History:

In November 1970, a small group of artistically minded people living in Becket and Washington decided to create an arts center in Becket. Early programs by and for Becket residents were held in the annex of the Becket Federated Church.

In 1978 the town of Becket became the BAC's landlord by leasing the building that from 1946-1975 had been American Legion Hall. The building was built in 1855 in the Greek Revival style to be the school house for North Becket. It was called Seminary Hall. The Becket Arts Center was given a lease for the first 20 years at one dollar per year. The Arts Center , by extending its commitment beyond Becket and Washington to the other hill towns of Chester, Hinsdale, Middlefield, Otis, and Peru , became the Becket Arts Center of the Hilltowns.

In the spirit of our first constitution, the mission of the Becket Arts Center of the Hilltowns is to provide an environment in which a diverse population can come together to share common interests while learning about and experiencing a variety of art forms. We are committed to recognizing and promoting the work of local artists. We encourage new ideas from artists and supporters who live within and beyond our community. Local community grants for programs provide a very small percentage of our total budget. We count heavily on community members to provide support with their generous membership dollars and contributions. I thank our Arts Center members, local businesses, the Taconic Community Foundation , the Barrington Foundation, the Puffin Foundation and the Town of Becket who value the Arts Center and continue their commitment to our mission. We look forward to your active participation in our season's program.