The outdoor-writing institute is booking river trips for 2022 with incredible authors. And it’s got scholarships on offer.
If combining the outdoors and writing is on your to-do list, look no further than The Freeflow Institute. The Montana-based group offers writing education on the water, online, and in the backcountry.
And if money is an issue, scholarships are available. More on that below. But first, let’s break down what the courses entail.
What Is a Freeflow Course?
I’ve attended two Freeflow courses: the online SHIFT series and an in-person river trip down the Gates of Lodore in Dinosaur National Monument.
Each offered viewpoints of authors, writing exercises, and thought exercises to help better my writing and my connection to the craft. It also instilled a sense of community with other writers of all stripes.
Of course, the in-person experience of floating the Gates with a group of like-minded folks for 5 days was a deeply satisfying, fun, and rejuvenating experience.
But it was also a catalyst for new projects and a renewed connection to writing as personal. As a career writer and editor, this was tantamount to reconnecting with my work.
And the courses are exactly what they seem. They’re immersive experiences with conversations, writing prompts, exercises, and time on the river.
College credit is also available through courses. And fees range from $600 for online courses to around $3,500 or a bit more or less depending on the course, the timeline, and what’s involved.
Check out this year’s courses, which include everything from a trip down the Salmon River with David James Duncan, to floating the Rio Grande with Pam Houston, to a sea kayak trip in the San Juan Islands with Brendan Leonard.
Available Scholarships
Freeflow currently has over $10,000 in scholarship funds for 2022 through its Freeflow Foundation and other organizations. These are available to support Freeflow participants from low-income, marginalized, and BIPOC communities on field courses.
Below are a few of Freeflow’s scholarship opportunities:
- American Rivers Northern Rockies Indigenous Scholarship: Open to Indigenous artists, writers, leaders, students, and communicators; one $1,500 award; for Freeflow experiences in Idaho or Montana
- American Rivers Southwest Emerging Artist Scholarship: One $3,000 award; open to anyone with ties to the Southwest; for Freeflow experiences in Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, or Colorado
- San Juan Islands Workshop Scholarship: Open to anyone; full tuition waiver; for Brendan Leonard’s 2022 San Juan Island Workshop
- American Whitewater Scholarship: Open to anyone; three $1,000 awards; for any 2022 Freeflow experience
You can find a link to the full offering of scholarships here.
