This final Marfa Intensive has been bittersweet.
For the past three years, we have been searching for the right alchemy of place, space, time, and people. The place, space, and time in Marfa have remained remarkably consistent. What has changed most this summer—and what we now understand to be the most potent ingredient in the alchemy—are the artists who fill the theatre.
New ground in a creative process is often broken at the end of a life cycle. This year, we learned just how much the people in the room shape what is possible. Realizing this has made all the difference.
Alongside our Texas Tech participants, this final Intensive has shown us the power of expanding our networks and intentionally cultivating a diverse community of artists from a global ecosystem. We welcomed faculty, graduate students, undergraduate students, and professionals representing institutions including Columbia, the University of Pittsburgh, Point Park University, Oberlin, Villanova, Bard, Montclair State, and Bilkent University. Participants traveled from across Texas, as well as New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Montana, California, Canada, and Türkiye.
Some are writers. Some are directors, scholars, and teachers. But for these two weeks, everyone was a performer.
As we reflect on this alchemical process—and on the importance of prioritizing people—we are also reminded of how vital an artistic home can be. We have been extraordinarily fortunate to call the Crowley Theatre our artistic home base, and we are forever grateful to Tim Crowley for his generosity in making this Intensive possible.
At the same time, as with all patronage in the arts, there comes a moment when artists must seek out shelter of their own: different places, spaces, and times in which to gather, experiment, and make work.
So, while we are sad to see the Marfa Intensive come to an end, we also see this moment as an opportunity to spread our wings and pursue new horizons. We are committed to continuing this training and to cultivating a new home.
It is scary to leave the safety of a brick-and-mortar space, especially one as welcoming and comfortable as Marfa provided. And yet, artists carry some sense of home with them wherever they make their art. One of the great gifts of the training we have received is learning how to make a home anywhere.
As we step into what comes next, we carry a few lessons with us: to hold on tightly but let go lightly; to remember that joy is a product of effort; and to recognize that perhaps the most radical act available to us as artists is to look at the world with hope.
 Chris Staley & Katherine Wilkinson Co-Artistic Directors, Marfa Intensive 2026 |