Below is a growing list of writing workshops & residencies. It can be difficult to keep track of them all, so want to provide a one-stop-shop. This list is not complete, nor in any particular order.
● Millay Colony for the Arts - A pretty well known residency, named after Edna St. Vincent Millay, offering two-week and month-long residencies to six or seven artists throughout the year.
Location: Hudson Valley, NY
Application fee: $45
Submission period: rolling
● Norton Island Residency - ten day residency off the coast of Maine in an isolated, rustic setting every summer. If you’re a wilderness person, this one’s for you! Keep in mind: there is no connection to the internet. But you can see the stars so clearly at night! And it’s quiet + peaceful!
Location: Norton Island, ME
Application fee: $45
Submission period: November 15 - March 31
● Kerouac Project - This one’s probably my favorite, and not just because I’m from Florida! Stay in Jack Kerouac’s quaint Orlando home (didn’t know Kerouac used to live in Orlando? Me neither!) for a month with a $1,000 food stipend. They like when the author chosen does a cute little reading at the end of their stay! V fun, maybe you’ll write the next On the Road while you’re there (or something better!)
Location: Orlando, FL
Application fee: $35
Submission period: January 1 - mid-march
Dates:
-Fall 2022: September 1 – November 20
-Winter 2022: December 1 – February 17
-Spring 2023: March 1 – May 21
-Summer 2023 June 1 – August 20
● New Orleans Writers’ Residency - Technically not a residency anymore, but repurposed low-cost, short-term housing for writers in need.
Application fee: none
Cost: $300 per month
Submission period: rolling
● Tin House - If you aren’t already familiar with Tin House, it’s one of the most established workshops—every Summer at Reed College in Oregon, writers are invited to stay in the dorms for a week, where they host readings, workshops, and other events around campus. Established authors teach each workshop in either short fiction, poetry, nonfiction, or novel. There is also a digital Winter Workshop, and a brand new Autumn Workshop!
Location: Portland, OR
Application fee: $25
Submission period: Summer - January 9-29 2023
● Porches Writing Retreat - Relax on the James River in Virginia for ten days courtesy of the The Nancy Zafris Short Story fellowship. All you need is a good short story, a 300-500 word personal statement, and a resume/cover letter to submit!
Location: Norwood, Virginia
Application fee: $10
Submission period: ends February 15
● Virginia Center for the Creative Arts Residency - Residences vary from one to six weeks, where you can either marvel at the Blue Ridge Mountains or cottages in France! This is a multidisciplinary residency—so you’ll get to interact with different artists, composers, and other writers!
Location: Amherst, VA or Auvillar, France
Application fee: $30
Submission period: ends January 15, 2023
● The American Library in Paris Visiting Fellowship - Are you obsessed with libraries and Paris? This one’s for you! Applicants should be working on a creative project that contributes to cross-cultural discourse. Includes a $5,000 stipend for a month-long stay. Fellows are expected to:
“-Be present in the American Library a minimum of three half-days a week. -Present an hour-long evening program at the Library.
-Participate in a Library reception.
-Meet with staff informally to explore a topic of mutual interest.
-Extend the Library’s reach by participating in events arranged by the Library with other organizations in Paris.
-Provide the Library and the funding foundation with a written report of the Fellowship experience.
-Appropriately acknowledge the Library and the Visiting Fellowship in publications and print media related to the Fellowship project.
-Participate in the Library’s social media communication, fundraising campaigns, and other public events.”
Location: Paris, France
Application fee: 30 Euros
Submission Period: January 30 - April 1 2023
● The Bard Fiction Prize - A prestigious residency awarded to an American emerging writer 39 years old or younger. Along with a $30,000 cash prize, the winner will be the writer-in-residence at Bard College for one semester. They must give at least one public lecture and meet informally with students.
Location: Annandale-on-Hudson, NY
Application fee: unknown
Submission period: ends June 1st, 2023
● Hambidge Creative Residency Program - Another multidisciplinary residency, here you’ll meet with 8-10 other creatives in beautiful Georgia nature to share meals and stories together—but also have plenty of time to work alone. Stays are between two to eight weeks. Be aware: no internet or cell phone service. (but wifi is available in the communal space!)
Location: Rabun Gap, GA
Application fee: $30
Submission period:
Summer - Dec 1 - January 15
Fall - March 1 - April 15
Spring - August 1 - September 15
FAQ
What is a workshop?
A writing workshop is a program where writers can meet to "workshop" or "generate" fiction, nonfiction, poetry, etc. Typically, you will apply to specific teachers (a great motivator to apply is to study with your favorite writers!) and you will be assigned a cohort.
Workshops are a wonderful way to meet your contemporaries, spend typically a 3-7 days with your work, and hang out in a new space!
What is a residency?
Residencies are longer programs that are less "workshop" based. Typically you apply while working on a longer project and you are given time and space to focus on writing. Residencies can be anywhere from a couple of week to a couple of months, and can be anywhere in the world!
What is right for me?
Only you can answer that! If you are working on short stories, newer to writing, never attended a BFA or MFA program, a workshop can be a great space. If you are a little further in your career, seriously working on a book-length project, and want to spend a few weeks in the middle of nowhere, check out some residencies.