The Ola Belle Reed Songwriting Retreat pays tribute to Ola Belle Reed, Ashe County, North Carolina’s National Heritage Fellowship Award and IBMA Lifetime Achievement Award winner.
North Carolina and nationally renowned songwriters on staff are excited to share their techniques in craft and art with you. Whether you are an experienced songwriter or about to write your first song, these retreats will help you add skills to your own magic, with detailed concepts, practice and instruction. There will of course be stories and anecdotes along the way.
The retreat will include workshops/lectures, song swaps, jam sessions, critiques, instructor concert, student showcase and more.
2023 Retreat instructors: Cathy Fink, Crys Matthews, and Tom Paxton.
This year’s retreat will be held In Person at the Ashe Civic Center, West Jefferson, NC. This option will include the workshops/lectures in real time.
Covid Protocols: Masks are currently optional but encouraged in Arts Council venues. Participants must be flexible to mandatory masking as the protocols could change based on recommendations of the local health department and government.
Tuition will include instruction and hospitality Friday-Sunday. It does not include accommodations or meals. For information about accommodations and food options please visit www.ashechamber.com
In-person registration is $375.00 adults, $150 students.
Tuition assistance and limited partial scholarships are available contact info@ashecountyarts.org for more information.
Plan Your Visit
The retreat will be held in person at the Ashe Civic Center and Ashe Arts Center.
Ashe Civic Center: 962 Mount Jefferson Road, West Jefferson, NC 28694
Ashe Arts Center: 303 School Avenue, West Jefferson, NC 28694
Accommodations
We recommend that retreat participants stay close to the town of West Jefferson. It’s a busy weekend!
We also recommend that you plan ahead for your visit. We are located in a beautiful rural area, so lodging can be limited and you will want to book something ahead of time.
The Ashe County Chamber of Commerce is a great help with accommodations and tourism information:
https://ashechamber.com/accommodations.php
We also recommend the Holiday Inn Express West Jefferson
Air B&B and VRBO have vacation rentals that can also be great options.
