Soaring Gardens Artists Retreat
Create in Tranquility! Soaring Gardens Artists Retreat in the country outside of Laceyville, PA offers visual artists, writers, composers and other musicians three week residencies between May & Sept. We have two resident/studio buildings accommodating a max. of six artists. No fees, no demands, simply spacious studios, pleasant rooms, nature and time. Applicants from historically marginalized communities are particularly encouraged to apply.
We encourage both group and individual applications. With the exception of one communal dinner per week, residents shop and cook for themselves. The communal dinners can be tailored to meet individual residents food requirements.
Apply on line: soaringgardens.com. Deadline March 10.
330 Bailey St
South Abington TWP, PA 18411
United States
Residency Program Information
Residency Program Summary
Application Information
Applications are made on line on our website: www.soaringgardens.com. The application period is from February 1st to March 31st. Applicants are notified by email about their status in mid April. Residencies are available from mid-May to mid-September.
Actively working visual artists, writers, composers and other musicians with at least two years’ experience since graduation may apply. Residencies are for three weeks. (If scheduling permits, two- week residencies will be considered.) There is no application fee and no fee to attend. Applicants from historically marginalized communities are particularly encouraged to apply.
We encourage group applications (a combination of artistic disciplines is fine). Applications from individual artists are also welcome. When you apply as part of a group, you may pursue individual projects, collaborative projects, and/or both. Each application is reviewed separately, and the judges reserve the right to select or reject individual members of a group.
A limited number of $500. need-based grants are available. If a grant will significantly affect your ability to attend, please fill out the Grants section on the application page. Applying for a grant will not affect your eligibility for a residency.
Soaring Gardens is in a rural location. There is no public transportation. However we do offer transportation to and from the bus depots at Scranton and Binghamton as well as the Wilkes-Barre-Scranton Int'l airport, and to local shopping.
A limited number of $500 need-based grants are available. Grant-applicants from historically marginalized communities are particularly encouraged. If a grant will significantly affect your ability to attend, please fill out the Grants section on the application page. Applying for a grant will not affect your eligibility for a residency.
Accessibility
Housing & Accomodation
On the twenty-three-acre property we have a spacious five bedroom farmhouse and a studio building. On the main floor the farmhouse has a bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, dining area, and two living rooms. Upstairs there is a bathroom, four bedrooms, and a study. There is a laundry room with a washer and dryer in the basement. Thirty feet from the house is our studio building with two 750-square-foot studios on separate levels. Depending on the nature of the residents’ work, we can accommodate up to five artists at one time.
Ten minutes drive from the house and studio we have a coverted chuch. Our residency manager lives downstairs. Upstairs there are two studio spaces
The farmhouse was built in 1850 by Frank Gay, who made his fortune in the California gold rush. The farmhouse and studio are surrounded by extensive flower gardens, which inspired Ora Lerman to name her property “Soaring Gardens.” The central focus of the garden is a “grand allée,” modeled after Monet’s garden in Giverny, where, supported by a grant from Reader’s Digest, Lerman was a resident in 1989. Nearby is a decorative pond. From the house and studios you can see the northern end of the Appalachian Mountains, which are one hour’s drive away.
Studio & Facilities
The studio building adjacent to the house has two 750-square-foot studios on separate levels. Depending on the nature of the residents’ work, the Studio can accommodate up to four artists.
Ten minutes away we have two studio spaces upstairs in a converted church. One is is 14 x 28 feet and the other is 14 x 26 feet; both have high ceilings. The inner studio also has a loft sleeping area appropriate for one resident; although artists normally live at the house. Our residency manager lives downstairs where there is a kitchen and bathroom, which he shares with the artists.