Delaware: Seashore Poets' & Prose Writers' Retreat

Writers stay in cottages at Indian River Marina. Photo courtesy of Delaware Seashore State Park

In recognition of the value of artist residencies—as many artists point to time and space as the factors that foster their most fecund creativity—the Delaware Division of the Arts (DDA) biennially organizes and underwrites the Delaware Seashore Poets’ & Prose Writers’ Retreat. The retreat enables up to 22 Delaware writers to spend four days in furnished state-park cottages where they have uninterrupted time to work and to draw inspiration from the beaches and wetlands of the Atlantic coastline. To minimize distractions from the page, food is prepared for them. Participants also can attend workshops led by professional writers focused on enhancing existing work, generating new work and honing their craft. The retreat is open to writers of all genres and levels of experience, although the application process is competitive and based on literary merit. Writers may attend the retreat more than once, but DDA gives special consideration to first-time applicants. DDA subsidizes most of the costs of the residency and may offer a needs based scholarship to writers unable to cover the nominal participation fee. For more information, contact DDA Artist Programs and Services Manager Roxanne Stanulis.