Sou'wester Artist Residency
Located on the southwest coast of Washington, we are both a historic lodge and vintage trailer resort, and the home of Sou’wester Arts, a nonprofit organization offering artist residencies, workshops, and community programs year-round.
The Sou’wester is just a ten-minute walk from the shoreline. Nestled between towering pines and the Pacific Ocean, it offers a rare balance of quiet solitude and creative community. Through our nonprofit branch, Sou’wester Arts (501c3), we host a range of artist residencies designed to support experimentation, reflection, and connection:
Sou’wester Arts also facilitates opportunities for visiting artists to collaborate with our local preschool, creating intergenerational exchanges that celebrate play, imagination, and the creative process.
Residents enjoy a stay in one of over 30 vintage trailers, minimalist trailers, 4 cozy cabins, or 5 historic lodge suites.
During your stay, you’ll have access to Tuesday afternoon tea and zine-making gatherings, unlimited coffee, forested nooks, communal spaces and optional private bookings in the Garden Spa & Finnish Sauna or Tea Trailer.
PO Box 102
Seaview, WA 98644
United States
Residency Program Information
Residency Program Summary
Application Information
Applicants are asked to complete a free online application that includes:
- Name, pronouns, email, and phone number
- Website, portfolio, or online presence
- Artist bio (Who are you? What are you interested in as an artist?)
- Project description (2–5 sentence overview of what you plan to work on during the residency)
- Artistic genre(s)
- Accommodation preference (lodge suite, cabin, vintage trailer, or no preference)
- Preferred residency dates
- Space or accessibility needs
- Optional BIPOC residency discount request (for eligible applicants)
For Ceramic Artists
Artists intending to use the clay studio complete a separate Ceramic Artist Residency application, which includes additional questions about:
- Ceramic experience level
- Detailed project proposal, including methods, dimensions, materials, and firing plans
- How work will be completed, transported, or shipped
- Studio and equipment needs
$200 to $575/week (+taxes and fees), depending on the season and your accommodation. *There is no application fee.
$10 per night reduction for all selected BIPOC artists
Accessibility
Due to the natural landscape and the historic nature of our vintage trailers, cabins, and suites, mobility accommodations meeting ADA standards are not available. All accommodations have narrow doors and steps, and the gravel roads and paths are not wheelchair-accessible. However, we are committed to assisting guests with accessibility needs and will do our best to accommodate your requests. Please reach out to discuss how we can support you during your stay. souwesterfrontdesk@gmail.com
Artists with limited mobility are welcome to apply, though the site is not fully ADA accessible due to historic buildings, vintage trailers, and uneven, natural terrain. Many areas require stairs or navigation over gravel and sloped ground, which may limit independent access. Participation is still possible depending on individual needs, and we encourage artists to reach out in advance so we can discuss accommodations and determine what aspects of the residency experience can be supported safely and comfortably on a case-by-case basis. souwesterfrontdesk@gmail.com
Due to the historic and coastal nature of the property, many areas are not ADA accessible. The lodging consists primarily of vintage trailers, cabins, and older lodge structures that were built before modern accessibility standards, resulting in narrow doorways, raised thresholds, and entry steps that cannot accommodate wheelchairs or larger mobility devices. The campus is located on the Long Beach Peninsula in coastal Washington, within a forested, coastal ecosystem. As a result, the terrain is naturally uneven, with gravel paths and tree roots.
Housing & Accomodation
The shared pavilion studio space is available by request in advance and offers a more open layout with double French doors; however, access is still over a gravel surface and may be difficult for some mobility devices. Some additional shared and studio spaces may also have limited accessibility due to entry steps, tight interior configurations, and historic building layouts that cannot be structurally altered.
Studio & Facilities
Located four mile south of our grounds is our ceramics studio, Ilwaco Artworks. Equipped with all basic tools and equipment that accepted ceramic artist in residence may use during they residency.