How much do the workshops cost?

Can I extend my stay or arrive earlier than the official workshop dates?

How do I get to the Creativity Workshop from my home town?

Do I need a Passport or a Visa to go to the Creativity Workshops?

How many people attend each Creativity Workshop?

Who teaches the workshops?

How much should I plan to spend on food each day?

Does the Creativity Workshop plan excursions for participants?

Can I bring a friend or family member with me who is not taking the Creativity Workshop?

Do participants attend the Creativity Workshop alone or with friends or family members?

Can family members and friends benefit from taking the Creativity Workshop together?

How long do classes meet each day?

What language is the course taught in?

Do I have to write in English?

Is the Creativity Workshop material different when it is taught in different countries?

Do you have to draw or write well?

Is there homework?

Do participants do things together outside of class?

Who attends the Creativity Workshop?

Is this workshop useful for participants in transitional stages of their lives and retirees?

What is the payment schedule?

Is the Creativity Workshop tax deductible?

Can I obtain credits for professional development by taking the Creativity Workshop?

Can I take the workshop more than one time?

What is the difference between staying in hostels, pensions, or hotels?

Are the workshops handicapped accessible?

Are rooms in the hotels you offer air conditioned?

How is the level of air conditioning?

What kind of clothes and other necessities should I bring?

Do you suggest any particular travel books?

Do you recommend to take travel insurance?

 

How much do the workshops cost?
For updated information please go to our Pricing page.

Can I extend my stay or arrive earlier than the official workshop dates?
Yes, we will give you the contact info for the hotel you have chosen and you will arrange and pay for your extra days directly to the hotel.

How do I get to the Creativity Workshop from my home town?
You are responsible for making your own airline arrangements. We do have an excellent search engine for the best airline prices on our site.
For participants buying our tuition and hotel packages:
We will give you precise instructions in advance of your trip on how to get to your hotel by bus or taxi. There will be a welcome packet waiting for you at your hotel. The next day (the first day of classes) our assistant will pick you up at your hotel and take you to the classroom. After that, you will come to class on your own. Almost all of our accommodations are within 5 - 15 minutes walking distance to the classroom and some of the accomodations are on the site of the classroom.

Do I need a Passport or a Visa to go to the Creativity Workshops?
For US citizens: you need a valid Passport for all our workshops outside the United States. You do not need a Visa to any of our workshop locations.
For non-US citizens: please check with the embassy of the workshop location in your country of origin.

How many people attend each Creativity Workshop?
Classes are about 25 people, in some locations less, in others more. There is always a lot of opportunity to get to know fellow participants, as we do a lot of collaborative exercises. People often comment about the intimacy of our groups and the feelings of nurture and sharing that the teachers encourage. The number of participants may vary due to hotel availability, meeting room size, and when we have friends or family members taking the workshop together.

Who teaches the workshops?
The workshops are taught by Shelley Berc and Alejandro Fogel or our staff of certified Creativity Workshop teachers. Our select group of instructors have been trained by Berc and Fogel. In addition, they have successfully worked in creative fields for many years. For their bios please click here.

How much should I plan to spend on food each day?
It depends on location. We tell people to expect to spend $40 to $60 per day in general. If you do a lot of picnic-in and use local delis, you can expect to spend less.

Does the Creativity Workshop plan excursions for participants?
We do not plan excursions. Our assistant and your hotel will have good information on various local travel agents and tours. Many participants get to know each other in class and do sightseeing together.

Can I bring a friend or family member with me who is not taking the Creativity Workshop?
Yes you can and many participants do. If they are sharing a room with you, the additional cost per night per person depends on what hotel you choose. The average extra charge for each person you are bringing and sharing a room with, averages from $35 - $70 per night.

Do participants attend the Creativity Workshop alone or with friends or family members?
Many people come to the workshop on their own but many also attend with fellow colleagues, friends, or family members. Each workshop is a mix of people who come alone (about 70%) and people who attend together.

Can family members and friends benefit from taking the Creativity Workshop together?
Absolutely. We've had friend, families and colleagues work with us and they have had great experiences. We are careful that they don't end working together all the time and that they are part of the whole group, rather than a sub-culture unto themselves. Families and friends have told us they learned wonderful things about each other that they never would have known had they not taken the workshop together.

How long do classes meet each day?
They meet for 3 to 3.5 hours each day depending on the workshop. In our workshops in Europe and Mexico the package plans include 2 additonal days after the workshop. These 2 days are free for you to explore the area on your own and apply the skills you have learned.

What language is the course taught in?
The Creativity Workshop is taught in English.

Do I have to write in English?
No. You can write in your mother tongue—it is actually more beneficial to do so. Also, for non-native speakers, it is more important to comprehend English than to speak it well.

Is the Creativity Workshop material different when it is taught in different countries?
The basic material stays the same but there are some variations in exercises that involve the location the workshop is given in.

Do you have to draw or write well?
Not at all. The aim of the Creativity Workshop is to help people use drawing and writing to expand their creativity. Writing and drawing are tools to that end, not techniques to master in this workshop. There are no group critiques and the emphasis is on the pleasure of self expression.

Is there homework?
Some days yes, some days no. Plan an average of 30 minutes a day for homework, most of which can be done while sitting at local cafes, parks, or in your room.

Do participants do things together outside of class?
We don’t organize any outside activities, but lots of participants get together outside class, because we prefer natural, impromptu activities for participants. However, we have several group exercises that often lead to people getting together outside of class. Many participants share meals and do sight-seeing together. Past participants often comment on the wonderful friendships they have made while taking the Creativity Workshop.

Who attends the Creativity Workshop?
People from all walks of life and professions, all ages, and many different countries, though the majority are from English speaking countries. Our participants include educators, business people, artists, homemakers, psychologists, health professionals, scientists, and university students.

Is this workshop useful for participants in transitional stages of their lives and retirees?
Yes! People in life transitions (job changes, health changes) often take the Creativity Workshop as it deals with new and innovative ways to reinvent one's self.Many people give up their creative hobbies or endeavors to raise families and then want to go back to them during their pre and post retirement years. So many of our participants who are 50 plus tell us that they are taking the workshop because they finally have the time and money to explore their creative side. Combining a Creativity Workshop with travel to a foreign location is very attractive to people who are curious and explorative in nature, but don't want a physically demanding workshop. The class meets only 3 to 3.5 hours a day, leaving participants the rest of the time to explore the cities or countryside where the Creativity Workshop takes place.

What is the payment schedule?
The payment schedule varies depending on the workshop. You will find a payment schedule on each individual workshop's page, at the bottom, inside a yellow rectangle.

Is the Creativity Workshop tax deductible?
For individuals using the Creativity Workshop for professional development, the workshop (and travel to it) is considered tax deductible under most circumstances. The best thing is to check with your accountant.

Can I obtain credits for professional development by taking the Creativity Workshop?
Through an agreement with The University of Iowa, participants taking the Creativity Workshop outside the United States can obtain credit hours. For more information please click here.
Many educators taking the workshop receive help from The Fund for Teachers to attend our summer workshops in Europe. Recipients receive up to $5,000 each. Also, there maybe financial help from your school district or university. Contact your Professional Development office.

We also offer credit hours for our New York and California workshops through the University of Arizona. For more information please click here.

Can I take the workshop more than one time?
Yes. Many people take the Creativity Workshop several times and find each experience different and inspiring.

What is the difference between staying in hostels, pensions, or hotels?
The difference has to do with the amenities they offer. The less expensive choices tend to have fewer services and amenities. Almost all of our accommodations are within 5 - 15 minutes walking distance to the classroom and some of the accommodations are on the site of the classroom. Our assistant will escort you to class from the hostel on the first day of Workshop.

Are the workshops handicapped accessible?
Our workshops in New York and California are handicapped accessible. Hotels outside the United States may not have the same amenities as U.S. hotels, such as elevators and handicapped rooms. If you have concerns about walking, the availability of elevators or need special accommodations, the workshops located in the U.S. may be more appropriate.

Hostels
Hostels are no frills places in which you often have to share bathrooms and showers, although you will see that some of our hostels offer private rooms and private bathrooms. Hostels often offer the opportunity to meet fellow travelers from all over the world. Hostels usually do not have phones, TV, or A/C in the rooms though their public rooms usually have phones and sometimes Internet access and TV. It is imperative that you arrive before 7 PM at the hostel in Florence to get checked in for the first night.

Pensions
Pensions are a step up in the accommodations world. They are often small, family run affairs. There may be some language challenges between you and the management as some do not speak English.

Hotels
Hotels (standard and superior) usually have A/C, in-room phones, and various other services. You’ll want to check each of our listings for what the hotels offer. There is a big difference in the luxury factor between standard and superior hotels, though both will typically have English speaking attendants, A/C, and telephones in the rooms.
To get a better idea of the differences, please go to our accommodations page.

Are rooms in the hotels you offer air conditioned?
If it is stated in their description they are.

How is the level of air conditioning?
Air conditioning outside the US is a complicated subject. That's why we have this note on our web site:
"We cannot guarantee the quality, cooling level, or functioning of the hotels' air conditioning. Air conditioning in Europe is seldom up to American standards of cool."
This applies even to superior hotels, although the chances of getting better air at a superior hotel are much better.

What kind of clothes and other necessities should I bring?
Casual comfortable attire, good walking shoes. Travel light. This is the most important thing. If you are missing an article of clothing, you can always buy it there. Hand washable clothes are a good idea, as are natural, breathable materials such as cottons and linens. Shorts and pants are popular. Bring a light sweater for the evenings.
VERY IMPORTANT: Do bring a suitcase with rollers—especially in Crete where many of you will be staying in the all pedestrian Old Town and you may have to roll your suitcase from the taxi to the hotel. Make sure you bring any medications or supplements you are taking—they may not be easy to get away from home.

Do you suggest any particular travel books?
There are so many good ones! We like the Lonely Planet and Rough Guides. Lonely Planet does a good job making light weight books focused on the various cities, islands, and provinces in which we hold our workshops. We suggest you spend an afternoon in your local bookstore and see which guides suit your personality and interests, as many guidebooks are specialized for either arts, history, or nature touring.

Do you recommend travel insurance?
Travel insurance is highly recommended.
The Travel Insurance Store (in business since 1989) is a company of travel insurance experts. They sell policies from 5 different travel insurance companies including Travel Guard. They work on salary and not commission so they are focused on finding you the policy most appropriate for your individual needs. They are very clear and patient about answering questions on the phone and they have a very informative site.
You can go to their site: tripinsurancestore.com or call them at 1-888-407-3854.

 

Contact us
1 (831) 915-5209

Creativity Workshop
We can help you learn to be more creative.

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New York June 18 - 21
Crete June 26 - July 4
Barcelona July 5 - 13
Florence July 14 - 22
Carmel November 5 - 8
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Testimonials
"A wonderful way to develop your creativity with like-minded people. The atmosphere is relaxed and respectful. You can join in to your hearts content, participate reflectively, or just sit back and listen."
Nicki Hambleton, Artist and Art Teacher. Lincoln Community School, Accra, Ghana

"The storytelling, the sharing, the collaboration--these were intensely moving and inspiring activities."
Kristina Baer, editor and writer, Monterey, CA
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1 (831) 915-5209