What are the goals of this retreat?

*To plan for 2024 and beyond--both as a collective and as individual artisans

*To elect or specify  members to specific roles for the coming year and identify potential support players for those taking leadership positions

*To provide speakers and activities that will inspire and help artisans grow in their craft or business as well as help us grow the AAC.

*To socialize and network

How many people are you expecting at the retreat? Is there a cutoff? Currently we have 29 people registered for the retreat.

Can non-Ardens residents come to the retreat? Yes, but Ardens residents will have priority if they register before December 22nd.

Can children/youth come? High school students and those over 14-years-old are welcome attend the retreat.

What are the membership requirements for the AAC? What does it mean that you are a member? Current requirements are that members live within the three Ardens and are makers (artists, craftspeople…chocolatiers ) of some kind. All skill levels from student to hobbyist to professional are welcome to consider themselves members even if they don’t currently have a listing on our website.

What is the cost of the retreat? Cost for Ardens Residents is $25, and non-residents pay $35. That cost is for any portion of the day; we aren’t discounting for half-day attendees. A light breakfast and vegetarian lunch are included in the price. The exception is that people who only want to attend the AAC meeting portion do not have to pay the registration fee, but we will ask them to make a small donation toward the building rental.

Is it too late to register for the retreat? The deadline has passed. That said, it is possible we have cancellations. Text Jill Althouse-Wood to find out if you can join the waiting list. Her number is in the Arden Directory. Or email. But text is better.

What if I cannot afford the cost of the retreat? We have kept the cost low to make it affordable for as many people as we can. But we understand that some creative makers are on a fixed income. Scholarships are available. Simply write “Scholarship request” on your application before you turn it in. We will notify you if approved (which is most likely).

Must I come to all the sessions? No, you do not need to commit to all day. Some people aren’t morning people and will likely skip the opening sessions. Others may have to leave early. If you are not going to be around for breakfast or lunch, kindly let us know so we have accurate numbers for the meals.

I am a member of the AAC. I want to come for the meeting, but not the rest of the retreat. AAC Members who want to come for the meeting only do not need to pay for the full retreat. But we will be asking for a donation from “Meeting only” attendees to go toward the Buzz rental. If you will only be attending the meeting, please let us know so we can plan for size of group for that session—though we will turn nobody away at the door.

I do not live in the Ardens. What will I do during the meeting part of the agenda? Non-members are welcome to sit in during our meeting and contribute in any way you want. We would love to hear fresh ideas and perspectives. But you will not get to vote for our steering committee or any issues that come up. Alternately, we will have a Vision Board activity for non-members if you don’t want to sit through our meeting.

***CHANGE IN AFTERNOON SESSIONS Yes. All participants registered for afternoon sessions. We originally had 4 speakers divided into 2 sessions. One of our 4 speakers dropped out. (We are working to reschedule Elissa Bloom and her talk on Art Entrepreneurship for a later date.) We have changed the schedule so everybody can attend the remaining three sessions. The revised schedule can be found here. You do not have to sit through all sessions. If one of the sessions doesn’t appeal to you, you are welcome to go to the vision board activity in the next room.

Will the sessions/speakers be recorded and talks be made available online? We are hoping to make the sessions available to members. We are limited by our technological skills, but we are problem solvers, so I wouldn’t bet against us.

I am vegan or gluten-free… can you accommodate my dietary needs? The main entree at lunch (without toppings) will be gluten-free, nut-free, and can be vegan. There will also be fruit. The cookie will most likely contain dairy, eggs, wheat flour, and possibly nuts. The breakfast will rely on volunteer donations. If you have a dietary issue, consider donating a breakfast item to our table.

What are contingencies in the case of bad weather? We are planning to have the retreat regardless of weather. Most attendees live nearby and can make it to the Buzz Ware Village Center. We are hoping to have contingencies in place to broadcast our speakers to us if the weather is too treacherous for them to travel. Again, if you have experience with such technologies, please email Jill at Ardenartisans@gmail.com. We can really use the help to make a snow plan. SO FAR, THE WEATHER LOOKS LIKE IT WILL COOPERATE>

What do I need to bring with me to the retreat? If you are coming to the morning sessions, feel free to bring blankets and pillows to get cozy while meditating and journaling. Bring a journal/notebook and a pen. A water bottle. We will have a table for trading/giving away books, tools, supplies and even product that you no longer need and other makers might like to have. Lastly, bring your ideas and willingness to dig deep with us in 2024.

How can I help out in the days leading up to the retreat and for the retreat itself? We are glad you asked. We will be making a spreadsheet to catalog our needs. When that is available, we will post it under the member section of the AAC website and send out an email blast. Please sign up. If you have additional skills you want to lend to the efforts ones that we perhaps we have not thought of, feel free to email Jill at Ardenartisans@gmail.com.

Who are the contact people for the retreat? Jill Althouse-Wood and Betty O’Regan. We are both in the Arden Directory. Texting works best, but if you need to, you can email.

To keep costs low, all our speakers are donating their time and expertise to our cause. Please help us in thanking the following groups:

FAQ