In 1839, the Sandisfield Arts Center building began an 80+ year run as a Baptist meeting house, followed by another 75 as an Orthodox synagogue (the only known rural Orthodox synagogue on record in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts). In 1995, the building was reborn as a performing arts center.

Since that time, the Sandisfield Arts Center has evolved into a professional non-profit organization recognized by the Massachusetts Historical Commission, the National Trust, and the public for our dedication to preserving this historically-important building and rehabilitating it for use as a performing arts center. In 2006, the building was accepted on the National Register of Historic Places as “The Montville Baptist Church.” Visitors now come from all over Berkshire, Hampden & Litchfield Counties, as well as New York, Boston and Connecticut for our unique, quality performances.

In 2024, with the help of the family of Val Coleman, we added a Memorial Garden on the site of the Montville School.

The small-town, grass-roots commitment that gave birth to the Sandisfield Arts Center in 1995 is still present today, as the organization depends almost entirely on volunteers. These dedicated folks meet, administer, clean, bake, paint, host, donate and perform their way through tough economic times, long, cold winters, and all the challenges that small, non-profit arts organizations face on a daily basis. Please see our Volunteer page if you’d like to participate!