As summer approaches (and my last module in my master’s degree!), I started looking for writing residencies. If you’re unfamiliar, writing residencies and retreats work to enhance your writing skills and help you learn and network with other writing professionals. Writing residencies look great on a resume as well! So while researching, I found a few residencies that I thought I would list here in case you writers out there would be interested in these opportunities as well.
This is just a small list. However, nearly all of these are little to no cost, perfect if you’re in the middle of your degree or are looking for less expensive options. Here are eight residencies with deadlines coming up later this year.
Blackacre Residency
I started applying to this one a little while ago. Thankfully, they accept applications year around, so you can get started on this one whenever you want. Under the Action Spectacle Submittable page, the Blackacre Residency (located on the Blackacre Nature Preserve) has two options: a six-week poetry workshop and a weekend-long poetry workshop. The six-week program has one-on-one workshops, revision exercises, and more. While applications are rolling for both, the weekend program takes place on August 25th and 26th of 2023. And both programs are surprisingly affordable! You can find the information for both programs here.
Hedgebrook on Whidbey Island
Like Blackare, Hedgebrook also has two main events. The Online Writing Series, hosted by Hedgebrook alumni, offers multiple online classes that you can watch at your own pace. These classes began with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in case you can’t make it to any of the webinars from Hedgebrook in person. Check out the classes they offer here.
Hedgebrook also hosts the Radical Craft Retreats, which can be in person and online. These retreats allow you to work on your writing projects while also following a daily schedule. (Applications have closed for this retreat, though). Find out more information about this retreat here.
Storyknife Writers Retreat
This woman’s retreat takes place in Homer, Alaska. It focuses on letting you work on your writing, no matter what kind of writing that is. They also offer fellowships that you can apply to your application if you think you could be a good fit. Applications open on July 1st. Find out more about how to apply and what writers are eligible here.
Art Omi
Art Omi’s next retreat takes place on September 1st and lasts until November. Writers work in a lodge on Catskill Mountains. They can choose how long they wish to stay, whether that be as little as one week or as long as the entire two months. Editors, agents, and other professionals occasionally turn up there as well. The residency focuses less on workshopping and more on communicating with other writers in a comfortable setting and just generally getting more writing done in a quiet area. You can find more info, as well as other opportunities, here.
Iceland Writers Retreat
The application deadline for this retreat is October 31st, with winners announced in December. The retreat takes place at the Fosshotel Reykjavik, where writers attend five writing workshops that last for two hours. The workshops are run by faculty and writing professionals. While the retreat focuses on these workshops, they also allow time for writers to write on their own, and several trips to memorable places in Iceland occur as well. Partial scholarship funding and awards can be found on this page (this includes their application tips and info). Find more information here.
Ragdale
Located in Lake Forest outside of Chicago, Illinois, Ragdale offers up to 150 individual residencies for writers that last around eighteen days. Writers can apply for fellowships, with an option for a stipend if you participate in their school program. Applications are due on May 15th and are offered to everyone. Find out more about the residency and how to apply here.
Blue Mountain Center
Located in the Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York, Blue Mountain Center focuses on ecological writing in particular. The Center hosts three residencies throughout the year, the first held from June 16th to July 14th. The Center also offers financial support for those who need it. Also note that the center does not have Wi-Fi and cell phones are not allowed. Take a look at how to apply here.
Loghaven Artists Residency
This residency doesn’t just apply to writers, but all artists looking to tackle their projects without distraction. Located in Knoxville, Tennessee, residents stay in log cabins, being provided with multiple resources for working on their art. Loghaven also provides all their writers/artists with stipends while they stay. Find out how to apply here.
I’ve updated my writing profile! You can find-
My website here: emsherwoodfoster.com
The Facebook Page
My chapbook
My serial publication The North Wind at Coffee House Writers! Part 1 is here.