Originally a working barn perched atop the namesake hill of Hillcrest Farm, this building was converted to serve the arts in 1956.
A grand set of windows was installed to make the large interior suitable for visual artists, bringing in abundant natural light from the north. The addition of a screened porch and accessible entrance ramp in 1992 further civilized this former hay barn, and it was renamed that same year in memory of MacDowell board member and benefactor Valli Dreyfus Firth. This studio underwent a complete energy retrofit and renovation in 2022 resulting in increased usable wall space, improved lighting, and a full bedroom and bathroom for ideal working conditions for future generations of visual and interdisciplinary artists.
