**FALL 2026 RESIDENCY CALL OPENS ON JULY 2 at 9pm**
Mineral Arts & Residencies (formerly Mineral School) is an artists residency program near Mt. Rainier, in Mineral, Washington. During fall 2026, we'll host 18 creative people during three sessions ranging from one to two weeks in length, providing them with time, space, nutritious food, community, and access to the outdoors as well as the wild and wonderful energy of the region. Mineral features a fishing lake, boat rentals, in-town hiking trails, a bar, a general store (with electrical vehicle chargers!), an operating church as well as a former church we own, a post office, and many deer. It's a 25-minute drive to the Ashford/Nisqually entrance to Mt. Rainier National Park.
We provide accepted applicants space and time to create new work without the interruptions of normal life and with the bonus of healthy meals. During each session, six residents will live at the historic and low-key haunted Mineral Lake Lodge, which offers views of Mineral Lake and Mt. Rainier and boasts lots of history. Each artist will have a private bedroom in the lodge, with linens provided. For writing workspace, each writer's room will offer a small desk area, and we will also set up private out-of-room space at the lodge for writers to work solo (including the second-floor sunroom and ground-floor den) as well as spaces at the church. Up to two visual artists may work in the lodge's 750-square foot "conference center" directly facing the lake and The Mountain (and which has two bathrooms and a kitchenette as well as an 1150-square foot deck), free-range around town, or set up shop at the church in its sanctuary area.
At the lodge, four bedrooms have ensuite bathrooms, while two bedrooms share a hall bathroom. Residents are provided box breakfast and lunch each morning and will dine together nightly at the church -- they will also have 24/7 access to a snack fridge and coffee/tea in the lodge as well as at its conference center and at the church. Meals will be prepared by a caterer who cooks with regional organic produce and eggs wherever possible; all residents are issued a food survey on acceptance so we can build menus that accommodate food allergies/exclusions as well as preferences.
Accessibility notice: During fall 2026, all residents will stay at the Mineral Lake Lodge which requires the use of stairs (both to enter the lodge and to access the bedrooms which are on the second or third floor). We are working to find partner accessible spaces for 2027 and beyond so that artists who are unable to use stairs may join us.
Visiting authors and artists: During each residency, special guests will visit and present work. Typically, alumni presenters visit and in some cases bring with them a special guest artist they've chosen to introduce to Mineral. These events are free and open to the public, and are casual dessert potlucks held after dinner.
Resident presentations: If they wish, residents can share with one another and the public at each session's "show and tell" held during residency. These presentations are typically held after dinner and are dessert potlucks.
We are accepting applications from July 1, 2026, through August 1, 2026 (Midnight, PST) for fall 2026 residencies. Notification will be given at least two months before the residency period for which you've applied.
FALL 2026 RESIDENCY DATES
Residency sessions will be held during the following time periods:
- September 19-September 27, 2026 (Alumni -- all genres)
- October 11-October 25, 2026 (All genres)
- November 8-November 22, 2026 (All genres)
RESIDENCY FELLOWSHIPS FALL 2026
During fall 2026, we are able to offer 6 fellowships so writers and artists may attend residency at no cost; fellowshipped writers are provided with travel assistance to Mineral from within the I-5 corridor between Portland and Seattle. Otherwise, one-week residency costs $475 and two-week residency costs $950, which includes all meals, linens, and programming.
Alumni Fellowship (1) is open to one alum of Mineral School/MARS from any year who wishes to return for the September 2026 one-week session.
June Dodge Fellowships (3) are open to poets or writers from the Northwest (Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington) or the provinces of western Canada (British Columbia, Alberta, Yukon) and whose work is inspired by adventure, travel, the outdoors, and a feisty won't-give-up spirit. Though named for a woman, applicants of any identity may apply! These fellowships will support one artist for a one-week session and two artists (total) attending two-week residency and include transit to Mineral from Portland, Seattle, or points between along I-5.
The Mona Lisa Roberts Visual Artist Fellowship (1) supports a two-week residency for one visual artist who self-identifies as LGBTQ+ and lives in the Pacific Northwest (Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington) or the provinces of western Canada (British Columbia, Alberta, Yukon). This fellowship funds a two-week residency any month. Depending on the medium and artist preference, the accepted artist can work in the studio room where they also sleep, spread out in the gym, or work outdoors.
The Erin Donovan Writing Fellowship (1) supports one woman writer at midlife (40+). A fan of small town culture, travel, dive bars, nature, wordplay, and late-night talks about the meaning of life, Erin Donovan lived with abandon. Her friends and family co-created a fellowship in her memory open to applicants from the states where Erin lived. This residency is open to a woman-identifying writer of poetry or prose living in Massachusetts, New York, Washington, or Oregon, who is at least 40, and whose writing expresses wit and compassion. This fellowship funds the two-week residency fee and offers travel support upon proof of travel purchase or mileage, up to $175 (OR/WA) or $400 (NY/MA).
RESIDENCY FELLOWSHIPS 2027
Continuing annually in 2027
The Tahoma Literary Review Fellowship (1) will offer one writer of poetry or prose who identifies as part of the BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and/or People of Color) community support for a two-week residency. Applicants may request that their submission be read solely for residency or also considered for publication in Tahoma Literary Review. TLR is supporting this fellowship and publication opportunity to recognize and uplift BIPOC voices. The fellowship also includes travel assistance from points between Portland, OR and Seattle, WA along the I-5 corridor, if needed.
Come get your hands dirty with us! We're offering a five-session hands-on fundamentals course on working with clay led by Emiko Naito, with four two-hour sessions devoted to teaching participants how clay works, how to use clay to create functional objects (for everyday/household use), and how to use sculpting tools (sponges, wire tools, wooden knives, trimming tools) and techniques. At the fourth session, each student can choose one item they’d like to see kiln-fired and glazed by instructor Emiko. At the fifth and final session, course participants will come to collect their finished works at a celebratory show-and-tell where guest speakers Rick Mahaffey (ceramics artist and longtime professor at Tacoma Community College) and Jana Gardner (ceramic artist and co-owner of Ashford Creek Pottery) will share examples of pottery techniques they use or have used in their work.
Who can enroll? No experience is necessary, and anyone 12 or up can register. Course is capped at 20 participants.
Dates: Clay Camp takes place Fridays from 5:30pm to 7:30pm on July 31, August 7, August 14, and August 21. The final class is a celebration and pottery pickup to be held mid-day on Sunday, August 23 (11 a.m.-2 p.m.), with special guest speakers and snacks. (If you cannot make the final class, we will have an alternative pickup location in Mineral.)
Location: MARS World Headquarters, 116 Lincoln Ave., in Mineral. (We’re in the former church directly across from the Post Office.)
Accessibility: We have a rear door that is accessible for those who use wheelchairs or walkers (please advise if that applies to you); otherwise, the front entry requires the use of stairs.
Cost: $25 per person, which includes all materials, hands-on clay time, and instruction.
Scholarships: If cost is a barrier, Mineral Lake Lions Club has offered to cover the cost of six participants (more if there is demand), with preference for teens ages 12-18 and residents of East Lewis County/Pierce County near Mt. Rainier.
This course is made possible with project grant support from ArtsWA.