Vermont Studio Center (VSC)

Benefits: interdisciplinary relationships with writers-in-residence. I did not foresee how formative this would be, and it was really wonderful to engage with humans caught in the written word. Challenges: getting there from Western Canada was a bit difficult. It was also a bit confusing to apply as a duo, and we ended up both having to be accepted independently, and then halving our time onsite. C'est la vie. Practical Advice: prepare for all seasons of weather. Don't forget to go for walks! The studios on the North side of the river are MUCH nicer... with the exception of Church. Costs vs. Gains: it's important to understand that all your meals will be covered by the Residency fees. We spent almost no money on anything (besides materials) while we were at VSC.