Vermont Folklife, a nonprofit dedicated to preserving Vermont’s culture through audio recordings, plans to sell its Middlebury headquarters, the historic John Warren House at 88 Main Street, due to high maintenance costs and a shift toward broader statewide engagement. Executive Director Kate Haughey stated that the organization has moved away from on-site programming since closing its gallery in spring 2020, opting instead to take exhibits to cultural institutions across the state.

The building, which was renovated extensively in 2007 with $1.4 million from the Preservation Trust of Vermont, no longer serves the nonprofit’s mission effectively. Haughey emphasized that the sale signifies a reallocation of resources to foster community collaborations throughout Vermont. Among the traveling exhibitions are “The Golden Cage,” focusing on the experiences of Vermont dairy farmers and Mexican migrant workers, “Voices of Home,” which addresses the experiences of residents in affordable housing, and “Pride 1983,” featuring voices from Burlington’s inaugural Pride march.

Another challenge lies in relocating a vast collection of photographs, manuscripts, and audio recordings stored in the building, regarded as “the collective memory of the state.” Vermont Folklife aims to arrange with the building’s new owners to keep the collection in its current location until a suitable climate-controlled space is found.

Moving forward, Vermont Folklife will continue operations from a small office in Burlington, working in a hybrid model. Haughey reassured that the organization’s focus remains on statewide outreach rather than centralizing activities in physical locations, illustrating a commitment to meeting Vermonters in their communities.