The Cedars, Water Valley, Mississippi

The Cedars
Writing Residency

A free, self-directed residency in Water Valley, Mississippi.

Apply Now → How it works
The Residency

Free, self-directed time
for a single project.

For writers working on a single project in any genre, at any stage, from anywhere in the world.

Twenty minutes from Oxford, an hour from Clarksdale, and 90 minutes from Memphis — come live and work in the same little “postage stamp of native soil” claimed by writers as diverse as William Faulkner, Hubert Creekmore, Ida B. Wells, Arthur Jafa, Eudora Welty, Etheridge Knight, and Beth Ann Fennelly.

Water Valley, Mississippi — downtown
Downtown Water Valley, Mississippi
Length 2 or 4 weeks,
your choice
Cost Free — housing only,
no stipend
Setting A private home in North Mississippi
Seasons Winter (Jan–Mar) &
Summer (Jun–Aug)
“To understand the world, you must first understand a place like Mississippi.”
— William Faulkner
The House

Two beds, three porches,
and one entire house to yourself

A quiet 1863 cottage in downtown Water Valley, deep in the heart of the North Mississippi hill country. A private space with two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a full kitchen, laundry room, dining/office area, and on-site parking.

Housing, utilities, laundry, internet, and TV are included. There are no residency or application fees. Residents cover their own travel and meal expenses. There is no public transit; a car is recommended.

Past Residents

Applications are free

Apply online Email us
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Applications are considered on a rolling basis.