--- title: Taste of Tennessee, writer retreats description: Writer retreat inspired by taste and food culture in rural Middle Tennessee at Sarasvati Creative Space/Camp Wonder Wander; 7 days-4 weeks, private studio, shared kitchen. url: https://www.artsume.com/programs/924991e4-9aae-4953-982f-90ca42395316 type: program status: open createdAt: "2026-03-20" updatedAt: "2026-10-24" programType: Residency organization: Camp Wonder Wander organizationUrl: https://www.artsume.com/o/camp-wonder-wander location: Sarasvati Creative Space, Camp Wonder Wander, Waynesboro, TN, United States isOnline: false compensationRange: No stipend; a sliding-scale residency fee applies. An optional Farm Stay Scholarship ($150-300) is available in exchange for about 6 hours/week of land work. disciplines: - art conservation - art education - art history - biology - book arts - criticism - documentary - ecology - environmental arts - environmentalism/conservation - fiction - illustration - journalism - literary nonfiction - literature - new genres - nonfiction - philosophy - playwriting - poetry - screenwriting - storytelling - translation - writing careerStages: - Emerging artist - Established - Mid-career --- # Taste of Tennessee, writer retreats **Hosted by:** Camp Wonder Wander **Type:** Residency | **Location:** Sarasvati Creative Space, Camp Wonder Wander, Waynesboro, TN, United States ## About This Program > "Taste and food culture — writing inspired by farm, food, and festival experiences in rural Tennessee" **Are you inspired by taste?** **Do you relish in crafting your narrative to satiate a reader's appetite for your word craft in expressing all of the features of a particular experience - possibly around food?** You don't need to travel internationally to have a unique food, farm, or festival experience that may be different than what is in your own region. Schedule your writing retreat to experience this lovely area of mid-south Tennessee - geologically known as the *Western Highland Rim*. During your writer retreat at Camp Wonder Wander, you can transport yourself to *Provence* with a short 10 minute drive to our friends at a lavender farm or imagine yourself in *Tuscany* with a visit to one of the various wineries in the area. The visual landscape can transport you in time to a distant untamed past or an imaginary future. Take a day trip on the historic Natchez Trace Parkway which is a 440 mile federal park with a 50mph speed limit between Nashville and the Mississippi Delta to imagine your historical characters, your plot in the woods by a waterfall, or to experience what it feels like to be on a virtually empty roadway with maybe a long distance bicyclist or the turkeys and deers romping into the woods. Visit the writer retreat website page for a more comprehensive overview of the ways to enrich your senses in this area. Most participants have found that they actually accomplish more in a shorter amount of time than they thought something might take primarily because you eliminate your distractions and you are in a place that is fully supportive of your writing endeavor including a host who cares deeply about our human experience in particular writing stories or poetry. ### Residency Details - Residency Length: 7 days - 4 weeks - Languages: English - Average Number of Artists in Residence at a Time: 3 - Collaborative Residency: May apply as a team ### Discipline - Art Conservation - Art Education - Art History - Biology - Book Arts - Criticism - Documentary - Ecology - Environmental Arts - Environmentalism/Conservation - Fiction - Illustration - Journalism - Literary Nonfiction - Literature - New Genres - Nonfiction - Philosophy - Playwriting - Poetry - Screenwriting - Storytelling - Translation - Writing ### Eligibility - Companions: Pets (Non-service animals) - Country of Residence: Open to artists based anywhere in the world - Family Friendly: Spouses/partners allowed for full stay (non-collaborators); children allowed for full stay - Stage of Career: Any stage of career ### Residency Experience - Accessible Housing: Inaccessible - Meals Provided: Residents have access to shared kitchen - Studios/Special Equipment: Private Studios, Shared Studios - Studios/Facilities Accessibility: Partially Accessible (50% or more), Inaccessible - Type of Housing: Private bedroom in a shared housing facility on campus ### Application Information Rolling applications reviewed upon receipt. **Applicants with nature as their muse, inspiration, or collaborator will receive priority.** Individuals must be able to let the normal world and lifestyle go during your stay and it is encouraged that you utilize the time and access to the benefits of being away from contemporary society. This program is suited to those ready to embrace the natural immersion, a different sense of time, and a generally nurturing space as most people have experienced some sort of shift while on site - personally, creatively, professionally. A variety of lodging and work spaces are available. Wifi signal reaches the 5 acres so you can sit outside to use a laptop. If you cannot go a day without your favorite coffee shop visit, have fast food on the brain, or need lots of people around to function, this is not the place for you. This is a rural location about 20 minutes drive to the closest small town - Hohenwald (German for High Forest) - with farm land and forestry in the area. There is no guarantee as to how many people will be on site at the same time, so if you are seeking a more group experience indicate this on the application and consider applying for one of the seasonal highlights. Transportation from and to the Nashville airport is an add-on option. Preference of arrival dates is Saturday or Sunday. Month-long or longer stays that have been approved after an additional interview may coordinate a calendar month arrival/departure. - no shoes inside the houses - limited use of alcohol or use this time to be dry, no drugs, no weapons - safe place for all walks of life, no bullying/harassment/fraternization acceptable - please help maintain a clean/healthy space by not leaving out food, washing dishes by the end of the day, and cleaning as you go on counters or other surfaces ### Fees and Funding - Artist Stipend: 0 USD - Travel Stipend/Material Stipends: 0 USD - Residency Fees: sliding scale rates based on length of stay and room choice; full financial details on the website - Grant/Scholarship/Other Funding Support: **Farm Stay Scholarship ($150-300)** is based on application interest and an interview to discuss your skills, if any. This funding deducts from the final fees and requires about 6 hours a week of participation in physical activities on the land - some of these hours are guided and working with your host, Val. - Application Fee: 0 USD - Application Type: Open application ## Eligibility & Requirements - **Career Stage:** Emerging artist, Established, Mid-career - **Geographic Eligibility:** International - **Disciplines:** art conservation, art education, art history, biology, book arts, criticism, documentary, ecology, environmental arts, environmentalism/conservation, fiction, illustration, journalism, literary nonfiction, literature, new genres, nonfiction, philosophy, playwriting, poetry, screenwriting, storytelling, translation, writing - **Note:** Rolling applications reviewed upon receipt. Applicants with nature as their muse, inspiration, or collaborator will receive priority. Individuals must be able to let the normal world and lifestyle go during their stay and it is encouraged that they utilize the time and access to the benefits of being away from contemporary society. This program is suited to those ready to embrace the natural immersion, a different sense of time, and a generally nurturing space. Open to artists based anywhere in the world, any stage of career. Companions: pets (non-service animals) allowed; spouses/partners allowed for full stay (non-collaborators); children allowed for full stay. May apply as a team (collaborative residency). This is a rural location about 20 minutes drive to the closest small town, Hohenwald, with farm land and forestry in the area; if you cannot go a day without a coffee shop or fast food or need lots of people around to function, this is not the place for you. ## Compensation & Benefits No stipend; a sliding-scale residency fee applies. An optional Farm Stay Scholarship ($150-300) is available in exchange for about 6 hours/week of land work. No artist stipend or travel/material stipend is provided (both listed as 0 USD). Residency fees apply on a sliding scale based on length of stay and room choice; a Farm Stay Scholarship ($150-300) is available based on interest and an interview, deducted from final fees in exchange for about 6 hours a week of participation in physical activities on the land such as gardening/weeding, shoveling/digging, transporting manure for compost, chopping bamboo for fencing projects, breaking/trimming wood into kindling, helping install fencing, picking up rocks or sticks, clearing trails, raking leaves, and small art projects like a mural or organizing the upcycle pile. ## What's Provided - **Housing:** Provided - Private bedroom in a shared housing facility on campus. A variety of lodging and work spaces are available across different dwellings, with private rooms (some with private bath). - **Studio Access:** Provided - Private and shared studios available; studio/facility accessibility is partially accessible (50% or more) in some areas and inaccessible in others. A designated studio is included in the residency fee if needed. ## Timeline - **Opens:** March 19, 2026 ## Contact **Contact:** Val ## How to Apply Apply at: https://www.sarasvati.space/writerretreats