On the edge of the Great Basin, Playa offers creative individuals the space, the solitude, and the community to reflect and to engage their work.
Purpose
Playa is a retreat for artists, writers, scientists, and naturalists who are committed and passionate about their work and who will benefit from time spent in Playa’s remote location. Playa offers seclusion and quiet in a natural landscape and the opportunity for interaction, if desired, with a cohort of residents and the local rural community. Away from the urgencies of daily life, residents can focus on their work, immerse in a desert expanse, and explore a basin and range landscape.
June 2011 at Playa, with loft-studios under construction (left); #4 and #5 cabins (right); Commons (center).
Contributing Residency
- In 2013, Contributing Residencies will be available from February through late September. Contributing Residencies emphasize self-sufficiency.
- Contributing Residencies are fee-based and noncompetitive.
- Minimum stay is three nights for individuals and two nights for a leader-organized workshop or working group of six or more.
- Applications may be submitted at any time. Contributing Residencies complement Playa’s Fellowship Residencies.
- Contributing Residencies offer private housing with a fully equipped kitchen. Private work studios and research spaces, adjacent or separate from the cabins, are available to residents who require and reserve them. All of the cabins and studios provide open vistas in Playa’s expansive landscape. Living spaces are free of telephone, television, and Internet.
- Playa is open to artists, writers, writers, scientists, naturalists, and individuals engaged in interdisciplinary work related to art and science. Contributing Residencies may have a wide scope and are open to all whose activities align with Playa’s mission, values, and purposes: literary, scientific, and artistic production, reflection, training, and research.
Use of the facility
- Overnight private accommodations (in cabins or loft studios).
- Work studios and research spaces as arranged.
- Use of the Commons, the main gathering building,
- Arrival between 2 and 5 p.m. on the first day.
- Departure on the final day by 11 a.m.
- Offered on a space available, first come basis.
- Self-reliance is emphasized and supported.
- The large kitchen and dining area in the Commons may be used for self- or group-prepared meals.
- Meals provided and prepared by Playa staff, with Playa cleaning, are available for those who arrange and pay in advance.
- Unless the full site is reserved, Playa may sponsor activities such as Playa|Presents or host guests during the Contributing Residencies periods.
Three Contributing Residency (CR) options:
1. Individual
- Each individual must apply and be accepted
- Noncompetitive, fee-based, short-term residencies.
- Acceptance by emailed application
- Minimum stay of three nights.
- Lodging may be a cabin, a loft/studio, or a combination of a cabin and a studio.
- Fee structure varies depending on the number of nights and use of cabins and studios. Please see Accommodations and Fees.
- Residents are responsible for their food, personal supplies, and basic clean-up.
2. Workshops/Work Groups
- Independently organized, produced, promoted, and coordinated by an individual or organization.
- A primary lead individual, serving as the designated contact, applies and coordinates participant list and information, lodging and studio needs, and delivers the deposit and fee payment for all participants.
- Two nights minimum.
- Minimum use is at least 6 people and at least three cabins.
- Maximum use: 13 people if singles, 22 if double. Playa provides 3 King beds, 7 Queen beds, and 2 full beds in lofts. A limited number of futons/singles can be added on request. Guests who are willing to “camp” in studios can be accommodated if arrangements are made in advance.
- Fee structure varies depending on the number of nights, cabins, studios, and participants. Please see Accommodations and Fees.
- Meals will be self-provisioned by the lead and/or participants unless Playa-provided meals have been arranged in advance.
- Applications should be made at least 4 weeks prior to desired arrival date. After acceptance of the workshop and schedule confirmation and at least two weeks before the arrival date, basic contact information about each participant will be provided by the lead. See Fee Payment under Accommodations and Fees for more information on timing of deposit and payment.
3. Symposia
- Playa welcomes applications that involve collaborations or partnerships with institutions or organizations.
- May be instructor/student groups, conferences, symposia, or research gatherings.
- Generally will be designed for full-site use and possibly partial or complete meal plans.
Location
Playa sits at the base of Winter Ridge, which rises to 7,200 feet at the northwestern edge of the Great Basin in south-central Oregon. Directly east of Playa lies Summer Lake, at an elevation of 4,200 feet. The lake is about 20 miles long and five miles wide. It is a playa: a desert lake that is shallow in the winter and usually evaporates by late summer. The Summer Lake basin, abundant with both desert and forest flora and fauna, is cradled between the open sagebrush steppe of eastern Oregon and the rocky, forested mountains of the Fremont-Winema National Forest.
Life at Playa
Playa is designed as an experience to pursue personal creative work and share in a community of creative individuals. Residents are responsible for their own needs, including transport, accommodations, food (unless previously arranged with Playa), and supplies.
Couples & Visitors. Spouses/partners can apply for concurrent residencies. Beyond that, Playa’s Contributing Residency Program is unable to accommodate family members or have visitors accompany residents.
Privacy. Residents are free to choose privacy during their stay or enjoy interaction with other residents, as desired. Residents are welcomed to others’ cabins or studios only by invitation.
Transportation. Residents are responsible for their transportation to and from Playa, and for their local travel needs during their residency. A shuttle from the Bend-Redmond airport area is available: Green Energy Transport.
Meals and Food. Residents must supply their own food. Each living space has a fully equipped kitchen. Residents may also choose to prepare their meals in the Commons, individually or with a group.
Internet. Internet service is available only through a computer in the main building (the Commons) that is dedicated for use by residents. The satellite connection is not fast, can be uneven due to cloud cover, and has limited capacity for uploading and downloading data. Playa does not at this time offer wireless and will provide updates as connectivity changes. Cell-phone reception is sporadic. There is a telephone landline in the Commons, with free, unlimited long-distance calling within the U.S.
Materials and Self-Reliance. Residents provide all their creative materials, supplies, tools, and equipment, unless specifically listed as provided by Playa. Residents furnish their own health and hygiene products and their outdoor clothing and gear. Playa will provide checklists to aid in preparations for residencies. UPS, FedEx, and postal service are available at Playa’s highway address. Post offices are located in Paisley and Silver Lake.
Pets. Playa is unable to accommodate pets.
Non-smoking. Playa’s grounds and buildings are smoke free.
Hours. Studios are open 24 hours. Quiet hours are from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.
Weather. Summer Lake is subject to storms and often has high wind. In the summer months, the temperature ranges from close to 90 during the day to 50 at night. In winter, the highs are in the low 40s and the lows dip into the low 20s. Variations and exceptions to these norms are possible and to be expected. Winter residents should bring adequate warm clothing and boots. Check the current weather at Summer Lake, or view the average monthly temperatures and precipitation levels for Summer Lake.
Click here for information on Accommodations and Fees
Donations
As a nonprofit organization, Playa relies on donations and encourages those who have the ability to contribute to do so. You may donate via the Support tab on the Playa website, or mail in a donation.
Contact
If you have questions about Contributing Residencies, email playa@playasummerlake.org.