Truro Center for the Arts at Castle Hill (Castle Hill) has announced the official purchase of 7 acres of the beautiful and historic Edgewood Farm in Truro, Mass. The remaining 5 acres of pristine woodland abutting the Cape Cod National Seashore was bought by Truro Conservation Trust to be preserved in perpetuity. The 7 acres purchased by Castle Hill include three historic buildings, a contemporary studio, a shed, and three smaller free-standing structures.

Surrounded by stunning green open-air landscapes, the site will be developed as a second campus for Castle Hill’s new Artist Residency program. The new campus will also provide summer housing for students and faculty, broaden educational programming, host exhibitions and special events, and serve as an inspiration for community partnerships. The purchase of the property occurred on January 7, transferred by the family of the late Eleanor Meldahl, a cofounder of the nonprofit arts organization. Truro Conservation Trust’s plan to create a public trail, connecting adjacent town owned conservation property to a hilltop overlooking a remarkable view of Ballston Beach, will enhance an overall sense of environmental and artistic connection.

“This is a very exciting moment for Castle Hill,” says Executive Director Cherie Mittenthal. “We’ve been working diligently for two years with the support and encouragement of many people. At this time I want to particularly thank Malcolm Meldahl and his family for their enormous generosity and patience throughout the process. As many people in this community know, Eleanor was a co-founder and devoted supporter of Castle Hill for decades. The expansion to Edgewood Farm offers wonderful artistic opportunities to further serve our community and will flourish in Eleanor’s spirit.”

In August of 2015 Castle Hill announced the public launch of a $2.8 million capital campaign to support the expansion. To date, Castle Hill has raised $1.6 million through a generous $600,000 grant from Massachusetts Cultural Council’s Cultural Facilities Fund, matched by private support. Additional funds raised to date include a $100,000 challenge grant from a private foundation earmarked for a green-designed printmaking studio, including the installation of a 13.2kW solar panel system. Individual donors immediately matched the green challenge in a “fund-a-need” bidding event, a crowning moment at Castle Hill’s festive Farm to Table: Full Moon Gala at Edgewood Farm last August.

In addition to the goal of purchasing Edgewood Farm debt-free, the remaining funds to be raised through the capital campaign will support upgrades, renovations, and restoration to the existing historic buildings. Included in Castle Hill’s five-year strategic plan is also a commitment to earmark funds for financial and organizational sustainability while establishing the Artist Residency program.

“We are investing in the future of Castle Hill as we develop our beautiful new campus at Edgewood Farm,” says Lisa Linnehan, President of the Board of Directors. “Phase II of our capital campaign will focus fundraising efforts on quality renovations and strengthening organizational capacity. We have a terrific and extremely supportive Board, with much enthusiasm from the broader creative community. Our highest priority is integrating artistic, financial, and environmental sustainability.”

The Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC) is a state agency that promotes excellence, access, education, and diversity in the arts, humanities, and sciences to improve the quality of life for all Massachusetts residents and contribute to the vitality of our communities. MCC pursues this mission through grants, service, and advocacy for nonprofit cultural organizations, schools, communities, and artists. Funding awarded to Truro Center for the Arts at Castle Hill has been provided by the Massachusetts Cultural Facilities Fund, a program of the state of Massachusetts administered through a collaborative arrangement between MCC and MassDevelopment. MCC also provides annual operating support grants to Truro Center for the Arts at Castle Hill through its Cultural Investment Portfolio.

Truro Center for the Arts at Castle Hill has served a single purpose for more than 40 years: to create an inclusive and supportive arts community by providing a wide range of artistic experiences to students at all levels of ability. Energized by a faculty of distinguished artists and writers and enlivened by a welcoming and engaging community, Castle Hill offers workshops, lectures, exhibitions, performances, special events and short-term artist residencies. The revered organization has enriched the Outer Cape as a major historic and contemporary arts destination and is recognized nationally for its exceptional quality of programs. Both the original campus and the newly acquired Edgewood Farm are located in the exquisitely beautiful rural setting of Truro, Massachusetts.

For more information about Truro Center for the Arts at Castle Hill please visit the website at: www.castlehill.org. To learn more about Castle Hill’s capital campaign supporting the expansion to Edgewood Farm, contact Cherie Mittenthal at 508-349-7511, ext. 101.