Hoyt Institute of Fine Arts

Once considered New Castle’s “best kept secret”, the word is out on the Hoyt Institute of Fine Arts and its vision to “provide the best possible arts to the greatest number of people”! This thriving regional arts center and museum, once home to the Hoyt family, now houses more than 50 arts classes and workshops, 24 annual exhibits, annual cultural festivals, and school programs in two stately 1917 mansions on five acres of New Castle’s residential north hill. The Hoyt’s mission “to encourage an awareness, understanding, appreciation, and practice of the Arts & Humanities through visual, educational, and enrichment programming for all ages” remains central to its synergy. Once quiet homes to a generous family, the grand architecture now bustles with daily and seasonal activity. 

The Greek Revival estate of May Emma Hoyt, now known simply as Hoyt East, is the “heart” of the museum’s programming and regularly attracts more than 20,000 visitors per year. Inside, the former living and dining rooms have been transformed into galleries, the large bedrooms to classrooms and offices, and the fruit cellars to ceramics, photography, stained glass, and metal-smithing studios. The neighboring Tudor Revival estate of brother Alex Crawford Hoyt, known today as Hoyt West, retains much of its original historical character, as well, in period rooms set within the homes elaborate carpentry and leaded glass windows. This elegant setting is available for private, corporate, and wedding occasions. Program improvements continue to compliment facility upgrades resulting in heightened public experiences demonstrated by Schindler from the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2005 and the Harlem Renaissance exhibits of Jacob Lawrence and Romare Bearden in 2006, the artists Charles Burchfield and Wolf Kahn in 2007, and Winslow Homer in 2008. Other exhibits to look forward to include Lost in Form, Found in Line, an exclusive look at the artist Robert Motherwell in his studio in 2009. 

Despite its growing reputation, many visitor are still surprised at the “metropolitan” quality of cultural opportunities offered from this neighborhood venue, including school programs, artist residences, annual festivals, concerts, and regional and national art competitions. Past jurors have included artists Faith Ringgold and Judy Chicago and Newsweek Art Critic, Peter Plagens. Consistent with the mission to “encourage an awareness, understanding, appreciation and practice of the Arts & Humanities” the Hoyt offers numerous school and public programs including curriculums, lectures, guided tours, and other outreach activities surrounding current exhibitions.