The Winter Retreat

General Events

All fellows may attend a Performance Workshop, 3 Craft Talks, the Faculty reading, the Graduation Ceremony, the Fish Fry, other unofficial gatherings and classes led by other fellows.

Writing Workshop Fellowship

Workshop Fellows gather in small groups of 10 to 14 and take 3 hours of workshop on Dec. 27th, 28th, and 29th. They rotate among three facilitators. The purpose of the workshops is to learn craft and generate new work. These workshops include lectures, analysis, discussions, writing prompts, reading assignments, etc. These fellows have the opportunity to read the new work they generated at the retreat during the fish fry on the 29th.

• 2024 Winter Retreat–Sean Hill, Bettina Judd, Jay Ward (Writing Facilitators)
• 2023 Winter Retreat–Darion McCloud (Performance), Sumita Chakraborty, Quraysh Ali Lansana, Dasan Ahanu (Keynote)
• 2022 Winter Retreat–Boris “Bluz” Rogers (Performance), Franny Choi, DaMaris B. Hill, Julian Randall (Writing Facilitators), Roscoe Burnems (Keynote)
• 2021 Winter Retreat–Tara Betts (Manuscript Coach), Andrea “Vocab” Sanderson (Performance), Joshua Bennett, Paul Tran (Writing Facilitators)
• 2020 Winter Retreat–Tyehimba Jess (Manuscript Coach), Ebony Stewart (Performance), John Murillo, Justin Phillip Reed, Denice Frohman (Writing Facilitators)
• 2019 Winter Retreat –Jericho Brown (Manuscript Coach), Monet Marshall (Performance), Dustin Pearson, Franny Choi, Tim Seibles (Writing Facilitators)
• 2018 Winter Retreat–francine j harris, Chen Chen, Phillip B. Williams, Kimbi the Goddess (Performance), and Remica Bingham Risher (Manuscript Coach/Keynote)
• 2017 Winter Retreat—Terrance Hayes, Delana R.A. Dameron, Danez Smith, Abiodun Oyewole (Performance), and Patricia Smith (Keynote), with honored 5th anniversary guests Dr. Joanne Gabbin, Jericho Brown, Keisha-Gaye Anderson, Dasan Ahanu, and L. Lamar Wilson
• 2016 Winter Retreat — Evie Shockley, L. Lamar Wilson, Bettina Judd, Dasan Ahanu (Performance), and Sharan Strange (Keynote),
• 2015 Winter Retreat — Jericho Brown, Tara Betts, Randall Horton, Ebony Noelle Golden (Performance), and Marlanda Dekine (Arts Activism),
• 2014 Winter Retreat — Frank X. Walker, Roger Bonair-Agard, Mariahadessa Ekere Tallie, Darion McCloud (Performance), and Nikky Finney (Keynote)
• 2013 Winter Retreat — Tyehimba Jess, Lita Hooper, and Remica L. Bingham Risher

• Traditional $499–Fellows with the Traditional Package are housed in a cabin with either retreat fellows or manuscript coaching fellows and may host one workshop for the retreat. Cabins consist of one bedroom with two double beds, one living room with a couch or futon, and one kitchen stocked with basic utensils. Fellows with a Traditional Package are housed 3 or 4 people to a cabin, which means that these fellows must be willing to share beds or sleep on the couch. Roommate preference forms are linked on the confirmation page immediately after payment. While we do our best to accommodate them, roommate preferences are not guaranteed. (Cabins are based upon availability and are therefore not guaranteed.)
• Double $699–Fellows with the Double Package are housed in a lodge room with either a retreat fellow or a manuscript coaching fellow. Lodge rooms are similar to hotel rooms. They consist of one living space with two double beds. Fellows with a Double Package are housed 2 people to a lodge room. Roommate preference forms are linked on the confirmation page immediately after payment. While we do our best to accommodate them, roommate preferences are not guaranteed.

It will really help Candace and Monifa if any of you are able to take some of these tasks off of our plate. This is a new program, so we’re working the kinks out of it. We’ll need about 6 people to share this work. Each person would work between 9 and 13 hours over this period.

After acceptance, you’ll receive a registration link. You’ll be able to apply for the Work Exchange Program in that registration form. PLEASE, READ THE BELOW INFO. BEFORE APPLYING FOR A POSITION.

RETREAT DISCOUNT

We give each Work Exchange person a $150 discount as a sincere thank you. The discount comes as a reimbursement check after all duties are complete by January 30th.

THE WORK

We’ll need you on hand on the morning of December 26th to the afternoon of December 30th. The first and last days are clutch, meaning longer hours. The other days might amount to 2 hours of work per day broken up at different times of the day.

Dec. 26

• DRIVERS–At least two people will drive fellows in shuttles, drive facilitators in, help me and Mo unpack the van (about 4-6 hours of work). On duty at 8:00 a.m.
• RUNNERS–At least two people will pack and deliver gift boxes, run last minute errands to the grocery store, set up the conference room, carry boxes (up to 25 lbs), basically set up for the retreat (about 3-4 hours of work). On duty at 11:00 a.m.
• FOOD PREP–At least two people will help the facilitator’s chef unpack and organize his equipment and goods. They’ll wash and chop veggies, design serving containers, deliver food, and clean the kitchen (about 2-3 hours of work). On duty at 1:00 p.m.

Dec. 27-29

• DRIVERS–At least one person will need to take fellows to the grocery store on the 27th (about 1 hour total).
• RUNNERS–At least one person will set up the conference room, deliver folding chairs to cabins, and be available for errands (about 1-2 hours of work each day).
• FOOD PREP–At least one person will assist the chef at breakfast, lunch, and dinner. They’ll wash and chop veggies, design serving containers, deliver food, and clean the kitchen (about 2-4 hours of work depending on the day).

Dec. 30

• DRIVERS–At least two people will drive fellows and facilitators in shuttles and help Candace and Monifa pack the shuttle van (about 4-6 hours of work). Off duty by 3:00 p.m.
• RUNNERS–At least two people will double check each room and cabin, pack up the host cabin, help Candace and Monifa pack the van (about 3-4 hours of work). Off duty by 3:00 p.m.
• FOOD PREP–At least two people will help the chef pack his equipment and goods (about 1-2 hours of work). Off duty by noon.

ELIGIBILITY

DRIVERS

• A valid driver’s license
• A clean driving history
• Willingness to shuttle fellows in the TWH rental van
• Active vehicle insurance (including standard liability)

RUNNER

• Your own vehicle (for off campus errands that you run)
• A valid driver’s license
• A clean driving history
• Active vehicle insurance (including standard liability)
• Ability to carry 25 lbs. 40 ft.

FOOD PREP. ELIGIBILITY

• Cleanliness and safety awareness
• Ability to carry 25 lbs. 40 ft.

Getting Here

Check-In: Dec. 26th, 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. First Event: Dec. 26th at 5:00 p.m. Check-Out: Dec. 30th by 10:00 a.m.

Nearest Airport: Augusta Regional Airport (about 75 minutes away)

Shuttles

* The last one will leave the airport around 3:00 p.m. on Dec. 26th. We will request early check-in for shuttle people. * The first one will arrive at the airport around 8:00 a.m. on Dec. 30th. * If these shuttle times don’t work for you, reach out to the Tribe in the Facebook Group (for a ride share) or e-mail us for other options.