The Ashokan Center is proud to celebrate our President & CEO, Jay Ungar, who has been recognized with the 2026 Green Difference Award in the Arts category by Project Green Schools.
The award honors Jay for a lifetime dedicated to “Inspiring Learning and Building Community through Shared Experiences in Nature, History, Music, and Art,” recognizing the vision that has shaped the Ashokan Center into the special place it is today.
In a congratulatory letter, United States Senator Kirsten Gillibrand wrote:
“This prestigious recognition is a testament to your unwavering commitment to cultural literacy and your dedication to empowering the next generation of community leaders.”
She continued:
“Through your work with the Ashokan Center, you have played a vital role in ensuring that students across New York have the knowledge and tools necessary to build a more sustainable and resilient future.”
For more than four decades, Jay has brought people together through music, education, and a deep appreciation for the natural world. Alongside his wife and longtime musical partner, Molly Mason, he has helped create a place where children discover the wonders of the outdoors, musicians learn and share traditional arts, and communities gather to celebrate history, creativity, and connection.
Under Jay’s leadership, the Ashokan Center has grown into a nationally recognized nonprofit serving thousands of students, campers, musicians, educators, and visitors each year across our 385-acre Catskill campus. From environmental education and living history programs to Music & Dance Camps and community festivals, every experience reflects the Center’s mission to inspire learning and build community.
While many know Jay as the composer of the beloved “Ashokan Farewell,” his greatest legacy may be the community he has helped build. His vision has preserved not only a historic landscape but also a place where people of all ages can connect with nature, one another, and traditions that continue to enrich lives.
This recognition follows another recent honor for Jay and Molly, who received the Lifetime Contribution Award from the Hudson River Sloop Clearwater in recognition of their decades of contributions to music, culture, and environmental stewardship.
Awards like the Green Difference Award recognize individual achievement, but they also reflect the incredible community that makes the Ashokan Center possible. Every student who explores our forests, every camper who learns a new tune, every volunteer, donor, staff member, and visitor plays a role in carrying this mission forward.
Please join us in congratulating Jay on this well-deserved honor. We are deeply grateful for his leadership, creativity, and lifelong commitment to creating a place where nature, history, music, and art continue to inspire generations.