Salmon
Creek
Arts
- 🔔 RENTALS: 1 or 2 week cabin stays offered between arts programs through August. Info & inquiries here!
- 🌾 WORKSHOPS: applications now open for Land Project Convening.
- 🎏 SCHOOLS OF SALMON CREEK: Applications closed for the Fall 2026 session. 2027 session to be announced in December.
Salmon Creek Arts runs the year round arts community at Salmon Creek Farm, a sanctuary of precious riparian and coast redwood habitat on Central Pomo land established as a counterculture commune in 1971, now a long term living art project shaped by many hands.
We cultivate expanding communities of artists, each coming with something to offer the commune, learning from each other and the land. There is time to slow down, space to take a step back, the chance to live close to the land, to participate in its cycles, dwelling in modest hand-crafted spaces within a communal free-range wild wooded environment.
Our central program Schools of Salmon Creek is a free two month land-based student-run school focused on the living arts related to body, craft, food, land, shelter, and stewardship.
Salmon Creek Farm is located on 33 acres of second and third growth redwoods two miles from California’s Mendocino Coast. Old logging roads and foot trails criss-cross south facing slopes from sunny meadows, gardens, orchards, communal outdoor kitchen, and dance deck on top, to eight original commune cabins each nestled in their own nook of the terrain, across a ravine that bisects the land to abandoned off-grid cabins, and finally down to Big Salmon Creek in the valley. It is an especially good spot to feel your small place in the big cycles of life on earth.
Salmon Creek Farm has been informally offering arts programs in a similar spirit since 2014, and now as an independent self-sustaining 501(c)3 non-profit organization, SCA takes over year-round operations - and eventually ownership - of Salmon Creek Farm.
EMAIL office(at)salmoncreekarts(dot)org
EMAIL office(at)salmoncreekarts(dot)org
Salmon Creek
🌈 🐾 Stays
Salmon Creek Farm is a 33 acre sanctuary of precious riparian and coastal redwood forest habitat, on Central Pomo land. In 1971 a commune was established during turbulent times by a group of young visionaries seeking less extractive and more intentional ways of living in what came to be known as Albion Nation. Now in the hands of the 501c3 Salmon Creek Arts, we imagine this sanctuary serving as a pocket of light, where you might journey to refuel for what it is we need to do on the planet.
We are offering cabin rentals between our arts workshop and school programs, with 1 to 2 week stays from May through August and 1 to 3 month stays from November through February. There is the possibility for both deep solitude - in private handcrafted iconic cozy cabins nestled among the coastal redwoods - and sociability with others sharing the land, and our wider community on California’s stunning Mendocino Coast. Read through to the end before requesting a stay...
Come with an intention for how you want to ‘spend’ your time, perhaps to take a step back for some critical distance from your daily life, a chance to create something new, a tranquil place to work remotely, or even a pause from projects and productivity altogether.
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Cabins are reached by foot trails across 33 acres of south-facing coastal redwoods. Each occupies a unique secluded nook in our south-facing wooded slope. They are rustic (ie, a mouse may occasionally find it’s way in and something will need to be done) but they were lovingly built, rebuilt, repaired, furnished, and embellished by many hands over the years with scavenged and thrifted local materials.
Everyone on the land is in touch by group chat to announce meals, invite each other over, ask for help with something, organize an event, say “hey I’m going to town if anyone needs anything,” etc. The kitchen, dining room, and lounge at Dawn cabin; the OK (outdoor kitchen) and Dance Deck; along with the fruit orchard are open to communal use.
- You need a car to reach us and for the duration of your stay.
- Accessibility issues with all cabins, remote from cars and reached on foot.
- Cabins have fast wifi, kitchenettes, outdoor showers, outhouses, bedding, and wood stove heat (Sep-May only).
- Private kitchenettes have small fridge, sink, all utensils, drip/french coffee makers and grinder, and cook stove (most without oven). Meals not included.
- No guests or drop-in visitors though partners may visit for any amount of time.
- Queers only weeks are scheduled based on interest.
- Guests pack out their own refuse and prepare beds for next guests.
WEEKLY (May-Aug)
Arrivals exclusively Mondays 3-6pm and departures by 11am Sundays. Rates (1wk/2wks):
MONTHLY (Nov-Feb)
Arrivals exclusively on 1st of month noon-4pm and departures last day of month by noon. RATES:
WORKSHOP:
Land Project
Convening &
Dreaming 🌾
Session 1: Mon, Jan 26th to Sun, Feb 1st
Next session TBA
It was a leap of faith into the unknown world of un-programmed living, a crucial step in breaking away from a bondage so familiar we didn't even know there was another way. (Sometimes the only way to begin something new is to stop what you're doing. Just stop - without knowing what comes next.) ...Now that I'm here I can say with conviction that I know of no way of preparing to live on earth short of jumping in and doing it, and doing it as simply as possible.
- River, co-founder of Salmon Creek Farm, from Dwelling, 1974
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For the first time we are hosting a special week long program for folks anywhere on the path to setting down the roots of a land project - from modest homestead to ambitious commune. We have learned so much from our experiences here since 2014 at Salmon Creek Farm, and from the original communards - a few of them now neighbors - who established the commune in 1971. Over the years we have heard from many of you who are dreaming and plotting to live closer to the land in some way yourselves. It seems to be a ripe moment to re-examine this back-to-the-land impulse and provide the space for those on their way to come together to share our stories and skills. As artists we are interested in imagining new worlds and ways of living, the entire spectrum from the practicalities of daily survival to the aesthetic possibilities of our environments, from the philosophies that guide us, to the cultural nature of our seasonal chores, routines, and rituals.
We start with a tour and detailed orientation to the history and current life on the land at Salmon Creek Farm: the Coastal Redwoods we are under, the Central Pomo land we are on, the counter-culture commune remains that we live in, and today’s non-profit land-based arts program. We’ll spend time with the Salmon Creek Farm archives, including the original charter, weekly meeting minutes, legal documents, and correspondence - a fascinating insight into daily communal life and the struggles of consensus group decision making. A few of the original Salmon Creek communards - now in their 70’s and 80’s - will join us to share their stories from the early days.
Each participant offers an informal presentation of their own land projects, future plans, or dreams. Together we’ll create a plan for the month based on the workshops, field trips, and reading discussions proposed by each participant.
General topics may include:
Next session TBA
It was a leap of faith into the unknown world of un-programmed living, a crucial step in breaking away from a bondage so familiar we didn't even know there was another way. (Sometimes the only way to begin something new is to stop what you're doing. Just stop - without knowing what comes next.) ...Now that I'm here I can say with conviction that I know of no way of preparing to live on earth short of jumping in and doing it, and doing it as simply as possible.
- River, co-founder of Salmon Creek Farm, from Dwelling, 1974
For the first time we are hosting a special week long program for folks anywhere on the path to setting down the roots of a land project - from modest homestead to ambitious commune. We have learned so much from our experiences here since 2014 at Salmon Creek Farm, and from the original communards - a few of them now neighbors - who established the commune in 1971. Over the years we have heard from many of you who are dreaming and plotting to live closer to the land in some way yourselves. It seems to be a ripe moment to re-examine this back-to-the-land impulse and provide the space for those on their way to come together to share our stories and skills. As artists we are interested in imagining new worlds and ways of living, the entire spectrum from the practicalities of daily survival to the aesthetic possibilities of our environments, from the philosophies that guide us, to the cultural nature of our seasonal chores, routines, and rituals.
We start with a tour and detailed orientation to the history and current life on the land at Salmon Creek Farm: the Coastal Redwoods we are under, the Central Pomo land we are on, the counter-culture commune remains that we live in, and today’s non-profit land-based arts program. We’ll spend time with the Salmon Creek Farm archives, including the original charter, weekly meeting minutes, legal documents, and correspondence - a fascinating insight into daily communal life and the struggles of consensus group decision making. A few of the original Salmon Creek communards - now in their 70’s and 80’s - will join us to share their stories from the early days.
Each participant offers an informal presentation of their own land projects, future plans, or dreams. Together we’ll create a plan for the month based on the workshops, field trips, and reading discussions proposed by each participant.
General topics may include:
- Communal Organizing
- Community Relations
- Climate Considerations
- Design & Planning
- Financial & Legal Arrangements
- Indigenous Awareness
- Land Search Criteria
- Publishing & Sharing Stories
- Role of Art, Culture, and Ritual
- Construction & Carpentry
- Compost & Humanure
- Firewood Processing
- Food Cultivation
- Habitat Restoration
- Land Stewardship
- Solar & Off-grid Systems
- Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK)
- Water Systems
Photos from the Salmon Creek Archives
Before arrivals we’ll post a reading list comprised of the publications, resources, and references proposed by each of the participants to prepare for our time. The week living on the land together will be an illuminating introduction to all of the various joys and complexities of communal living: taking turns cooking and cleaning dishes, tending fires and compost, and so on…
Welcoming those of any skill/experience level and anywhere on their path to land...
- A dream for the future
- Starting to scheme
- Looking for land
- Have land but not there yet
- On the land and doing it
...come prepared with something to share with the group.
Stay in our seven self-sufficient modest homespun guest cabins are reached by foot trails across 33 acres of south-facing coastal redwoods. Each occupies a unique secluded nook in our south-facing wooded slope. They were lovingly built, rebuilt, repaired, furnished, and embellished by many hands over the years with scavenged local materials. They are cute, cozy, comfortable, well appointed, and pretty rustic (ie. an occasional mouse may find it’s way in and something will have to be done). All feature equipped kitchenettes, new wood stoves, bedding/towels, hot outdoor showers, outhouses, and fast wifi. Also open to guests: communal outdoor kitchen/dining, triangle dance deck, and hiking trail down to Salmon Creek.
Workshop activities will be scheduled for around four hours per day on weekdays, leaving afternoons open for exploring, resting, reading, writing, and dreaming.
Stay in our seven self-sufficient modest homespun guest cabins are reached by foot trails across 33 acres of south-facing coastal redwoods. Each occupies a unique secluded nook in our south-facing wooded slope. They were lovingly built, rebuilt, repaired, furnished, and embellished by many hands over the years with scavenged local materials. They are cute, cozy, comfortable, well appointed, and pretty rustic (ie. an occasional mouse may find it’s way in and something will have to be done). All feature equipped kitchenettes, new wood stoves, bedding/towels, hot outdoor showers, outhouses, and fast wifi. Also open to guests: communal outdoor kitchen/dining, triangle dance deck, and hiking trail down to Salmon Creek.
Workshop activities will be scheduled for around four hours per day on weekdays, leaving afternoons open for exploring, resting, reading, writing, and dreaming.
More info: SCF website // Coast redwoods // Indigenous Pomo // Mendocino Coast // Commune history // Cabin accommodations // Life with the land at SCF // Further reference, articles, and videos.
Our programs are offered as affordably as possible while we fundraise for a scholarship fund. In the mean time we invite those who can afford more to contribute towards discounts for applicants of historically marginalized communities (especially BIPOC).
︎ Applications Closed ︎