Edwin Way Teale Trail Wood Artist-In-Residence
Week-long creative residency at historic naturalist home. For writers and visual artists. Apply by March 1, 2026.
The Edwin Way Teale Artists in Residence Program, established at Trail Wood in 2012, offers a unique opportunity for writers and visual artists to spend a week of creative solitude in the historic home of Pulitzer Prize-winning naturalist writer and photographer Edwin Way Teale and his wife and collaborator Nellie Donovan Teale. The residency is designed to inspire creativity through the site's natural beauty and its significant role in American natural history writing. Residents have exclusive access to Edwin's writing study in the main house, preserved as it was at the time of his death in 1980, as well as his rustic writing cabin. Trail Wood serves as an ideal creative retreat where artists can practice their craft while drawing inspiration from the property's natural surroundings and historical significance. The program offers six-week residencies during July and August, with positions available for three writers and three visual artists annually. Applications are accepted from early January through March 1 for the upcoming summer residencies. A juried selection process determines finalists, and all applicants are notified by mid-April. The application fee is $25.00. If selected, accepted applicants are asked to contribute a $100.00 donation to support the maintenance and operation of the property, which includes the Teale's historic 1806 farmhouse. For inspiration on how Trail Wood has influenced past artists, check out Trail Wood Reflections, a commemorative publication showcasing previous residents' work, available in PDF and paperback formats at the Center at Pomfret.