DATE:
19 - 21 February 2027
LOCATION:
Double House Farm, Somerset
PRICE: Free! funded by Youth Music
INCLUDES: Workshops, accommodation, all meals and travel bursaries where needed.
Three days of making, sharing and getting a little bit braver
Escape to the Somerset countryside for three days of songwriting, creativity and connection with other developing songwriters.
You’ll write together, try new things, share ideas and make some noise - with plenty of good food, fresh air and time to simply be.
Come as you are, leave with new songs, new confidence and new people in your corner.
What to expect from your retreat
No two CHORUS retreats are exactly the same, but you can expect a mixture of collaborative songwriting, creative challenges, vocal work, games, discussion and plenty of time to make music together.
We’ll move between whole-group sessions, smaller writing groups, space to work independently or simply take a breather.
There’ll be optional morning movement to wake us up, playful songwriting prompts, lyric and melody challenges, opportunities to share your work and space to explore your own creative practice.
You might find yourself writing a chorus with a roomful of strangers, turning a completely ridiculous song brief into something brilliant, swapping lyrics with a new friend, or discovering that the idea you nearly threw away becomes your favourite one.
Evenings are for food, songshares, games, singing and hanging out - and there’s always some time built in to wander, rest or do your own thing.
The retreat is facilitated by Anna Anise and Jennifer Lourea, with opportunities for participants to share their own skills, songs and ideas along the way.
In the heart of beautiful, rural Somerset stands Double House Farm, looking out over fields and the Somerset Levels towards Glastonbury Tor and the Mendip Hills.
The three cottages have been tastefully developed from the farm’s stone barns and outbuildings to offer comfortable accommodation of exceptional quality in an idyllic and peaceful setting.
It's an unrivalled spot for a short break or retreat as includes the use of a workshop hall and numerous cosy living room space.
Based in the somerset countryside
LOCATION
food and feasting
We take food seriously at CHORUS. Meals will be vegetarian and provided by Blue Lias Catering, a local caterer with a focus on foraged, local and seasonal produce.
Expect generous, nourishing, homemade-style food to keep you fuelled through all that writing, singing and thinking — previous retreats have included things like fresh soup and bread for lunch, and big communal dishes such as daal, curry and rice for dinner.
Breakfast will be available from around 8am, with lunch at around 1pm and dinner around 6.30pm, plus tea, coffee, and plenty of opportunities to make yourself a cuppa throughout the day.
We’ll collect your dietary requirements and allergies when you register and make sure the caterers have everything they need, and if you have a particularly specific diet or need extra snacks, you’re very welcome to bring some provisions of your own.
There’s also a well-equipped kitchen and a lovely communal dining space, so grabbing a drink, making toast or sitting down for a chat is always an option.
nom nom nom!
You’ll be staying right at Double House Farm for the whole retreat, so once you arrive, you can properly settle in and forget about commuting anywhere.
The accommodation is cosy, organic, unique and secluded, with shared bedrooms mostly; some rooms have bunk beds and the bathrooms are shared.
You can let us know about any access requirements or sleeping preferences when you register. Breakfast starts from around 8am and the day's activities begin at around 9.30–9.45am.
There’s no expectation that you’ll spend every waking moment in a workshop, even though we have plenty planned for you - the programme includes downtime to wander, sit in the garden, write, nap, chat, read or simply stare at the Devon countryside for a bit.
Early riser? Go enjoy the quiet. Night owl? Stay up and chat or write. There’s structure to hold the weekend together, and space to make it your own.
SLEEP & DOWNTIME
ZZZ...
the team behind the retreat
anna anise
Anna Anise is a Cornish singer-songwriter and folk musician whose work draws on the stories, language and traditions of her homeland, singing in both English and Cornish. Anna holds a first-class degree in Songwriting from BIMM Bristol and is a Churchill Fellow, which saw her researching songwriting camps and retreats across the USA. She has performed widely across the UK, including at Green Man Festival and London’s Green Note, and has undertaken artist residencies at Hawkwood College, Brisons Veor and Halsway Manor. As a songwriter and facilitator, Anna is passionate about creating generous, supportive spaces where artists can take creative risks, develop their practice and find confidence through collaboration. She brings warmth, curiosity and a deep belief in the power of songwriting to connect us.
Jennifer lourea
Jennifer Lourea is a musician, songwriter, facilitator and ecological practitioner working at the meeting point of creative practice and land-based thinking. Her work weaves gentle folk songwriting with ecological care, deepening our relationship with our inner and outer landscapes and the more-than-human world. Her debut album, Reforest Your Dreams, was written during her time living in a cork oak forest in rural Portugal, each song an ode to that landscape and the way it shaped her. Jennifer is also an experienced facilitator, passionate about creating spaces for people to slow down and reconnect with nature. Her approach is soft, grounded and deeply attentive, inviting people home to the earth, the senses and their own inner landscapes through song and creative practice.
The retreat is facilitated by Anna Anise and Jennifer Lourea
If you fancy three days of collaborative songwriting, workshops, good food and making new friends in the countryside...
Free · Ages 18–25 · Women & gender-diverse developing songwriters · 15 places
PAST EVENTS
Each year we’ve developed something new in line with the interests of our alumni, as we’ve grown alongside community. It’s grown slowly and intentionally into what you see today. The time it’s taken to get here has meant that each step has been considered and carefully crafted with developing songwriters and musicians in mind.
We’ve been running songwriting retreats since 2020. What started an online collaborative space, soon became a camping experience in 2021, and evolved into our country house or glamping experience over the years to follow. We’ve always had collaboration, connection and confidence at the forefront, so although the location has changed, the ethos of lifting each other up, celebrating our unique creative voices and weaving a community that can continue to support eachother has always been at the core.
The Journey So Far
This retreat is funded by Youth Music
This retreat is funded by the incredible Youth Music, the UK’s leading young people’s music charity. Youth Music works to break down barriers and equalise access to music, supporting young people facing inequity, exclusion and discrimination to make, learn and earn through music. We’re hugely grateful for their investment in the next generation of musicians.
Reflect and sort through your own thoughts and reconnect with music
PRIVACY POLICY
