Dzanc Books' Literary, Visual, and Cultural Arts Residency Program for Writers & Artists

Interior room with round window, view of street and trees outside, beige siding and wooden floor inside.

Dzanc House is a home and a hub for regional and national literary and cultural arts programming, and now offers a dedicated residency program, aimed at providing a nurturing space for emerging artists and writers to hone their craft and develop their unique voice.

Our in-house residency program offers a supportive environment where artists and writers from all genres can focus on their work.

OVERVIEW

Dzanc House offers a supportive environment for artists and writers to develop their work and engage with a creative community. Residents are invited to stay for anywhere from 1 to 4 weeks, in our house, which can accommodate up to four individuals at a time.

Facilities and Amenities:

Our residency program offers a comfortable environment designed to provide a quiet and focused environment for creative work. Each room is equipped with everything you need to settle in and concentrate on your projects. Below, you’ll find detailed descriptions of our available rooms and the associated rates.

  • Private Rooms: Each of our private writing rooms is equipped with a bed, desk, chair, and providing a quiet space to focus on your creative projects. 

  • Shared Spaces: Residents have access to a shared bathroom on the second floor, as well as a second bathroom on the main floor available for all guests. The house also features a communal kitchen and dining room where you can relax and socialize with fellow residents.

  • Studio Space: A dedicated studio space is available for artistic work, offering a creative environment for writing, visual arts, or other artistic pursuits.

  • Gallery Space: In-house art gallery with rotating exhibitions.

Room Descriptions:

Room A – The Quiet Retreat
A cozy room with a large window, offering peaceful views of the surrounding streetscape. Perfect for writers or artists who value natural light and a calming, serene space for reflection.

Room B – The Creative Nook
A spacious room featuring an elegant writing desk and plenty of room for brainstorming or artistic work. This room includes additional shelving space for books or art supplies, catering to both writers and visual artists.

Room C – The Artist’s Loft
With high ceilings and ample space, this room is ideal for those who need room to spread out their work. It’s perfect for multi-disciplinary creators who enjoy having extra space for their tools and ideas.

Room D – The Thoughtful Space
A bright, minimalist room designed to offer focus and clarity. The room’s quiet ambiance makes it perfect for creative reflection and writing, with plenty of room for projects or personal items.

Year-Round Overnight Residencies

Single Occupancy (Private Room):
$450 per week, $900 for 2 weeks, $1,200 for 3 weeks, and $1,250 for a month stay
Includes access to all shared facilities (studio, gallery, kitchen, bathrooms) and event programming.

Discounted Rate (for Early Career Residents or Artists):
$300 per week, $600 for 2 weeks, $900 for 3 weeks, and $950 for a month stay 
This rate is available for emerging artists, writers, or those in the early stages of their career. Includes access to all shared facilities and event programming.

Student Rate:
$275 per week, $550 for 2 weeks, $825 for 3 weeks, and $850 for a month stay.
Includes access to all shared facilities (studio, gallery, kitchen, bathrooms) and event programming.

Residents can stay for a maximum of 16 consecutive weeks (i.e., 4 months). *Former residents are allowed to reapply.

Registration for Year-Round Overnight Residencies are open. Residencies begin September 2025.

A cozy bedroom with a striped bedspread, a rattan chair, a wooden desk with an open notebook, a pen, and a book.

Join our Summer Writing Intensive!

Be a part of our Summer Writing Intensive and get personalized feedback on your work in a supportive, one-on-one workshop environment with professional authors, poets, and writers. Engage with local artists and evening programs with our gallery and resident artists. And, have your manuscript reviewed by Editor-in-Chief and Publisher at Dzanc Books, Michelle Dotter. Alongside having room & board provided in our beautifully renovated space, join the new legacy of writers coming to work and write, read and refine! Read our July schedule here.

  • $750 per week, workshop intensive includes: a one-on-one manuscript review with our Editor in Chief & Publisher Michelle Dotter, writing workshops and readings with our authors Jeff Kass, Matt Kirkpatrick, and being a part of our open reading and gallery evening arts workshops with featured poets, writers, and artists from our local, regional, and national literary arts community. *Day Studio workshop applicants may also apply. Room and board are not provided.

  • $350 per week, room and board fees includes: private bedroom and writing nook, and semi-private bathroom (shared only with 1-2 other attendees) as well as access to unlimited Wi-Fi, our little library, plus our daily complimentary breakfast bar, organic teas, coffees, and freshly-laundered beddings and towels. *Additional $150 fee/week for a fully private bathroom.

  • Subtotal: $1100 for a private bedroom and writing nook, with semi-private bath, including all workshops, and complimentary coffees, teas, and breakfast bar with organic cereals, muffins, and fruit.

  • Subtotal: $1250 for a private bedroom and writing nook, with fully private bath, including all workshops, and complimentary coffees, teas, and breakfast bar with organic cereals, muffins, and fruit. *Limited spots available.

Please note: meals, other than our light self-serve breakfast bar, and complimentary snacks on arrival, are not included. We have a full kitchen available for all to use, cook, heat up take out, etc. if they wish.  

One-on-One Manuscript Workshop with Editor & Publisher Michelle Dotter and Writing Workshops with Featured Authors:

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Michelle Dotter, editor-in-chief and publisher at Dzanc Books. Michelle is an accomplished editor and publisher with over two decades in publishing, and has collaborated with New York Times bestselling authors and winners of the National Book Award, Whiting Award, National Book Critics Circle Award, and more. Before coming to Dzanc, she earned her degree in creative writing before beginning her editing career a MacAdam/Cage Publishing in San Francisco, as well as with MP Publishing, Cameron + Company, Once Magazine, and myriad independent authors. She has been editor-in-chief and publisher at Dzanc Books for over seven years, shaping its respected literary presence. 

A white man with grey-black hair holding a book titled 'Teacher/Pizza Guy' in a library setting.

Jeff Kass is an award-winning author of two full-length poetry collections, My Beautiful Hook-nosed Beauty Queen Strut Wave and Teacher/Pizza Guy, a 2020 Michigan Notable Book; the thriller Takedown, the YA novel Center-Mid, and Knuckleheads, an Independent Publishers Gold-medal winning Best Short Fiction Collection of 2011. His newest poetry collection True Believer is forthcoming from Dzanc Books in March of 2025. He teaches creative writing and founded the Literary Arts Program, The Neutral Zone, where he served as program director for twenty years.

Read his recent interview with A2Pulp here.

A white man with glasses sitting outdoors, wearing a gray t-shirt, with green leafy plants and a chalkboard menu in the background.

Matthew Kirkpatrick is a Professor of Creative Writing at Eastern Michigan University. He is the author of the short story collection Light without Heat, the novella The Exiles, the novel The Ambrose J and Vivian T Seagrave Museum of 20th Century American Art, with a new novel forthcoming from Texas Review Press in 2025. His writing has appeared in many literary journals, including X-R-A-Y, The Rupture, The Rumpus, and more. He lives in Ypsilanti, MI with his wife, the writer Susan McCarty, an associate professor at Oakland University, and their daughter. 

With more featured authors and writing fellows to come!

Available Dates

Week One: July 13–July 19
Week Two: July 20–July 26
Week Three: July 27–Aug 2 (Extended date)
Week Four: Aug 3–Aug 9 (Extended date)

Registration for Summer Writing Intensives are open! Applicants will be notified of their acceptance status by June 15.

Special New Offering: Day Studios!

Perfect for local artists and writers looking for a quiet and ample setting to work on their creative projects, without the need for overnight accommodation. Includes access to all shared facilities (studio, gallery, kitchen, bathrooms) and event programming.

Studio Spaces Available: First Floor (Studio A, B, C, and D) and Subterranean (Studio E and F)

Day Studio Rate:
*Early bird special rate available for local artists! Those who register early will secure the following discounted rate:
$100 per week or $375 for the month

Applications for Day Studios are open. Day Studio Residencies will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Day Studios run from March 15–June 15 2025 with extended offerings TBD this coming summer.

House and Neighborhood Tour

More Information

Studio and Gallery Space: On the first floor of the house, residents have access to a versatile studio space.

In addition to the studio, our house features an art gallery with rotating exhibitions. Residents are welcome to inquire about the possibility of hosting their own exhibition during their stay or as a culmination of their residency experience. While the gallery typically showcases visual arts, writers are also invited to exhibit their work, whether through a book launch, literary installation, or other creative presentation. Don’t hesitate to explore this opportunity—your writing can also be part of the artistic dialogue at Dzanc House.

Events and Programming: A full calendar of events is available for residents, including workshops, readings, and creative discussions. Attendance at these events is optional, and all programming concludes by 9 p.m. to allow residents time for focused work.

Additional Amenities and Fees: Residents may inquire about the possibility of hosting an exhibition during or at the end of their residency. Additional costs may apply based on the scale and requirements of the exhibition.

We strive to create an environment that allows each Resident to focus on their work, engage with a community of artists, and access the resources they need to grow creatively. If you have any questions about the rooms, rates, or residency requirements, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Have a Question?

For questions about the residency program, please email:
residency@DZANCHOUSE.org