Because Crafting Freedom is a “residential” educational experience in which participants benefit from being part of a “learning community,” we urge everyone to stay at the Workshop Hotel including “locals.” However, sometimes participants who live within a commutable distance desire to commute in each day.

If you decide to commute from home or if you decide to to stay in the area with a friend or relative and commute you will receive a stipend for $600, not $1200. Here’s the NEH policy about this:

Stipend provisions: Only those participants who incur housing costs in a residential workshop week will receive a stipend of $1200. All commuting participants who incur no housing costs, regardless of workshop type, will receive a stipend of $600.

Also, if you decide to commute it is your responsibility to be on time at all required activities, including evening activities. A pro-rata’d portion of your stipend will be deducted for each hour of workshop activity missed. An hour begins after 15 minutes of being late. Also, the tour bus will not wait for anyone who is late.