The
Wholehearted Artist
A RETREAT for Songwriters
In BERLIN
The Retreat Experience
with ARTISTS RISING
Artists Rising was created with the belief that it is essential for artists to cultivate more than just the technical mastery of their art to truly thrive. Wholehearted artistic development means learning how to cultivate the creative and psychological realms alongside technical mastery; pursuing the alignment of body, mind, soul and spirit as an integral part of artistic growth.
The Wholehearted Artist Retreat for Songwriters is a special gathering that will inspire transformation and growth in all of these realms, while fostering community and comfort in a cozy, artistic oasis.
We invite you to join us in Berlin for the week of October 3rd - 10th for a retreat that will be part in the countryside in an artist residence and part in the city, during the famous Festival of Lights, where you will have the opportunity to both perform and take in the art and culture of Berlin's city center.
JennyRebecca, and her husband Andrew, will be on hand to guide and support your songwriting craft in various workshops and song circles. We’ll offer daily song inspiration, a daily peek into inspired songwriting process, vocal coaching, songwriting workshops, embodiment/mindfulness practices, individual and collaborative songwriting opportunities, your own private songwriting and vocal technique consultations with JR, playful excursions, tours through Berlin for those who are new, evening song sharing and performance opportunities with the whole group, and a chance to busk on the streets of Berlin during the Festival of Lights!
The retreat will begin on Friday and from Berlin we will drive you to the idealic little town (about an hour outside of Berlin in the Brandenburg countryside bordering Poland) called Stolzenhagen. Friday through Monday we will enjoy the cozy countryside with home cooked meals by chef Andrew Ronning, and Monday afternoon we will head back to Berlin. Monday through Friday there will be more workshops, tours of the city, a trip to the most incredible day spa, an opportunity to busk on the streets of Berlin, and delightful excursions to beautiful places in and around the city like the Turkish Market.
You know best what sort of retreat experience will benefit you and your songwriting in this particular season. As a result, we have designed this retreat so you can structure your days as you see fit, making space for solo writing and reflecting time and a daily workshop or two, or hitting all the workshops you can in a day for feedback on a batch of semi-finished songs. We have lots of offerings, but no advance signups are necessary, so you can let the muse be your guide daily. And with regards to your musical level, we will meet you wherever you are!
Requirements
- The desire to write a song
- Some musical or songwriting background is helpful, but not required.
- A kind and open heart – We do our best to communicate with empathetic, supportive feedback!
Both novice and gigging songwriters sit side by side in our workshops, united by the desire to keep honing their craft and connecting with others. We’ve had poets connect with musicians struggling for words, individuals who have one song under their belts and are inspired to keep going, prolific songwriters who need to get out of their bubble, and songwriters delving into songwriting again after decades. Wherever you find yourself is perfect and we will meet you there!
ACCOMMODATIONS
The beauty of Stolzenhagen in the fall — nestled along the river in the Lower Oder Valley National Park, near the Polish border — sets the tone for our time together. For more than two decades, a vibrant artist community has been transforming the “Gut”, once an East German agricultural cooperative, into a creative hub for movement, embodiment, and international dance festivals. Stolzenhagen is alive with spirit, surrounded by wild geese, cranes, even wolves(!), and infused with the kind of creativity and magic that sparks new and unconventional things.
This time in nature offers a loose structure with an invitation to recalibrate, reconnect, and recharge through music and creativity — both alone and in community.
The second half of our retreat takes us into the heart of Berlin, one of the most artistic and lively cities in the world. Our stay will coincide with the Festival of Lights, where world-renowned artists transform historic buildings with breathtaking light projections. Accommodations will be in a cozy hostel/hotel, giving us the perfect home base as we soak in the city’s inspiration and energy.
Andrew Ronning will be taking care of cooking and catering, serving up delicious meals, accommodating special dietary needs for the first half of the retreat. And during the time in Berlin we will be eating in restaurants. The sleeping accomodation will be double or single rooms with private bath at different price points and a friendly installment plan. Pricing is all-inclusive for meals in Stolzenhagen, all accomodation and all workshops included. During our time in Berlin, meals will be on your own, giving you the chance to explore the city’s incredible cafés and restaurants. And the spa day is optional and not included in the price of the retreat.
For all you keyboard players out there, we will have a keyboard for common use in the workshop room, but your rooms are spacious enough to accommodate your own keyboard should you want to travel with one. Guitarists, if you cannot travel with your guitar, let us know and we will do our best to see if we can find you one from a team member’s collection.
CANCELLATION POLICY
Because we have advanced cost obligations for the retreat, we have a no cancellation policy in place.
Sample Day
8-9
Vocal Yoga – all levels (optional)
9
Breakfast
10
Daily prompts, Mindset work & Inspiration
11
Workshops with Vocal, Songwriting, Collaboration & Embodiment
12
Lunch
1
Free time/Reflection or Private Sessions with JR
2-4
Playful excursion or Private Sessions with JR (Each Retreat Participant will have a 30 minute private session with JR included in the cost of the retreat, with the option of additional, supplemental private sessions during the week.)
4-6
Workshops with Vocal, Songwriting, Collaboration & Embodiment
6
Dinner
7-9
Evening Song Circle (Retreat participants can share songs with the entire group)
9
Wine, Savories, Sweets & Continued Sharing
Other Activity Ideas to take advantage of in such a vibrant & beautiful place:
- Visiting the quaint little lakeside towns of Stolzenhagen & Wandlitz
- Cocktails together at one of the outdoor firepits
- Sauna time at the Artist Residence
- Visiting the Turkish Markets in Berlin
- Perusing the incredible museums and historical sites
- The Vabali Spa in Berlin(filled with 14 different kinds of saunas, 4 different kinds of pools, and 2 restaurants where you can eat in your bathrobe!)
- Bike tours around the city of Berlin
- The Festival of Lights in the evening
Travel Information
Arrive on Friday, October 3rd no later than 3 pm, leave on Friday, October 10th
Address: Chorinerstrasse 75 (We will meet here and drive everyone to the retreat center in Stolzenhagen for those that live in Berlin already.) And for those flying in:
- Fly into Berlin Brandenburg Airport (We will pick you up at the airport and help you with your bags.)
About the retreat center in Stolzenhagen:
Space is limited (room for 11 participants) and we will all share a room there.
About the accomodations in Berlin:
There are two options for housing at different price points - rooms for 2 people to share and private room for one.
The price for everything included, sleeping in a 2 person room with shared bathroom is €1,100 per person.
The price for everything included, sleeping in a private room with private bathroom is €1,300 per person.
If you are living in Berlin and would only be needing accomodations for the weekend retreat in Stolzenhagen the cost is €600.
We look forward to welcoming you to ARTISTS RISING's first BERLIN Songwriters Retreat!
Have any questions? Please reach out at mail@jennyrebecca.com!
Create. Connect. Transform. Thrive.
ARTISTS RISING CO.
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