Residencies
Our Core Residency Program
2026 applications are now open! The deadline to apply is April 14th, 2025.
Hedgebrook’s Writer-in-Residence Program supports women-identified writers,18 and older, from all over the world for residencies of two or three weeks. The cottage, all meals, and the entire residency experience at Hedgebrook are free to selected writers. Travel is not included and is the responsibility of the writer to arrange and pay for. Up to 6 writers can be in residence at a time, each housed in their own handcrafted cottage. Days are spent in solitude – writing, reading, taking walks in the woods on the property or on nearby Double Bluff beach. In the evenings, “The Gathering” is a social time for residents to connect and share over their freshly prepared meals.
Multi-genre writers are welcome to apply in whatever genre represents your strongest work.
Find out more by reading our FAQs here and viewing our recent information and Q&A session on YouTube.
This application is not for alumnae seeking a return stay.
The Mother Tree Residency Program
2026 applications will open on April 7th.
These partially subsidized residencies are a conscious act of radical reciprocity - the gift of time on the land for yourself and your creative practice works to sustain our historic free-to-writers residency program and allows us to continue to support women who are authoring change. This program is an opportunity for new residents and returning alumnae to plan a residency that fits their schedule, foregoing our anonymous adjudication process.
Accepted residents of The Mother Tree Residency program will be considered Mother Tree alumnae of Hedgebrook, and are still eligible to apply to our core residency program if they are not currently an alumna.
Applications:
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis year-round via our SlideRoom portal. Applicants will be notified as soon as possible. If you have not received a response within two weeks of applying, you may contact programs@hedgebrook.org. The application fee is $45.
The cost covers the retreat experience: a beautiful handcrafted cottage to live and work in, trails to wander, and meals. Hedgebrook provides all bed linens, room, meals and utilities. Residents are responsible for all personal expenses beyond those of room and board. An important part of the Hedgebrook experience is the solitude and freedom from distraction found in the privacy of your own cottage. No guests of residents are permitted at Hedgebrook during your stay. Hedgebrook is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and proceeds from these stays support Hedgebrook, and contribute to maintaining Hedgebrook's cottages, land, and facilities.
Payment:
A non-refundable $1,000 deposit is due at the time of acceptance within two weeks of receiving your notification email. The balance is due according to the payment schedule below:
Residencies with arrival date between February - March 2026, balance is due by September 15, 2025
Residencies with arrival date between April - June 2026, balance is due by December 15, 2025
Residencies with arrival date between July - September 2026, balance is due by March 15, 2026
Residencies with arrival date between October - November 2026, balance is due by June 15, 2026
Cancellation/Rescheduling Policy:
We would prefer to work with you to reschedule your Mother Tree retreat, as we rely on programs like these to fund our core residency program. If you find you must reschedule your residency after it has been confirmed, we will be happy to work with you to reschedule your residency within one year of your original residency arrival date. The deposit is non-refundable.