?'' is a play by Edward Albee first staged in October 1962. It examines the complexities of the marriage of middle-aged couple Martha and George. Late one evening, after a university faculty party, they rece ...
proved abundant.
The Edward F. Albee Foundation maintains the William Flanagan Memorial Creative Persons Center, also called The Barn, as a residence for writers, painters and sculptors. The Barn is located approximately two miles from the center of Montauk and the Atlantic Ocean. The residency program is in a secluded knoll offering privacy and a peaceful atmosphere.
Edward Albee created the foundation to provide an alternative to residencies that often served more established or successful applicants. "We thought that maybe we should do two things here - get people at the cusp, young people, before they necessarily had made it, or occasionally people who were older who had been forgotten and whose careers hadn't gone so well, but were still doing interesting work, because they could teach the younger people."
Some notable writers and artists who have attended in past years include:
Christopher Durang
Christopher Ferdinand Durang (January 2, 1949 – April 2, 2024) was an American playwright known for works of outrageous and often absurd comedy. His work was especially popular in the 1980s, though his career seemed to get a second wind in th ...
,
Spalding Gray
Spalding Gray (June 5, 1941 – ) was an American actor, novelist, playwright, screenwriter and performance artist. He is best known for the autobiographical monologues that he wrote and performed for the theater in the 1980s and 1990s, as well ...
,
A.M. Homes,
Tom Holmes,
Will Eno
Will Eno (born 1965) is an American playwright based in Brooklyn, New York. His play, '' Thom Pain (based on nothing)'' was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in Drama in 2005. His play '' The Realistic Joneses'' appeared on Broadway in 2014, whe ...
,
Keith Milow,
Honor Molloy,
Sean Scully,
and
Mia Westerlund Roosen.
Renovations
The Barn was renovated and completed in 2024. The 3,300-square-foot structure houses the residents' rooms and studio space for writers and artists to live and work. It was a former horse stable in Montauk dating back to the 1920s and used for the residencies 50 years prior to the renovations. The rehabilitated barn has new dormers, windows, doors and an outdoor terrace. The new interior has accessible 21st century workspaces, an accessible elevator, a kitchen and a shared library that houses many of Albee’s own books and records. The updated and modernized facilities expanded the residency from a seasonal operation to year-round. The work minimized impact on existing wetlands, which were protected and restored with native plantings. A 1,400-square-foot cottage was also renovated as a residence for the property's caretaker. TenBerke was the architectural firm and John Hummel and Associates the general contractor.
References
External links
Official website
{{Authority control
Arts foundations based in the United States
Artist residencies