Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) has plans for a new state-of-the-art creativity and teaching center. The Campagna Kleefeld Center for Creativity in the Arts is made possible through the generosity of artist and author Carolyn Mary Kleefeld. From this transformational gift will come the construction of the Campagna Kleefeld Center for Creativity in the Arts on the corner of Porter and Church Streets. Carolyn’s support will enhance all students’ experiences on campus — linking the arts with academic disciplines, from humanities and social sciences to business and computer science — and will serve as an essential part of the MCLA learning experience.
The Campagna Kleefeld Center will be MCLA's primary gallery and arts programming space on campus, The Center will support MCLA programs by providing opportunities for students to engage with artists, their work, and the community. It will serve as a dynamic and flexible space for faculty engagement and curricular innovation, fostering meaningful interactions with a rotating array of exhibits and programs. This new venue will also support MCLA’s Benedetti Teaching Artists-in-Residence and student artists-in-residence.
"The Center will allow others to explore and engage with the artistic practices that have meant so much to me throughout my life. I hope it will become a space of creativity, reflection, and inspiration for students and community members alike.” - Carolyn Kleefeld
One of the core features of the Campagna Kleefeld Center is the integration of Carolyn Kleefeld’s own art and poetry. The Center will provide ongoing opportunities for students to explore the creative process through her works, as well as participate in curating exhibitions and engaging with art from a variety of artists. Students will have the chance to interact with works both in-progress and completed, participating in critiques with peers and faculty to enhance their creative development.
In addition to offering a platform for visual and performing arts, the Center will provide Arts Management students with hands-on experience in museum and gallery operations, community education, and collaboration with artists. By connecting the arts with academic disciplines ranging from the humanities and social sciences to business and computer science, the Campagna Kleefeld Center will enrich the MCLA learning experience and support the College’s ongoing commitment to equity, access, inclusion, and belonging.
The Campagna Kleefeld Center will be a vital hub of creativity that enhances teaching, learning, and community engagement at MCLA.
"Carolyn Kleefeld’s extraordinary generosity will allow MCLA to build and steward a cutting-edge facility that will exponentially enhance the quality of our teaching, expose all our students to new and exciting forms of art, and serve the broader community in immeasurable ways. Carolyn’s forward-thinking gift is a game-changer, not only for our students and faculty but also for Berkshire County and its surrounding communities, and will continue to be for generations to come."
- MCLA President James F. Birge, Ph.D.
The new Campagna Kleefeld Center for Creativity in the Arts is expected to open its doors in the coming years, serving as a beacon of creativity and collaboration at MCLA and throughout the Berkshire region. To learn more or to download a one-page summary click here.
Carolyn Mary Kleefeld is an English-American author, poet, and visual artist. Working since 1981, she has written 25 books, published many tri-lingual and bi-lingual translations, and created an extensive and diverse body of drawings and paintings, ranging in style from romantic figurative to abstract. Her art is featured internationally in galleries, museums, private collections, and multimedia presentations. She studied art and psychology at UCLA and resides in Big Sur, California. Learn more at carolynmarykleefeld.com.
At MCLA, we’re here for all — and focused on each — of our students. Classes are taught by educators who care deeply about teaching, and about seeing their students thrive on every level of their lives. In every way possible, the experience at MCLA is designed to elevate our students as individuals, leaders, and communicators, fully empowered to make their impressions on the world. In addition to our 130-year commitment to public education, we have fortified our dedication to equitable academic excellence. MCLA has appeared on U.S. News & World Report’s list of Top Ten Public Colleges for 10 consecutive years, earning the No. 6 spot on the list of Top Public Liberal Arts Schools in the nation for 2025, after earning the No. 7 spot the prior three years. The College’s focus on affordable education and economic prosperity is reflected in additional 2025 U.S. News rankings: No. 5 for Top Performer on Social Mobility for liberal arts colleges in the state and No. 2 for Top Performer on Social Mobility for public liberal arts colleges in the country. These rankings measure how well schools graduate students who receive Federal Pell Grants.
