Pictured: Jimmy Carter studying transition books at his cottage at the Musgrove Retreat and Conference Center.
The Brenn Foundation Artist Residency Program
For decades the Brenn Foundation has invited scholars, presidents and other world leaders along with activists, entrepreneurs and thought leaders to gather in the quiet and secluded splendor of the Musgrove Retreat and Conference Center. The Brenn Foundation continues this tradition by inviting select artists to be part of its history through its artist-in-residency program.
The Brenn Foundation welcomes writers, painters/fine art artists, researchers, photographers and composers to reside in our ‘Nursery’ cottage on property. Artists must be sponsored by a Brenn Foundation approved non-profit in order to be considered. Residency terms and dates are at the discretion of The Brenn Foundation and considered on a case-by-case basis.
About the Musgrove Residencies:
The Brenn Foundation Artist-in-Residency Project provides a select number of residencies per year to artists in the above listed categories, 21 years or older, living anywhere in the world. In the past we have accepted writers with no formal writing education alongside those with MFA’s and impressive résumés. You will be judged on the quality of the sample you submit.
Each residency consists of approximately a weekend to week-long stay in the ‘Nursery’ cottage where Jimmy Carter visited and wrote. All expenses other than lodging (including, but not limited to, food and travel) are borne by the applicant or the applicant’s sponsor. A kitchen will be available for use and restaurants and grocery stores are nearby. During your stay, you will be required to follow all rules and regulations of The Brenn Foundation (provided upon acceptance of your application), and leave the premises as you found them. You are not permitted to bring guests or pets (other than service animals), or access any other home or facilities on property.
The Application Process/Requirements:
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. To apply, artists submit corresponding materials ELECTRONICALLY to: info@musgroveretreats.com
• Applicant name, address, phone number, email and info below
• Preferred residency dates (please provide at least two sets of dates)
• Non-profit sponsor name, address, phone number, contact person name, title and direct phone line and email, mission statement, applicant endorsement letter and proof of tax-exempt status
• Resume and short bio
• Work samples/links to published works (see below)
What to Submit:
You will be required to select a category into which your submission fits. The categories are: Fine Art, Music, Poetry, Play, Screenplay, Fiction/Short Story, and Nonfiction. Your sample must match the category. So, for example, if you’re applying in the fiction category, your writing sample must only be a fiction sample. You cannot include some fiction and some poems you may have written. You are allowed one submission per category. This means you can submit to more than one category if you wish to do so.
However, each submission is separate and you must complete the whole application process again for each submission.
Work samples must support the proposed project and should have been completed within the past 4 years. Applicants may upload up to 5 items.
• WRITERS: Based on your genre, submit one of the following: (a) six to ten poems (b) up to two short stories, essays or articles (c) up to twenty-five pages of a script (d) up to twenty-five pages of a book. Works-in-progress should be accompanied by a sample of finished work. Work must be submitted in English and in the genre for which you are applying. Your entire writing sample should not exceed 25 pages. PDFs (up to 10MB each)
• VISUAL ARTISTS: Submit up to 5 images (up to 5MB each)
• FILM/VIDEO, INSTALLATION, PERFORMANCE, CONCEPTUAL ART, INTERACTIVE MULTI-MEDIA, AND RELATED WORK: Submit video or images along with a description sheet of no more than one page contextualizing each segment. Images (up to 5MB each), Video (up to 250MB each), PDFs (up to 10MB each)
• COMPOSERS: Submit two scores and corresponding MP3 (include dates completed). PDFs (up to 10MB each). Audio (up to 30MB each)
You must have a non-profit organization sponsor/refer you for admission into the program. The sponsor must submit their proof of insurance (covering your stay), enter into a contract with The Brenn Foundation for your stay and provide proof of their tax exempt status. The sponsoring non-profit must approve of your submission and review/sign off on your final work in the form of a summary submitted to the Brenn Foundation.
Feel free to fill out the form below should you have any questions. HOWEVER, formal submissions must follow the guidelines above and be sent to info@musgroveretreats.com for consideration.
Thank you for your submission and good luck!
- The Brenn Foundation