Moondancer Fellowship

The 2026 Moondancer Fellowship for Environmental and Nature Writers

The Writers’ Colony at Dairy Hollow is pleased to announce the official opening of applications for the 2026 Moondancer Fellowship. Designed for authors who express their passion for the natural world and address vital environmental issues through their work, this fellowship supports poets, fiction writers, playwrights, screenwriters, essayists, memoirists, and columnists alike. Prior publication is not required. Applicants will be evaluated on insight, honesty, literary merit, and the potential for future publication or production.

The Moondancer Fellowship is made possible through the generous sponsorship of the late Elise Roenigk, a longtime WCDH board member, given in loving memory of her husband, Marty Roenigk. WCDH is honored to carry their legacy forward through the writers this fellowship supports.

The selected fellow will receive a complimentary two-week stay at The Writers’ Colony at Dairy Hollow in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, allowing uninterrupted focus on their writing project. Travel to and from Eureka Springs is the responsibility of the fellow. Each private suite provides a peaceful atmosphere complete with a bedroom, private bathroom, separate writing space, and high-speed wireless internet. Fellows enjoy a supportive creative environment with dinners prepared six nights a week, access to a fully stocked community kitchen, and the opportunity to connect with a community of fellow professional writers.

Application Details & Timeline

Applications open: September 1, 2026
Applications close: October 31, 2026 at 11:59 PM CST
Application requirements: A writing sample proposing one distinct project, plus a non-refundable $35 application fee. Writers submitting multiple projects must complete a separate application for each proposal.
Judging period: November – December 2026
Winner announced: December 2026
Residency must be completed within one year of the award announcement.

Volunteer Readers

We are currently looking for individuals interested in reading applications for the Moondancer Fellowship and future fellowship cycles.Volunteer readers help review submissions and play a meaningful role in selecting the writer who will carry this fellowship’s legacy forward. No publishing background required, just a love of good writing and a thoughtful eye.

Interested in serving as a reader? Apply to be a Moondancer Reader.

Flavors of the South Fellowship: Celebrating Southern Food Culture & Storytelling

Applications for this fellowship are now closed. Thank you to everyone who submitted an application for our inaugural Flavors of the South fellowship, the response was wonderful to see. We also want to extend a huge thank-you to the volunteer readers who gave their time and careful attention to every submission. Meet them below.

Meet our inaugural Flavors of the South fellow, Trelani Michelle, on our Fellowship Winners page.

Full Guidelines & How to Apply

The Writers’ Colony at Dairy Hollow is excited to announce the Flavors of the South Fellowship — a new residency celebrating writers whose work explores the food, culture, and stories of the American South. Fellows will enjoy a two-week stay in our acclaimed culinary suite, plus a $1,500 unrestricted stipend.

Applications open April 1, 2026, and close June 30, 2026 at 11:59 PM CST.

Who Should Apply?

This fellowship welcomes writers at any career stage whose work engages with Southern food culture, culinary history, food justice, memoir, fiction, journalism, or any genre that connects food and story.

What to Prepare Your application will include: