[+] What are the fees?

There is a $30 application fee. If this represents a barrier to submitting an application, please contact our Office Manager at office@hambidge.org to discuss a waiver.

The residency fee is $250 per week (of the $1500/wk actual cost). Hambidge offers several merit-based Distinguished Fellowships which remove the fees for a two-week residency and provide a $700 stipend. Available Distinguished Fellowships vary from session to session and are listed in the Awards & Financial Assistance section of each session's application. Unless otherwise noted, they are reserved for first-time residents.

[+] How do I get to and from Hambidge?

Transportation to and from Hambidge is the responsibility of the residents.
ARRIVAL TIME for your residency is Noon-4pm on Tuesday. Please arrange your travel so that you arrive at our Office during these hours. Orientation begins at 4:30pm and is mandatory for all incoming residents (including returning Fellows).

Hambidge is located in a rural area with no public transportation, so if visiting the surrounding area is important to you, but you aren't driving to Hambidge for your residency, consider renting a car at the airport.

RECOMMENDED TRANSPORTATION:

Our recommended routes of transportation are either
1) drive directly to Hambidge by car, OR
2) fly to the Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson Airport and take the North Georgia Shuttle to Clayton, Georgia, where we can arrange to pick you up and bring you to campus.

North Georgia Shuttle has a schedule of departures from the MARTA (Atlanta’s public transport system) station in Doraville, Georgia. It drops off at the Clayton Pharmacy in Clayton, Georgia. Rates are $45 (including taxes and fees) for each one-way trip, and the trip takes approximately 2.5 hours.

In order to get to the Shuttle pick-up point, you will need to take the train from the MARTA station located in the Atlanta airport to the Doraville MARTA station. Trains leave from the airport every 20 minutes, and it takes approximately 45 minutes to travel from the airport to Doraville. MARTA tickets cost $1-$3 and can be purchased at the stations.

Prior to your journey, you will need to arrange with our Office for a Hambidge staff member to pick you up from Clayton and take you to campus. The ride from Clayton to Hambidge is approximately 20 minutes. There are no rideshare services in Clayton.
____

BY CAR
Hambidge is located on Betty's Creek Road, about 3-1/2 miles west of Highway 441 in Dillard, Georgia. The address is 105 Hambidge Ct, Rabun Gap, GA 30568. We are only a few miles from the Georgia/North Carolina border. The two largest towns near Dillard are Clayton, Georgia, 10 miles to the south and Franklin, North Carolina, 13 miles to the north.

BY PLANE
You may choose to fly into Atlanta, Georgia; Greenville, South Carolina; or Asheville, North Carolina. From the Greenville and Asheville airports, it is about a 2 hour drive to Hambidge. From the Atlanta airport, it is approximately 3 hours, depending on traffic. Car rentals are available at the airports.

Note: If you don’t want to rent a car, we recommend flying into Atlanta (see RECOMMENDED TRANSPORTATION above), however there are shuttle services you can engage if you choose to fly into the Greenville or Asheville airport.

Shuttle Services to and from airports – Independent shuttle services are available to and from the airports listed above. The cost of these services ranges from $150-$250, one way. Service providers and phone numbers are as follows:
• Highlands Shuttle Service – Bob Dunn - (770) 402-0423
• Kat Shuttle Services – (706) 982-1313
• RoadRunner Driving Service – Darlene Swofford - (828) 524-3265, cell: (706) 201-7719
If you choose one of these shuttle services, make all arrangements directly with them in order to arrive at Hambidge on Tuesday, noon-4pm. When prior arrangements are made with the service, the driver will usually stop to allow for grocery shopping.

BY TRAIN
AMTRAK’s Crescent route runs between New York and New Orleans with many stops along the way, including Atlanta, Georgia. Arrival/Departure times are either 8:43 am or 11:00 pm. You will need to reserve Shuttle Service to travel from Atlanta to Hambidge (the North Georgia Shuttle is recommended, see details listed above).

If you take the North Georgia Shuttle, you will need to coordinate transportation from AMTRAK to the Shuttle pick-up point at the Doraville MARTA Station. This may be done via MARTA from the Arts Center Station, public bus, or Uber. You must also coordinate with the Hambidge Office for staff to pick you up at the Shuttle drop-off in Clayton, Georgia.

[+] What if I don’t have a car at Hambidge?

If you come to Hambidge without a car, the on-campus studios will require a walk to get to Lucinda’s Rock House. On average the studios are 0.3 miles from the Rock House with a 157-elevation gain, walking on a gravel road with uneven terrain.

Residents without cars are usually able to coordinate with other residents with cars for trips to the grocery store, pharmacy, restaurants, etc. Under certain circumstances someone on the staff can provide transportation to and from necessary destinations.

[+] How long are residencies?

Applicants may request stays between two weeks and eight weeks. Residents arrive on Tuesday and depart on Sunday. Residencies of one week are available to Arts & Culture Administrator applicants only. Eight-week residencies will only be scheduled in the Fall and Spring Sessions. The maximum length of residencies awarded in Summer Session is four weeks. Because of differing lengths of individual stays, residents will arrive and depart on varying schedules.

[+] May I apply with a collaborator?

Yes. Collaborators must submit individual applications, but may choose to share studio/living space. Applications must contain a joint proposal of the work they intend to do while in residence and an example of previous collaborative work.

Non-collaborating couples who wish to be in residence together must submit individual applications. Upon acceptance, they may request concurrent residency dates and choose whether or not to share studio/living space. No other provisions are made for partners.

[+] May I bring my child?

Hambidge has hosted several residents accompanied by their children. We are still developing our parental program, but we're quite willing to work with applicants to find the best timing and to recommend part-time childcare for their stay. Before you submit an application, read more about our Parental Residencies and contact us at office@hambidge.org or 706-746-7324 to discuss.

[+] May I bring my pet?

No. With the exception of licensed service animals (as defined by the ADA), pets are not permitted.

[+] May I invite guests?

In an effort to ensure the safety of our residents during the time of COVID, guests are discouraged until policies are relaxed.

[+] If I can’t attend my residency, may I defer it?

No. You will need to apply and be accepted for a future residency Session. If you are unable to attend a residency you have already accepted, you should alert us as soon as possible.

[+] What is the Hambidge property like?

Hambidge sits on 600 hilly and heavily wooded acres, with walking trails, streams, waterfalls, areas of flat wildflower meadows and a beaver bog. The area is a national repository for native plants and provides a protected site for endangered species. Hambidge is listed on the National Register for Historic Places as a rural historic district.

[+] What is the weather like?

During the summer, the day temperatures vary from the 60s to the 90s and at night from the 50s to the 70s. In the winter, day temperatures range from the 20s to the 50s and at night from the mid-teens to the 30s. It rains regularly and can snow heavily in the winter months.

[+] What are the check-in and check-out procedures?

Plan to arrive on Tuesday between 1pm and 4pm. Upon arrival, check in at the Office located at the back of the Weave Shed Gallery. A staff member will escort you to your studio. At 4:30pm, newly arrived residents will reassemble at the Office for a campus orientation.

At the end of your residency, you must depart by 5pm on Sunday. You are required to fill out two online forms: an Exit Survey and an Experience Statement.

[+] What are the studios like? What are they supplied with?

There are nine separate studios on the property; six on the main campus side of the property and three more across the street. All the studios are different and accommodate various work requirements. They are located in wooded settings on private gravel roads, intentionally simple and separate from each other.

Each studio provides work and living space. Kitchen are equipped with cooking and eating utensils including a coffee pot and microwave. We supply all bedding and towels. All the studios are heated and air conditioned. Most studios have showers and a few have tubs.

[+] Is there a privacy policy?

Privacy and solitude are prized by our Fellows. Therefore, one of our requirements is that no one may visit another Fellow’s studio without being specifically invited to do so. If any Fellow disrupts the privacy, solitude or workspace of another, a staff member will ask that Fellow to stop. If the behavior is repeated after the warning, the Fellow will be asked to leave the premises. We also ask that you be respectful in the use of audio equipment and musical instruments and keep sound levels from getting out of hand.

[+] Is there somewhere I can do my laundry?

There is a washer and dryer located in the resident’s kitchen of Lucinda's Rock House. Hambidge provides laundry detergent.

[+] Are meals served?

To create a sense of community and respect for each other, attendance is required at the evening meals, Tuesday through Friday, which are prepared by the Hambidge chef in Lucinda’s Rock House. All of these dinners are vegetarian. All other meals are the responsibility of the residents, however, there is almost always enough dinner leftovers to provide for lunches as well. The meals are wholesome, abundant and deliciously inventive.

The evening meal begins at 7:00pm. Fellows are expected to help set and clear the table and load the dishwasher.

Serious dietary considerations will be taken into account if at all possible. If you have such a condition, you must inform us prior to your arrival by filling out the confirmation form sent to you by the Operations Manager.

[+] What is the smoking and alcohol policy?

Smoking is absolutely NOT permitted in any of the studios or other buildings. Recreational drugs are NOT permitted. Drinking alcoholic beverages is a matter of personal choice, but we ask that you exercise moderation and be considerate of others.

[+] What kind of equipment does Hambidge provide? Can I ship supplies to Hambidge?

You will need to bring all the equipment and supplies necessary to do your personal work. We provide work tables and chairs in the studios, and there are a couple student grade easels available. If you work in a messy medium, we ask that you bring your own drop cloths and that you avoid getting paint on the walls.

You may ship materials to us prior to your arrival. If using UPS or Fedex, ship to: Your Name, c/o Hambidge, 105 Hambidge Court, Rabun Gap GA 30568. If shipping through USPS, you must ship to: Your Name, c/o Hambidge, PO Box 339, Rabun Gap GA 30568

[+] Do residents have access to office facilities?

A printer and copy machine are available in the main office during office hours on weekdays. There is a fee of $.05 cents per page.

[+] What should I bring?

• All supplies you need to do your work (these may be shipped ahead of time)
• Food for breakfasts and weekend meals
• A good flashlight
• Clothes for hiking: closed-toe hiking boots/shoes, long sleeved shirt, and pants
• Our evenings are chilly even in the summer. Pack a sweater or sweat shirt. In winter you’ll need the usual winter weather gear – coat, hat, gloves, boots, etc.
• We are located in a temperate rain forest. Bring a hooded rain jacket and waterproof shoes/boots, if possible.

[+] What are the hiking trails like?

The Hambidge trails range from gentle walks to steep, strenuous hikes. They range from half a mile to a couple miles in length. If you intend to hike, come prepared with proper footwear and layered clothing. Also, it’s a good idea to bring a small daypack, water bottle, and a cap. If you have allergies to bee or insect stings, be sure to bring an Epipen or other necessary medication.

[+] Is there internet access?

Internet access is not available in the individual studios. Wifi is available in Lucinda’s Rock House 24 hours a day.

[+] How do I keep in contact with home?

Because of our remote location, Hambidge does not get cell service. The nearest cell phone reception starts about two miles east on Betty’s Creek Road by the Community School. Wi-fi is available in Lucinda’s Rock House and can be used to make FaceTime Voice or Skype calls.

Each studio is equipped with an emergency phone that can be used to dial 911. The studio phones cannot be used to dial long distance calls, however you may share your phone number with family and friends to receive their calls.

[+] What if I need to be contacted in an emergency?

The Hambidge offices are open weekdays from 9am to 5pm and in an emergency, the staff will deliver a message to your studio. If you would like to leave a telephone number with friends or family for emergency contact please use the main office number 706-746-7324, and/or supply them with your studio phone number.

[+] How do I receive mail and deliveries?

Your mailing address while you are in residence at Hambidge will be c/o Hambidge, 105 Hambidge Court, Rabun Gap, Georgia 30568. On the main road in front of the Rock House there is a mailbox where mail is delivered around noon. If you are mailing items you may place them in this box and raise the flag for pick-up. Hambidge does not use the mailbox on the road for business, only for residents’ mail. You are responsible for checking it. We get UPS and Fed-Ex deliveries daily and if you are shipping to us or ordering materials, ship to Your Name, c/o Hambidge, 105 Hambidge Court, Rabun Gap GA 30568.

[+] Are there any safety concerns?

Rabun Gap is an extremely low crime area. In fact, the locals typically don't even lock their doors. We do, however, provide a key to your studio in case you'd feel more comfortable locking the door.

[+] Are there nearby emergency facilities?

If you have a chronic health condition that might precipitate a medical emergency considered life threatening, please note the following considerations. The nearest hospital, Mountain Lakes Medical Center is 10 miles away. The Northeast Georgia Physicians Group is a good walk-in clinic in Clayton.