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Developing A Place-Based Creative Practice

GroundTruth Institute   /   Deadline: 05/01/26

Developing A Place-Based Creative Practice at Letchworth State Park
Dates: June 4-7, 2026 Limited to 8 participants!

Are you an artist or creative exploring themes of ecology, environment, or landscape? Are you looking to push your practice further, connect more deeply with place, and discover new ways of working with the land?

Join us for an immersive workshop designed to energize and expand your place-based creative practice. Set within the breathtaking landscape of Letchworth State Park, this gathering brings together artists across disciplines for a dynamic experience that blends conversation, learning, and exploration.

Together, we'll engage in lively discussions, inspiring lectures, hands-on workshops, and guided field experiences that invite you to collaborate directly with the land. Grounded in curiosity and collective learning, we'll use Letchworth as our living classroom—exploring its ecosystems, histories, and relationships while developing creative approaches that can travel with you anywhere.

Whether you work in visual art, writing, performance, design, or another medium, you're invited to bring your perspective, your questions, and your curiosity. Come deepen your connection to place, exchange ideas with fellow creatives, and leave with new tools to enrich your artistic practice.

About the instructors: This workshop is led by Margaret LeJeune and Jeffrey Kosiorek. LeJeune is an artist and educator with 20+ years experience teaching students about the connections between art, science, and the environment. She was named the 2023 Woman Science Photographer of the Year by the Royal Photographic Society (UK). She has been invited to speak and teach at institutions around the world including Rochester Institute of Technology, Bradley University, Trinity College Dublin, Virginia Tech, Johns Hopkins, University of Rochester, University of Nebraska - Lincoln, University of Texas -San Antonio, and University of Toledo among others. Jeffrey Kosiorek is an environmental historian who studies the long, evolving relationship between human communities and river environments, with particular attention to how cultural values, economic systems, and ecological processes intersect. He has taught at institutions including the University of Southern California, the University of Mississippi, Hendrix College, Bradley University, California State University Fresno, and Southern New Hampshire University, and has led experiential learning programs focused on ecology, environmental restoration, and cultural sustainability.

About the location: Letchworth State Park, located in western New York, is often referred to as the "Grand Canyon of the East". The park's most famous sights are its three major waterfalls—Upper, Middle, and Lower Falls—along with more than 100 smaller cascades scattered throughout the gorge. From scenic overlooks to winding forest paths, the views are nothing short of breathtaking. Often ranked among the best parks in the country, Letchworth offers more than towering cliffs and river scenery. Over 70 miles of trails weave through the gorge, forests, and ravines of the Genesee Valley, inviting visitors to hike, explore, and slow down in nature. Letchworth is an hour from Rochester, NY, home of the George Eastman Museum, Visual Studies Workshop, The Susan B Anthony House, The Strong Museum of Play, and Mount Hope Cemetery among other notable places.

Tuition includes:

• Workshop programming and materials

• Three nights lodging in cabins in the park which are equipped with a small kitchen (sink, stove, and refrigerator) and half-baths with flush toilets and sinks. Cabins have screened porches. Showers are available in the campground.

• Meals (Thursday dinner, Friday breakfast, lunch, and dinner, Saturday breakfast, lunch and dinner, Sunday breakfast) as well as coffee and snacks throughout the weekend

Workshop participants are responsible for their travel to and from Letchworth State Park. The nearest airports are ROC in Rochester, NY (approx. 45 miles) and BUF in Buffalo, NY (approx. 55 miles). Participants should be comfortable walking on uneven and rugged terrain and be at peace with nature and the elements.

Reserve your place now - limited to 8 participants!

Single-room tuition: $1295

Double-room tuition: $995 - book with a friend to choose your roommate or let us pair you with a new friend!

Subsidized tuition: $795 - we aim to make our gatherings accessible for as many creatives as possible. This reduced rate includes double-room occupancy, meals, and all workshop activities and is made possible by the support of generous GroundTruth patrons. Limited subsidized tuition spaces available.

Cancellation Policy: Withdrawal from the workshop up to 45 days before the session's start date will result in a full refund of tuition minus a $100 processing fee. No refunds will be given for cancellations made fewer than 44 days before the workshop start date. If the workshop is canceled due to insufficient enrollment, the entire tuition will be fully refunded minus service fees. GroundTruth Institute is not responsible for the cost of airline ticket cancellation or ground transportation costs or fees. Please plan accordingly.

Registration at https://www.groundtruthinstitute.org/group-events

Location

Letchworth State Park

Fees

tiered tuition

Contact Information

Margaret LeJeune

W: groundtruthinstitute.org
E: contact@groundtruthinstitute.org