Nantucket Historical Association Expands Heritage Craft Program with the Opening of Theatre of Craft at 1800 House
Textile artist Richard Saja leads a series of immersive embroidery workshops exploring his signature approach to reimagining traditional French toile through contemporary hand-stitching techniques
Farrow & Ball presents a hands-on birdbox painting workshop inspired by Nantucket’s landscapes, wildlife, and architecture, celebrating the transformative power of color and craft
NANTUCKET, MA — The Nantucket Historical Association announces the opening of Theatre of Craft at the 1800 House during Nantucket by Design, a significant expansion of its recently relaunched Heritage Craft Program. Building on the program’s broadened vision as an immersive platform for contemporary craft, cultural exchange, and hands-on learning, Theatre of Craft is conceived as an open house-style activation that makes the process of craft and making accessible throughout Nantucket by Design. Rather than functioning as a traditional theater concept, the activation transforms the historic property into an active environment where visitors are encouraged to stop in, explore, and engage with programming across the week. Throughout the week, guests will be invited to explore the space and activations on offer.
To support the expanded programming, the 1800 House will extend its operating hours throughout Nantucket by Design, aligning with the workshop schedule and creating additional opportunities for visitors to attend workshops, drop into the retail space, and experience the wider activity taking place across the property, including tours led by Alpha-Kilo. The 1800 House will remain open year-round for both in situ workshops and virtual programming, extending the reach of the Heritage Craft Program beyond the summer season.
Theatre of Craft extends this vision into a physical, multi-use environment at the 1800 House and its adjoining Carriage House. Designed as a flexible, drop-in format, the space will host a continuous flow of workshops, open studios, and demonstrations throughout the summer, alongside a curated retail component. Rather than a single, fixed program, Theatre of Craft functions as an active, layered experience, inviting visitors to engage with craft in a more immediate and exploratory way.
This format expands the reach and accessibility of the Heritage Craft Program while creating additional pathways for participation. Programming unfolds across multiple spaces within the historic property, encouraging movement, discovery, and repeated engagement. The integration of retail further connects audiences to the objects and materials of craft, reinforcing the relationship between process, product, and cultural value.
“Theatre of Craft reflects our continued commitment to preserving traditional making practices while creating new ways for audiences to engage directly with craft and material culture,” said Mary Lacoursiere, Artistic Director of Heritage Craft at the Nantucket Historical Association. “By opening the 1800 House as a dynamic, accessible environment during Nantucket by Design, we hope to foster greater connection between artisans, visitors, and the creative processes that shape cultural heritage.”
As part of the new programming, textile artist Richard Saja will lead a three-day series of immersive embroidery workshops designed for a range of skill levels, including an introductory session for beginners, an advanced workshop for experienced participants, and a culminating open studio format that invites drop-in engagement throughout the day. Working with simple materials such as embroidery hoops, fabric, needles, and thread, participants will explore Saja’s signature technique of embellishing traditional French toile, using selective, hand-stitched interventions to disrupt and reinterpret its repetitive imagery into layered, narrative compositions. The workshop emphasizes both technical skill and conceptual thinking, encouraging participants to consider how subtle alterations can shift meaning, tone, and visual hierarchy within a historic pattern, while offering direct access to Saja’s process and perspective as a contemporary practitioner whose work bridges fine art, craft, and design.
Set within the historic 1800 House, currently undergoing an interior painting project using archival colors from Farrow & Ball, the activation offers visitors a glimpse into the property's evolving design story. Extending this exploration of color and craftsmanship, Farrow & Ball will lead a hands-on birdbox workshop inspired by Nantucket's diverse wildlife, landscapes, gardens, and historic architecture. Participants will paint a handcrafted bird box using the brand's signature palette of richly layered hues, discovering how thoughtful color choices can bring character and personality to everyday objects. Blending Farrows & Ball’s celebrated approach to handcrafting color for interiors and exteriors with the NHA's commitment to preserving traditional arts and crafts, the workshop offers a unique opportunity to create a one-of-a-kind keepsake while engaging with the principles of color, materiality, and making.
Through the introduction of Theatre of Craft, the NHA continues to position Heritage Craft as an integral part of Nantucket’s cultural landscape, bridging preservation and innovation while contributing to broader conversations across design, interiors, and material culture. As the program expands across seasons and geographies, this new model reinforces Nantucket’s role as a site where craft is actively practiced, interpreted, and reimagined.
Theatre of Craft opens to the public on June 24th. To learn more about The Nantucket Historical Association’s Heritage Craft workshops, destination trips, and 1800 House shop, visit here.
About the Nantucket Historical Association
The Nantucket Historical Association preserves, interprets, and shares the diverse stories of Nantucket with all audiences through its collections, properties, programs, and research.
To learn more about The Nantucket Historical Association’s Heritage Craft workshop offerings, visit here.
Contact kate.e@alphakilo.com for further information