Residential Workshop Policies

The residential workshop begins the afternoon of Thursday 5/19 with a group gathering and dinner in the early evening, and concludes with a Tuesday morning departure; the workshop fee includes five nights of lodging. Check-in is Thursday 5/19 at 3:00, and departure is by 11:00 on Tuesday morning 5/24. 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 eight 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 $300 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 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 $300 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.

Proof of Covid-19 vaccination and a recent negative PCR test are required to participate in the workshop. Most of our activities will be outdoors, and masks are requested for shared public indoor spaces and shared vehicles; we will abide by current New Mexico state law. Antigen test kits will be available onsite. 

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.

When the workshop reaches the maximum enrollment of eight, 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 room with bathroom
• Shared room with bathroom

All lodging requests will be processed in order of receipt, according to your stated preference on the form. 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. Cuba is located 90 miles north of the Albuquerque SunPort, a scenic drive up Highway 550. Once on-site 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). Airport transportation can be arranged for an additional fee.

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 and would like to share a room.

Cellular phone signals will generally be reliable at the workshop site, 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.