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2025 Spring Poetry Colloquium
Facilitator TBA
Location: St. Peter’s College, Muenster, SK, Canada
Dates: May 19 – 27, 2025
This is a facilitated, in-person retreat for around eight writers. The course offers a small group context; focus will be on individual manuscript consultations, and on seminar discussions dealing with technical, philosophical, or conceptual issues in contemporary writing. Instruction occurs within a deep-immersion setting, with an emphasis on individual writing and manuscript revision. Successful applicants generally have some publication record, and are working towards manuscript completion. Application is open to writers 19 years of age and older from Canada and abroad.
Application
Applicants will need to provide:
- Applicant information
- Emergency contact information
- $30 Application Fee (payable by e-Transfer, Visa / MasterCard, or cheque)
- Optional: A letter of intent towards a bursary or scholarship
- A brief letter outlining your writing project, including:
- Goals
- Where you are in your process
- How you would work on your project while at Sage Hill
- Any other pertinent information
- 12-page sample of your writing including:
- Five pages published
- Seven pages of the work in progress that you would like to develop at Sage Hill
- Your literary CV
Note:
- Writing samples up to the page requirement will be reviewed by the jury. Pages in excess will not be reviewed.
- Please combine all documents into one file to upload with the online application form.
- PDF and Microsoft Word documents are accepted.
- If you have trouble when attaching your application materials to the online form, please contact us.
Adjudication process:
All applications go through a competitive, independent peer jury process to maintain a high level of artistic merit in programs. Jury members weigh applications against a rubric of set criteria to assess the quality of writing and readiness for the experience.
Acceptance is determined by:
- Quality of work submitted
- Project description
- Experience and ability to carry out the proposed project
- Literary CV and publication history
- Which applicants would most benefit from attending Sage Hill at this point in their development
This adjudication process is usually completed about four weeks after the application deadline. You will be contacted with results after the jury has come forward with its decision.
In Person Schedule Elements
- Classes usually meet for 1 to 2 hours each day or every second day.
- Each writer will have 1-on-1 sessions scheduled with their instructor throughout the program.
- Each writer will also have plenty of personal writing time.
Tuition
Application Fee: $30
In Person Program Tuition: $2195 (includes accommodations, meals, and snacks)
What is covered?
- Accommodation at St. Peter’s College in your own private room with ensuite bathroom
- Three meals per day, and snacks
- Writing retreat as part of a small group, led by program faculty
- 1-on-1 conferences and course time with your instructor
- Critical feedback on writing submissions
- Courses and discussions on the craft of writing
- Private meeting spaces for 1-on-1 instruction and workshops
- Printer and office equipment
- Wi-Fi access
- Writing desk and chair in your room
- Access to full college library on-site
- Comfortable lounge areas
- Coffee and tea station available all hours
- Access to kitchenette with fridge
- Free laundry facilities
- Games room
- Access to fitness centre with the latest professional quality equipment
- Book table to sell your works and buy the works of others
- Arranged trips to nearby towns and other programmed events
- Additional amenities as listed on the Accomodations section
When and how to make a payment:
After the jury has reviewed applications, you will be notified via email to let you know whether or not you have been accepted. Tuition payment deadlines / payment plan options will be expressed at that time.
Tuition payments can be made by:
- E-transfer to sage.hill@sasktel.net (preferred)
- Cheque mailed to: Sage Hill Writing, 324 – 1831 College Ave., Regina, SK, S4P 4V5
- Visa or Mastercard (no Amex) by calling 306-537-7243. Please note that credit card payments are subject to a 2.4% processing fee.
Cancellation Policy:
- There will be a $100 cancellation fee if you withdraw after accepting a spot in a course.
- If you cancel 14 days or more prior to start date: 50% of tuition is due to Sage Hill. If your tuition has been paid, we will issue a refund of the amount paid less 50% of the total tuition amount.
- If you cancel 7 days prior to retreat start date: 75% of tuition is due to Sage Hill. If your tuition has been paid, we will issue a refund of the amount paid less 75% of the total tuition amount.
- Cancellations within one week of program start dates are non-refundable. However, if it is possible to fill your spot in the program, some refund will be available.
- Please note that credit card processing fees are non-refundable.
Refunds for COVID-related cancellations will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Sage Hill reserves the right to cancel upcoming or in-process programs due to COVID-related health and safety issues or mandates. If a program must be cancelled, payment will be refunded accordingly.
Accommodations
For more information on venue and accommodations, click here.
St. Peter’s College is an off-campus, affiliated college of the University of Saskatchewan. The venue is located on 500 acres of mixed forest and farmlands in East Central Saskatchewan, on Highway 5 in the quiet village of Muenster, SK.
Muenster is 120km east of Saskatoon and 230km north of Regina, and only 9 km from the City of Humboldt. Humboldt offers a fair number of restaurants and shops, from liquor stores to pharmacies. Should you want a brief reprieve from writing, Sage Hill staff can drive those without vehicles into Humboldt for supplies.
For directions to St. Peter’s, visit their website. You can find a campus map here.
Participants will stay in Severin Hall, one of the university students’ residences.
There is an active Benedictine Abbey on site. Sage Hill Writing and St. Peter’s College/Abbey welcome all faiths and beliefs and there is no expectation of participation in religious services.
The facility has the following amenities:
- Your own private room with ensuite bathroom
- Writing desk and chair in your room
- Space for 1-on-1 instruction and workshops
- Comfortable lounge areas
- Access to kitchenette with fridge
- Coffee and tea station available at all hours
- Laundry facilities
- Games Room
- Book table provides the opportunity to sell your works and to buy the works of others
- Library on site
- Wi-Fi access
- Treed grounds, walking trails, gardens
- Access to fitness centre with the latest professional quality equipment
- Outdoor soccer pitch