Djerassi Resident Artists Program appoints Craig Adams as Executive Director, bringing experience in land conservation, business, and arts leadership.
WOODSIDE, CA, CA, UNITED STATES, March 9, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — The Djerassi Resident Artists Program today announced that Craig Adams has been appointed as its new Executive Director, positioning the organization for expanded impact and long-term sustainability as a laboratory of creativity.
A longtime presence within the Woodside community, Adams brings a blend of business acumen, eco-consciousness, and a keen fascination with the arts to the role. Already known in the Djerassi community as one of its hiking guides offering tours across the property showcasing more than 60 site-specific art installations, Adams joins as a knowledgeable steward and an avid photographer of the program’s 583 acres—nestled in the northern Santa Cruz Mountains. Previously, Adams worked in marketing and business development roles for companies in the US and Asia. He also has been an Outing leader and Skyline Committee member with the Peninsula Open Space Trust for the past decade.
“Djerassi connects two things I am very passionate about: land conservation and the arts,” said Adams. “Giving artists the time and space to experiment– whether writer, dancer, sculptor, painter, musician or scientist–is a mission I easily support. We have countless world class organizations and innovators in the Bay Area. My aim is to also bring in artist workshops, corporate retreats, new sources of funding, and partnerships to get us to our 50th year and well beyond.”
Removed from the pressures of production and presentation, artists at Djerassi are supported by an environment designed for concentration and experimentation: private studios, shared dialogue, and daily meals prepared by resident chefs. Here, process is not ancillary to art, it is the work. Many residents have gone on to receive major honors, including Pulitzer Prizes, MacArthur Fellowships, National Book Awards, and international distinctions, carrying ideas first incubated at Djerassi into global cultural discourse.
“We welcome Craig’s leadership at an interesting time for the arts. He has a clear vision towards how Djerassi can evolve with flexibility and integrity as we design new models for fundraising while keeping our commitment to attracting multi-disciplinary artists to create here,” stated Dale Djerassi, Founding Trustee, Djerassi Resident Artists Program.
Djerassi at San Francisco Art Fair
The public is invited to come and meet Craig Adams at the San Francisco Art Fair being held April 15-19 at Fort Mason where Djerassi will have a booth showcasing original art pieces, sculptural works and books all created by former Djerassi residents. Works by David Nash, Amber Jean Young, John Roloff, Lauren DiCioccio, and Barbara Nerness reveal how time spent in retreat can catalyze enduring artistic inquiry. Also, a curated reading library featuring authors such as Viet Thanh Nguyen, Sigrid Nunez, and Sarah M. Broom will be on display, further reflecting the program’s cross-disciplinary legacy which underscores Djerassi as a place not only where artworks are made, but where artistic thought takes root.
About Djerassi Resident Artist Program
For over four decades, the Djerassi Resident Artists Program has invested in what is often invisible: the conditions that allow art to begin. Since its founding in 1979, the program has awarded more than 2,700 residencies to artists, writers, composers, and choreographers, offering uninterrupted time, communal exchange, and deep engagement with the landscape of its 583-acre site in the Santa Cruz Mountains.
Natasha Noel
Djerassi Resident Artists Program
nnoel@djerassi.org
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