“My time at Centrum was time invested in an inspirational environment, which opened up new doors, new possibilities, and new ways of thinking about my work.”

“Centrum means living at the center of things: of wild lilacs, passing deer, low tides, madrona trees. The landscape and weather are always changing, so that the artistic life is idyllic, but always dynamic, as well.”

“My privacy during my residency time was scrupulously honored. I felt so physically nurtured by the environment here that I had tremendous energy and focus for my work.” 

“The natural setting is an endless source of nourishing delights. Goldfinches flit about, a flock of humming birds are like grade schoolers on the playground, chipmunks sound like claviers, and white-crowned sparrows sing their heart out on a log near the lighthouse.” 

“I found the resources, space, and time I needed to reconnect with my work.”

“I felt very supported here as a visual artist and writer. During my stay I was able to take a Nia class, see Leo Kottke, visit art galleries, and browse the poetry selections of Copper Canyon Press.”

“There is absolutely nothing that could have made my time here more complete, fulfilling, or joyous.”

“Centrum and Fort Worden, the beach, the forest, the bunkers. All of it fed my sense of peace and creativity. In the stillness I was able to do what I never seem able to do at home: sit and think. I intend to  take this meditative quiet back into the swirl of my everyday life. I loved the fact, also, that there are so many people milling about and yet its so quiet and peaceful. It’s as if Fort Worden has space for us all, and all that we hope to accomplish.”

“My residency time could not have been better. The park is beautiful, the town is charming and yet artistically thriving, and my window overlooked the Bay. During my time there I was able to complete two short stories and begin work on a novella.”

The Centrum Creative Residency Program

Centrum Creative Residencies are open to individuals or groups—to artists, thinkers, activists, performers, and to anyone committed to new work, new ideas, personal transformation, and/or social change. A residency can involve active engagement with other Centrum programs, artists, and communities, or serve as a reflective retreat.

Print, painting, and rehearsal studios are available for rental, including a non-toxic print studio featuring a 30” American French etching press. Recording studio time can be arranged at Fort Worden’s Synergy Sound Studio. In addition, Copper Canyon Press—one of the nation’s premier poetry-only presses—is in residence at Fort Worden under Centrum’s auspices.

Residencies are awarded on a space-available basis, in week-long blocks. Residents are also encouraged to think about how the public might engage with their residency.

Criteria for selection includes the strength of the written application, strength of the work sample, current resonance of the work, and potential benefit to you at this point in your career. The weekly residency fee is $300.

Please direct all inquiries and proposals to Sally Rodgers at 360-385-3102 x128 or sally(at)centrum.org.

Perched on the northeastern tip of the Olympic Peninsula, and located in the Victorian seaport and arts community of Port Townsend, Fort Worden State Park features an unmatched combination of natural beauty and historic interest. Reconnect with your art on 450 acres of sandy beaches and wooded hills with trails and abandoned gun emplacements, all framed by stunning views of the mountains and straits. 

Port Townsend, which has long been home to writers, musicians, visual artists, and artisans, is two hours northwest of Seattle, including a 35-minute ferry ride. The historic downtown features a broad array of unique shops; uptown contains some of the best-preserved Victorian mansions in the country, many of which serve as bed & breakfasts. The combined energy of the arts, marine trades, and history make Port Townsend an inviting getaway.