As we continue renovations to upgrade the shared amenities here at ORA we’re happy to offer up work share residencies from late October 2018 to early April 2019.  These zero fee self guided residencies are best suited to those interested in an hour or two work per day to help maintain the space. The main duties consist of managing the outdoor wood furnace, some snow removal, placing waste and recycling at the curb, or if you feel there is project you can contribute we’re happy to consider proposals.

Interested folks should be able to spend a week minimum to 3 months maximum, lift 40lbs, comfortable tending a fire, enjoy rural settings, and give a no more than 300 word description of the art project you wish to focus on during your residency. Apply by sending an email to owlridgeacres@gmail.com with your contact info, dates you would like to request for your stay, project description and a subject line that says “Fall18/Winter19 Work Share“.
Accepted residents stay in a private room with full use of the common areas (kitchen+equipment, laundry, bathrooms, living/dining room), bedding and towel provided. They also receive a hands-on tutorial on how to run the daily systems of the property, how to manage the wood furnace heating, how to work the back-up electrical in the event of a major power outage, how to conserve water and separate recycling.

Beyond minimal daily chores and the time you have for art projects, the property offers a few kms of hiking/snowshoe trails with beautiful views to enjoy. There are also many Provincial Parks close by for day trips that offer hiking, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. Bancroft is a well serviced town with a few grocery, department, hardware stores, lots of local shops and restaurants.

If you’ve read this far and feel like some time away in a rural setting to focus on a project is the perfect thing for you this fall/winter, but aren’t completely sure what a wood furnace is I’ve shared a link below.