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SPACE on Ryder Farm was founded by Emily Simoness, a seventh-generation Ryder family member who grew up in Minnesota. How she created this space meant to invigorate artists and innovators and their work while also contributing to the sustainability and resourceful preservation of one of the oldest organic family farms on the East Coast is a story in itself. Daily Voice recently sat down with Simoness to get the scoop.
Daily Voice: What should people know about SPACE on Ryder Farm?
Emily Simoness: In late 2009, I visited my extended family’s historic farm in Brewster for the first time. At the time I was an actress living in NYC and was in the middle of a community of artists that didn’t have proper resources (time and space) to create and develop their work.
When I visited the farm I saw an incredible place, one that the same family had managed to hold onto since 1795. That said, it needed (and still needs) TLC. The two needs (the farm’s and the artists’) were both independently on my mind in the days and weeks that followed my first visit to Ryder Farm. Three months later they crashed together. It was then that I recognized the potential for a one-of-a-kind residency – an artistic home away from home for artists. Soon afterwards, SPACE on Ryder Farm was born.
In five seasons, with the help of an army of inspired supporters, volunteers, friends and family, SPACE has become a place where artists and activists come to do their most important work.
SPACE has hosted over 850 residents --we will host our 1,000th resident this season -- held symposia on the intersection of creativity and activism, piloted a program that provides childcare for resident artists, developed initiatives that integrate SPACE’s programming and the organic farming operation and nurtured 40 young professionals through its intern program. Additionally we host upwards of 10 events for the public each season.
DV: What is the criteria for getting accepted into your program?
ES: Residencies are granted to writers, theatre makers, visual artists, musicians, filmmakers and dancers. Time at SPACE is given to individuals and groups that articulate a distinctive aesthetic and point of view. Priority is given to applications that include detailed and specific objectives for their time in residence. In 2016 we received approximately 430 applications for 90 slots.
On average, we support 10 residents on the farm weekly. Additionally, we have an intern corps of three and approximately three staff members on the farm at all times. So, at any given meal we have about 16 people present. We will host about 250 residents over the course of our season which runs from June to October, annually.
Applications for 2017 will be on the website in December. Stay tuned!
DV: What's the biggest thrill for you running this nonprofit?
ES: My experience up to this point with SPACE on Ryder Farm is that it is one huge project to manage. It requires leading a team, building out programming, facilities challenges, fundraising, troubleshooting and self-starting.
Being an E.D. of a nonprofit offers myriad opportunities to take the reigns each day, which is incredibly rewarding. But there is also the bigger thing, and that is being a part of a family that has held onto a piece of land since 1795. To be a part of that tradition, to play a role in sustaining and enlivening the landscape at Ryder has been a big thrill.
Lastly, SPACE is now at a point that the work that has been developed at the farm is now being produced.
This past season, Sarah Burgess' SPACE-developed play "Dry Powder" premiered at The Public Theatre, and next season Dan Lefranc's play "Rancho Viejo" and Sam Hunter's "The Harvest," both written at SPACE, will have their world-premieres at theaters in NYC -- that is pretty gratifying.
DV: What's new worth mentioning?
ES: We're hosting a slew of exciting events this season which you can find at www.spaceonryderfarm.org/events/.
I'm particularly excited about hosting a free performance of Hudson Valley Shakespeare's "So Please You" on August 21st and our Seasonal Supper (super-duper local ingredients) on September 10th with North-Salem favorite Hayfields and our annual Roving Dinner extravaganza on September 17th (an eight- course meal on eight locations of the farm alongside eight excerpts of new plays).
We are also in the midst of a $50K matching campaign. All funds raised by the end of July (up to $50K) will be matched, thanks to three generous donors. Go to www.spaceonryderfarm.org/give2016/ for more details.
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