Residential Workshop Policies

The residential workshop begins Thursday with a group dinner in the early evening, and concludes Monday evening; the workshop fee includes five nights of lodging. Check-in is Thursday at 4:00, and departure is by 11:00 on Tuesday morning. Please see 'Extending your stay' if you wish to arrive early or stay longer.

The application period is currently open, and ends on April 1, 2022. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, and you will receive notice of your acceptance status within two weeks of applying. Early application is highly encouraged, especially if you have a lodging preference. All applications are reviewed and processed in order of receipt. Once the workshop has accepted six artists, a waiting list will be started. Wait listed applicants will be notified if spaces come available (see more below). 

April 19, 2022: Deadline to cancel registration (for deposit refund less a $75 cancellation fee).

April 20, 2022: Workshop and lodging payment due in full.

Upon acceptance, a $200 deposit is required to reserve space in a workshop with your preferred lodging. The deposit is due within 5 days of acceptance. We can accept personal checks, bank transfers, and PayPal for credit card payments. The balance for the workshop/lodging is due on April 20, 2022. If payment in full is not received by the due date, you risk forfeiting your deposit, enrollment and lodging space, and may also incur a cancellation fee.

To cancel your workshop registration, please notify us by April 19, 2022, and we will refund your deposit, less a cancellation fee of $75. It is our policy to send documentation of the refund for your records. If you do need to cancel, please let us know as far in advance as possible, to make your space available to another artist. No deposit refunds will be issued for cancellations made after April 20, 2022. 

If you have paid in full and must cancel within 30 days prior the start of the workshop, you forfeit your $200 deposit, and your remaining payment will only be refunded if your spot is filled by an artist on the waiting list. If your spot cannot be filled, we cannot issue a refund.

When the workshop reaches the maximum enrollment of six, we start a waiting list. There is no charge or deposit required to be on the waiting list. If space becomes available for an accepted applicant, we contact the first person on the list. That person then has 48 hours to register before we move on to the next person on the list.

The workshop requires a minimum enrollment of three participants. If the enrollment is below three participants on April 20, 2022, the workshop will be canceled and a full refund will be issued. 

Lodging will be assigned on a first-come basis for accepted participants. On the application form, please rank your preferences:

• Private king suite with bathroom and kitchenette (on-site at Chaco Lodge)
• Private queen bedroom with shared bathroom and kitchen (on-site at Lodge)
• Shared room with shared bath and kitchen (off-site at Sueños Encantados B&B)

All lodging requests will be processed in order of receipt, according to your stated preference on the form. Please be specific about your 1st, 2nd and 3rd preferences. If an option is not acceptable (i.e., no shared room), please also indicate this on the form. Please consult the Lodging page for more details on each room.

All participants are responsible for arranging their own transportation to and from the workshop site in Cuba, NM, and to off-site lodging. Cuba is located 90 miles north of the Albuquerque SunPort, a scenic drive up Highway 550. Once on-site at the Chaco Lodge we will consolidate into a smaller number of vehicles for driving into the field. Some field sites require driving on maintained dirt roads, and all are accessible by a normal vehicle in dry weather (4x4 capability not required). Please be aware that the Sueños Encantados B&B is located at the end of a 2.5 mile well-maintained dirt road. The Chaco Lodge is accessible by paved road.

Fitness level: Basic fitness is required. You should be able to walk for up to a mile on gently uneven terrain. We have a cart available for carrying bulky supplies (tent, chairs, cooler) to the field sites; you will be responsible for backpacking your water, art supplies, and personal incidentals.

Altitude: We will be working at altitudes from 7,000 to 8,000 feet above sea level. If you are arriving from lower altitudes, it is advised to arrive to the area at least 24 hours in advance to start acclimating.

All participants must supply an emergency contact number. Travel insurance is recommended.

Participating partners are welcome, and there is significant discount if you are sharing a room on-site at the Chaco Lodge. As this is foremost a retreat for practicing artists, we cannot accommodate partners or spouses who are not participating in the workshop. The application process is required for all participants. We also cannot accept participants under the age of 18. Please indicate on the application form if you are applying in conjunction with another person.

Cellular phone signals will generally be reliable at the workshop site and at the B&B, where there is also mostly-reliable WiFi. When we are in the field, however, cell signals will be spotty at best. Consider this an occasion to go off-line.

There are nearby destinations you may want to visit that are not included in our itinerary (i.e., the Chaco Culture National Historical Park or Ojo Caliente Hot Springs.) Early arrivals or late departures outside of the regular workshop dates can be arranged in advance with the workshop coordinator, who can determine the availability of the same room you have booked for the workshop (room subject to venue's availability). Lodging fees may be higher on these days than during the workshop. Please contact us to talk more about the options for extending your stay.