ICELAND WINTER RETREAT 2026
Artists, thinkers, and professionals are invited to apply for a 10-day immersive winter retreat in Iceland featuring natural immersion, geological insight, contemporary art encounters, one-to-one mentoring, and community experiences.
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Get matched →- Deadline
- annual cycle, check dates
- Entry fee
- Free
- Location
- Héraðsskólinn, Laugarvatn, Iceland (70 km from Reykjavík)
- Exhibition window
- Nov 19, 2026 → Nov 28, 2026
About
Overview
BONFIRE Retreats are immersive experiences designed to share deep connection to specific territories. The 2026 Winter Edition takes place in Iceland's southern landscape during November, offering a slow and generous way of relating to both human and more-than-human environments. This 10-day retreat is limited to 7 participants.
Duration & Location
- November 19–28, 2026 (10 days / 9 nights)
- Héraðsskólinn, a historic 1920s schoolhouse in Laugarvatn
- 70 km from Reykjavík, in the heart of the Golden Circle
What's Included
- Natural immersion: waterfalls, geothermal areas, elemental forces
- Visits & day trips: whale watching, lava tunnels, site experiences
- Geological insight and contemporary art & culture encounters
- One-to-one mentoring sessions and artists talks gathering
- Walking & sensory exploration, rest & integration, community time
- Private transportation throughout
- Accommodation in private rooms with lake or mountain views
- Welcome breakfast & farewell dinner, basic food supplies
- Entrances to all museums and visits
- Access to common spaces, library, small bistro and bar
Accommodation
Private rooms at Héraðsskólinn with communal bathrooms aligned with the building's historic layout. Additional apartment within the main building offers quiet spaces for rest and informal gatherings. All rooms feature lake or mountain views. The village of Laugarvatn has long been a creative refuge for writers, musicians, and visual artists.
Who Should Apply
- Ready to get lost and find yourself
- Drawn to Nordic atmospheres
- Seeking meaningful inspiration and reflective dialogue
- Curious about working with intimacy, slowness, and spirituality
- Open to thoughtful, grounded feedback
- Ready to participate in the Artists Talks Event at LÁ Art Museum in Hveragerði
Disciplines Welcome
Interdisciplinary practitioners from around the globe: visual arts, sound, performance, writing, filmmaking, spatial thinking, culinary practices, and other forms of creation and research.
Fee & Application
- Private room: 3,100 € (flights not included)
- Application is free of charge
- Application deadline: June 30, 2026
Program Highlights
Creative prompts, collective conversations, and one-to-one mentoring sessions throughout. Your voice will be featured on BONFIRE's digital platforms, including website and social media. The retreat is focused on experience and inspiration rather than creation; common spaces and library are available for reflection, reading, writing, or computer work.
- Entry fee
- Private room: 3,100 € (flights not included)
- Theme
- An immersive experience exploring Iceland's landscapes, cultures, and elemental forces through natural immersion, geological insight, contemporary art encounters, and reflective practice in the quiet southern landscape during winter.
- Eligibility
- Open to interdisciplinary practitioners from around the globe including visual artists, sound, performance, writing, filmmaking, spatial thinking, culinary practices, and other forms of creation and research.
- Audience
- Open to artists, thinkers, and professionals from around the globe whose work is rooted in curiosity, perception, and desire to engage deeply with the world.
Every listing links to the organizer's official page. Always confirm deadlines, fees, and entry rules there before you apply.