Nature and Art Retreat

Take a break from the fast-paced, tech-driven world and rediscover your connection to nature and art in this three-day retreat, led by Interlochen's Director of Sustainability Emily Umbarger.

Set against the beautiful backdrop of Interlochen’s 1,200-acre campus in northern Michigan, this immersive experience invites you to tune into the sights, sounds, and sensations of the natural world while exploring the art created within it. Over the course of the retreat, you’ll rejuvenate your sense of well-being through a profound connection to nature and art, with the scientific benefits of boosting your immune system, reducing stress, enhancing attention, and deepening your sense of awe.

This program emphasizes a mindful approach, featuring low-impact daily walks through the campus's preserved natural forests and art-making spaces, including music, visual arts, creative writing, and more. During the walks, you’ll learn about the nature around you, along with efforts to sustain it. You’ll have the opportunity to experience sunrise yoga sessions, canoeing in the campus’s lakes, and participating in story circles with participants to build community with others. You’ll be encouraged to journal throughout the retreat, and if you so choose, express yourself through an artistic medium such as writing, visual storytelling, music, dance, or another form. Bring a notebook, poetry, paints, or any tools that help you express your creative voice.

By the end of the retreat, you’ll have rekindled your relationship with the natural world, reawakened your artistic spirit, and emerged with a renewed sense of clarity, inspiration, and awe for the world around you.