The Ross Creek Centre provides an experiences for artists who wish to live in a retreat setting while in an artistic venue. Their Colony and Residency programs provide a rural environment along with the gifts of time and space to inspire talented artists of all disciplines. A Ross Creek Colony consists of use of a studio, accommodations, and three prepared meals a day for between two and eight weeks. Both residencies and colony programs bring emerging and established artists of all disciplines and cultures together for 4-12 week retreats staying onsite in the 95 year old farmhouse and using their facilities.

A colony is an experience where the visiting artist wishes to work without reference to the Centre’s wider community. There is usually only one moment where they will be asked to interact with the public during their stay, if appropriate. The identified project for the artist is paramount and their complete focus.

A residency is also project based, but also provides many possibilities to interact with the community, as a teacher or mentor. Residencies see the artist engaging the community through programs developed in conjunction with the programming staff and administered by Ross Creek. They match artists’ interests and skills with the needs of the community to provide the rural community with the best possible experience. Sometimes, they accept residencies for a particular piece of art to be created at the Centre, especially large scale sculpture or garden works that can live in the landscape there. The outreach and education programs bring professional colony artists together with the community.

They accept applications year round and review them monthly on the 10th of each month.