Ragdale is a nonprofit artist residency program and community located on the former Arts & Crafts country estate of architect Howard Van Doren Shaw and poet and playwright, Frances Wells Shaw.
Over 150 residencies, numerous fellowships, and a variety of themed residencies and creative sabbaticals are offered annually to creative professionals of all types, making Ragdale one of the largest interdisciplinary artist communities in the country. Ragdale residents represent a cross-section of ages, cultures, experiences, and mediums, for a diverse and vibrant community.
In eleven 18-day sessions, artists-in-residence enjoy uninterrupted time for work and creativity on the idyllic and historically significant Ragdale campus, a supportive environment, dynamic artist exchanges, 20 acres of adjacent Illinois prairie, and a community dinner. Artists in themed residencies and creative sabbaticals, along with numerous performing artists also experience the creative magic that is Ragdale.
Current and Recent Residents
Ragdale’s events make dynamic connections between resident artists and the public.
Ragdale is...
“Ragdale is a place where creativity is nurtured in all its forms. I expected the solitude, the new friendships, and the time and space to write. I just didn’t expect to be treated so well. Poor, struggling artists take heed: at Ragdale, life is rich.”
Christine Piper, Writer
Ragdale Youth Engagement Program
Ragdale artists present a series of talks, lead workshops, and discuss their professional careers to students from kindergarten through college. School visits are arranged with teachers and unique programs are developed along with the artist to present topics connecting curricula to the artist’s work. During on-campus site field trips, students learn about residency programs, visit with artists in their studios, and witness the creative process directly.
Architect Howard Van Doren Shaw designed the original 1912 Ragdale Ring as an outdoor theatre to accommodate the plays of his wife, Frances.
Biennial Ragdale Ring Competition
With Ragdale’s recent acquisition of the former home of Evelyn Shaw and John T. McCutcheon, the biennial Ragdale Ring competition returned in 2023 to the site of the original 1909 outdoor stage designed and built by architect Howard Van Doren Shaw for his poet and playwright wife, Frances. In 2025, Ragdale will again invite architects, artists, and designers to apply for the opportunity to design and build the next Ragdale Ring, a temporary theatre to house summer concerts, performances, and events.