Community, Creativity, and Wellbeing at Fareham Creative Space

Set in the welcoming embrace of Featherston’s Fareham Creative Space, this weekend retreat offers a unique opportunity for writers at every level to immerse themselves in creativity and community. This retreat will be a two day experience, with optional add-ons, designed to help writers focus, recharge, and build lasting connections.

Our retreat is structured for writers who are ready to escape the daily distractions, and explore wellbeing through creative practice.

2025 Retreat Themes: 

• Focused Writing Time: Quiet periods for personal writing, with prompts and encouragement to develop a new writing piece, or deepen your existing project.
• Community & Connection: Opportunities for both structured and informal connection, allowing you to build a network that extends beyond the weekend. Optional evening events for building on social connections.

 

• Wellbeing & Renewal: We're partnering with Wellspring Nature Therapy, to bring a wellbeing focus and spark creativity. Nature therapy is amazing for deepening your mind-body connection, and Fareham Creative Space's quiet rural location gives us a fantastic location to explore.
• Enrichment & Inspiration: Scheduled time for the sharing work and celebration of each writer’s voice, as well as a Writers Journal, as a takeaway memento capturing a writing sample from each attendee.

Register now: registrations@farehamcreativespace.nz

2025 Retreat Schedule

This is a weekend retreat. Writers are encouraged to arrive on Friday afternoon and join the group for a welcome dinner at a local restaurant. The retreat activities and workshops will take place on Saturday and Sunday, concluding around 3pm on Sunday to allow for a gentle transition back to everyday life.

Friday 7 November

Arrive in Featherston, check-in, and settle in

• • 6:30pm: Optional Welcome Dinner at a local restaurant. This is self funded by attendees, rsvp's are required at time of registration. 

Saturday 8 November

• • 9:00am – 10:30am: Connection. Meet fellow attendees, and have a chat about our writing goals.
  • 10:30am – 12:00pm: Writing Session Use our prompts or go your own way. 
  • 12:00pm – 1:00pm: Lunch (Local breads and produce)
  • 1:00pm – 3:00pm: Local Author Session 
  • 3:00pm – 4:30pm: Optional Local Tea Room and Bookstore visit.  Or Free time to explore Featherston, rest, or write. You pick the adventure.
  • 6:30pm – 8:30pm: Optional Dinner at a local Martinborough winery. This is self funded by attendees, rsvp's are required at time of registration. 

Sunday 9 November

• • 9:00 – 11:00: Nature Therapy Session with our retreat partner Wellspring Nature Therapy.
  • 11:00am – 12:30pm: Writing and Peer Feedback Session 
  • 12:30pm – 1:30pm: Lunch  (Local breads and produce)
  • 1:30pm – 2:30pm: Reflection and Goal setting  followed by peer to peer chats about your next steps.  
  • 3:00 pm – Close and farewell

Additional Information

This retreat includes optional elements. Please advise your RSVP at time of booking to these pay-your-own-way events. 
Participants must be 17+ years old, unless accompanied by a parent or guardian also attending the retreat.
The following expenses are not included in your $200 retreat fee:

• Transport to Featherston (we’re happy to help connect potential car-pool buddies closer to the time.)
• Accommodation - a range of options have been provided for those from out of region to consider below. 
• Breakfast, and Dinner - choose your own adventure, at your own pace. 

Writers Retreat Journal - Cacophony

In advance of the 2025 retreat, we're asking writers to submit a short writing sample, showcasing your style, to be published in the retreat journal: Cacophony. This journal is edited by your Fareham Creative Space host, Shannon Steven. This journal forms part of your introduction to other attendees. 

Your writing sample can be a poem, a short story, micro fiction, non-fiction, or an extract from something longer. The sky’s the limit – your word limit, however, is set at 600. Please also include a 20-30 word bio, with an optional social media or email contact.

Your writing sample is not due at your time of registration - all writing samples should be provided by Wednesday 29 October 5pm to make the publishing date. 

Cacophony will be distributed locally, and is an opportunity to share your writing, and to promote and support Fareham Creative Space.

Location

Fareham Creative Space is located at 80 Underhill Road in Featherston, a tranquil rural venue on the outskirts of town. With communal writing and meeting spaces, and rustic outdoor surroundings, Fareham offers the perfect environment for reflection, connection to nature, and sinking your teeth a little deeper into your writing project.

For attendees from out of town we suggest the following accomodation options: 

• Fareham Guest House: Onsite B&B. Fareham is a rustic, historic homestead, set amongst 25 acres of farmland, bush and orchard.
• The Royal Hotel: Featherston’s historic hotel situated on our main street, above a truly spectacular bar and restaurant.
• Featherston Motel: Affordable comfort located right at the gateway to the Wairarapa, on Featherston’s main street.
• AirBnB and Booking.com options: Stay in one of our local cottages, guest rooms, and other stand-alone and shared accommodation.

Register now: registrations@farehamcreativespace.nz