Awards

Harriet Barlow Residency

An image of Harriet Barlow from the neck up. She has white curly hair and is smiling towards the camera. — *Harriet Barlow, co-founder and former executive director of Blue Mountain Center.*

36 years after the handshake with Adam Hochshild that confirmed the founding of BMC, Harriet Barlow has headed west. BMC is a testament to her singular mix of passion, creativity and clear-eyed diligence. She has built not only a nurturing institution but a vibrant community and an active network, all working to help create a just, equitable and sustainable society.

To honor Harriet's work, we have established the Harriet Barlow Residency. The Residency enables and celebrates annually not only a person but a concept central to her moral vision — the commons — those natural gifts (i.e. air, water, wildlife) and social creations (i.e. libraries, scientific research, public spaces) that we share. The Residency reifies this philosophy by supporting individuals whose work focuses on our shared responsibility to one another and the planet. Qualified candidates include activists, artists and creative leaders.

To learn more about the Barlow-awarded residents, click the button below.

barlow residents

Boren Chertkov Residency for Labor and Justice

A black and white picture of Boren Chertkov, from the torso up. He is bearded and sitting down. His head is slightly tilted and he is smiling directly at the camera. — *Boren Chertkov, a champion for social justice and beloved BMC community member.*

The Boren Chertkov Residency for Labor and Justice is granted annually to a BMC applicant whose work embodies the spirit and vision of the late Boren Chertkov. Boren was a champion of workers' rights and social justice, and a beloved community member at Blue Mountain Center.

Within a year of fundraising we met our initial goal of $100,000 to endow this permanent residency in honor of Boren, who passed away in April 2013. We are endlessly grateful to his friends and admirers, BMC alumni, and the many others who contributed to making this residency a reality. To learn more about the Chertkov awarded fellows, follow the button below.

Chertkov Residents

The Richard J. Margolis Award

The Margolis Award is granted annually to a promising new journalist or essayist whose work recalls Richard Margolis's warmth, humor, and concern for social issues. It combines a one-month residency at Blue Mountain Center with a $5,000 prize. For more information about past fellows and how to apply, please visit the Margolis Award website.