Located in mid-coast Maine on Deer Isle, Haystack is connected to the mainland by a bridge over Eggemoggin Reach. It is approximately 500 miles from New York City, 250 miles from Boston, 160 miles from Portland, and 70 miles from Bangor. Originally located at Montville, Maine, Haystack moved to its present site on Deer Isle in 1960 when a state highway bi-sected the original campus. Built on 40 wooded acres at the southeastern end of Deer Isle, Haystack is situated on a slope overlooking the Atlantic.
Haystack workshops are open to adults 18 years or older, and all skill levels are welcome, from beginners to advanced professionals. Studios are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with classes scheduled Monday through Friday. Participants work within the format of the workshops as outlined by the instructors, and are free to work in the studios on their own. In addition to evening slide lectures by the faculty, there are presentations and performances by visiting artists and writers throughout the summer months. Haystack also sponsors Local Programs in the spring and fall designed specifically for people from Maine and New England. All non-scholarship applications are held for review on April 15, and students are placed in workshops following that review. There is a separate deadline for applicants to the schools Scholarship Program. (No applications can be accepted via e-mail.) The core season includes 2- and 3-week sessions in blacksmithing, ceramics, fibers, glass, graphics, metals, and wood. The Haystack community is made up of approximately 85 participants. including staff, students and internationally known faculty artists.