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July 5-11, 2026
Please read carefully and find the link to register at the bottom of this page.
Timing of Arrivals and Departures
Arrive on Sunday July 5. You can arrive as early as 1pm to relax and begin connecting to the land and people. I will be setting up the hall and welcome your help! Please take care of your own lunch. The dining room will be a creative space for making name tags and decorating your drawing folder in the afternoon. You can check into your room at 4pm. Try to arrive by 4:30pm.
We gather for dinner at 6:00pm. The opening session begins at 7:00pm.
Our week closes Saturday July 11. Our last formal session is Friday afternoon July 10. Friday evening we will have dinner in the beautiful Maxwelton Beach picnic area. Enjoy beach walks, conversations, drumming and singing. Linger to watch late summer sunset over the Olympic Mountains. On Saturday morning July 11, you are invited to my home in Langley for breakfast. This relaxed and joyous time is an enriching part of the Gathering, and makes the transition back to ‘ordinary life’ gentler. After breakfast you can wander the seaside village exploring shops, cafes and beach. We will work out ride shares to the shuttle.
If you must depart before Saturday please stay until 3:00pm Friday. The shuttle can also drop you at an airport hotel to catch an early flight on Saturday. if you are able to chose the new airport PAE, your travel time will be greatly reduced.
Lodging
Most rooms are small but have their own magic. There are no private bathrooms. When you register, there will be a text box to communicate preferences and needs. If you want to be in a cabin but must have adjoining bathroom, note this. We will do our best to fulfill your requests. Contact us before you register if you would like to share a room with a double bed.
Meals
Meals are provided Sunday July 5 dinner through Saturday July 11 breakfast. Delicious home cooked, healthy meals are a memorable part of the experience. We are overjoyed to welcome back our beloved Whidbey Institute chef, Christyn. She offers the freshest ingredients, highlighting organic produce from local farms. Most meals are gluten and dairy free, with vegetarian and non-vegetarian options. Unique dietary needs are graciously honored. Be sure to include these on your registration form.
Facilities
We are blessed to have private use of Whidbey Institute, including Thomas Berry Hall, the Forest Sanctuary, Labyrinth and 106 acres with trails. To protect our deep space, the Institute is graciously withholding rental of the other buildings to a second group.
Cost of Lodging, Meals & Facilities for 6 Nights
The price for each lodging choice includes $758 for meals, facilities and registration fees. Tuition is separate and will be added to this amount. See photos of lodging options.
Private Cabin $1,688 plus tax
Shared Cabin $1,364 plus tax
Private Farmhouse $1,562 plus tax
Shared Farmhouse $1,241 plus tax
Camping $878 plus tax
Commuter $758 plus tax
Tuition
Tuition includes high quality morning through evening program, an exceptionally available facilitator and a generous supply of art materials. Though the cost of being at Whidbey Institute has gone up over the years, tuition remains the same, with the addition of a lower price option. Chose the tier that best matches your ability to pay. The supported tuition option is a self-selected scholarship. If you are able to pay for a private room, please consider choosing at least the standard tuition. When you register, the tuition choices are in a separate segment of the form. Please be sure to open it and choose your tuition. If you miss this segment, your registration will be completed without tuition and they will have to contact you to complete the payment.
Supported Tuition $495 by March 7 – $595 March 8 and after
Standard Tuition $695 by March 7 – $795 March 8 and after
Supporting Tuition $895 by March 7 – $995 March 8 and after
Registration Deadline June 28
Whidbey Institute closes the registration form after June 28. Please do your best to complete your registration by then. To register after June 28, contact the Center for Touch Drawing. We can send you a late-registration form.
Financial Policies
Whidbey Institute handles the registration process. The registration link is at the bottom of this page. You can choose to pay a deposit of 50% if you register by March 7. On March 8 and after, your full payment will be charged. Whidbey Institute will refund all payments if you cancel by midnight March 7. No refunds are given for cancellations after that.
I am aware that there are varying situations and needs. If you are not able to pay the full balance at the time of registration or prefer to pay by check to avoid credit card fees, please contact the Center for Touch Drawing before registering to arrange this.
I do not want concerns about non-refundable payments to deter you from registering. I know there could be a health issue or family crisis that requires you to cancel. If you must cancel after March 7, contact the Center for Touch Drawing. I can offer a private refund of your tuition or credit towards a future Gathering. I would consider sponsoring further refund given the cause and financial need. Or your payments could be used to provide a scholarship, which would be a great blessing to someone.
Scholarships
The option of ‘supported tuition’ offers a very low price for the quality and length of this event. This is a self-selected scholarship. The choice of ‘supporting tuition’ helps balance this out. The Center for Touch Drawing offers a limited number of tuition scholarships as well as room price reductions. We also sponsor a couple of full room, board and tuition scholarships. Priority recipients are people in younger generations (20-40’s) who are interested in facilitating Touch Drawing in diverse settings. We need a next generation to keep Touch Drawing alive! If you consider yourself a potential scholarship recipient, please email us with a description of your background and interest. Let us know if you are requesting a tuition scholarship, room price reduction or a full scholarship.
If you wish to make a donation to scholarships for this year’s Gathering, click on the link below. An offering of any amount is greatly appreciated! The reality is that most of the tuition paid by participants covers the cost of the scholarships given. My time as organizer and facilitator has become a volunteer love-offering.
DONATE TO THE TOUCH DRAWING SCHOLARSHIP FUND
Health Policies
We will provide covid tests when you arrive for no extra cost if deemed appropriate at the time. Our local walk-in clinic can now do high quality testing for covid and other illnesses with a 30 minute result. If you have any symptoms we will advise and support you to get tested in the interests of protecting the group. We request that you wear a mask during travel if you fly.
Travel – Read Before Reserving a Flight
Whidbey Island is 30 miles north of Seattle, Washington, with a twenty-minute ferry ride from Mukilteo to Clinton. Whidbey Institute is 10 minutes from the ferry dock. Read about travel options and arrival.
The major airport is SEATAC. Without traffic, it is about a 50 minutes drive to the ferry, but there might be ferry lines and traffic. Avoid all that with the Whidbey Seatac Shuttle. The optimal shuttles depart SEATAC at 12:00, 1:30 and 3:00. Flights should arrive an hour before the shuttle departs. Please notify us of your shuttle reservation. We will have a driver waiting for you at the Langley/Clinton stop. There is a new airport called Everett PAE. It is about 12 minutes from the Mukilteo Ferry. Take an Uber from PAE to the ferry and walk on. Notify us of you planned arrival time and we can have a driver waiting to meet you at the ferry pick-up location. More detailed travel information comes with confirmation of your registration.
Main Gathering • Testimonials • What We Do • FAQ’s
Questions about the program, scholarships or payment variations,
The Center for Touch Drawing center@touchdrawing.com
Questions about the facility, travel, food, registration
Whidbey Institute (360)341-1884 or registration@whidbeyinstitute.org
READ THE WHIDBEY INSTITUTE WELCOME LETTER