Halsway Open House
Each year, we open our doors to professional folk artists at all stages of their careers wanting a place to write, rehearse, recharge, relax, and be creative.
By ‘professional folk artists’ we mean artists – musicians / singers / writers / dancers / theatre-makers etc. – who use traditional material either directly or indirectly to inform their paid work. Applications from students / early-stage career artists are as welcome as those from established artists. Previous applicants and attendees are welcome to apply again, though we do usually prioritise those who haven’t benefitted from the opportunity recently.
— Open House artist, 2025I got so much out of the 5 days at Halsway Manor; it is remarkable how a short experience like this can have such a profound effect. It gave me the time and space to create, to think and to reflect on my creative practice…. The group peer supported each other, we shared some of our experiences we have encountered within the music business and helped each other find a way to move forward from these experiences.
We offer a full board (accommodation and all meals) residential stay from Monday to Friday for artists to share the manor with a limited number, usually 20-25 other artists. The space is yours to use as you need and offers the opportunity to share ideas, experiences, advice and support.
Booking is by application. We ask for a financial contribution of £140 towards your place (subsidised by Halsway Manor). Applications for the January Open House week open in September of the previous year. If no events are showing below, applications are not currently being accepted.
If you would like to contribute to this bursary fund, please visit our bursary donation page.
Open House events
None for the moment.
— Louise Jordan, Open House 2025Spending time at Halsway with fellow creative folkies is the perfect way to start the year. We all brought our own intentions and projects along and had time and space to develop them. The richest reward of the week was the camaraderie; the sharing of experiences, the chats by the fire and the generosity of spirit. I learned much from fellow participants who helped me to progress my ideas, who helped me to feel seen and to feel part of our rich folk scene. I enjoyed the library, the music and of course the food and magnificent hospitality. Thank you Team Halsway for a perfect start to 2025.