Our Mission & Values

World premieres, U.S. debuts, exceptional and diverse artists, and collaborations with composers, visual artists, and writers comprise over 150 performances presented each Festival season.

New work and the development of the art form are supported through commissions, the Pillow Lab, and the Jacob's Pillow Dance Award.

The School at Jacob’s Pillow provides training by eminent faculty that not only produces great dancers, but also great artists. The Intern Program, public school programs, and community programs educate people of all ages about the art of dance.

The Pillow is a National Historic Landmark with rare and extensive dance Archives encompassing materials from 1894 through today. The photography collections, films, library, exhibits, and video viewing stations are free and open to the public.

The general public, students, scholars and artists are invited to experience dance through more than 200 free performances and talks, rehearsals, class observation, tours, and interaction with artists, scholars, writers, filmmakers, and composers. The Pillow also mounts programs in partnership with community organizations and public schools to engage with the diverse residents of Berkshire and surrounding counties with a focus on the town of Becket and the City of Pittsfield.

We encourage a broadly diverse group of individuals to participate in our programs and join our Board and Staff, and insist on being inclusive of all peoples regardless of their race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, socio-economic background, or disability.

We listen carefully, take the time to reflect on our successes and challenges, admit when we do not know something, and are accountable for our actions; recognizing that a crucial part of our role is to mentor the next generation of artists, arts administrators, and production staff.

We trust each other to be respectful, honest, and straightforward; we earn each other’s trust every day by acting with the highest of ethical and moral standards and by discussing issues openly and transparently.

We understand that the ability to take risks, creatively problem-solve, re-prioritize, troubleshoot challenging circumstances, and occasionally let go of assumptions is vitally important to the adaptability and resilience of our organization.

We believe that our success as individuals and as an institution is made possible by reciprocal relationships with people and organizations in communities that surround us, and by thoughtful and intentional relationships with artists, audiences, members, funders, and colleagues in the field.

We are active stewards of our environment and protect the health and well-being of our historic campus and the people who animate it. We sustain the field of dance by preserving our past, engaging with our present, and investing in our future.