Frequently Asked Questions

Your Sicily Artist Retreats package will vary slightly depending on which workshop you’re attending. Generally, your tuition costs cover five days of intensive studio work with our faculty, three or more day trips around western Sicily for plein air painting, hotel lodging with breakfast included, lunch every day, and several celebratory dinners. It also covers transportation to and from the airport, to and from our studio, and some painting materials.

We ask a 50 percent deposit of the total cost of your workshop as a confirmation of your booking. (Of course, you can pay the entire sum upfront if you prefer.) The deposit is non-refundable. If you need to cancel your reservation, we ask that you inform us at least 30 days in advance; we cannot refund payments within 30 days of the workshop’s start date. Financial fees related to cancellation are not refundable. Please consult our terms and conditions, and feel free to contact us with any questions.

You will need clothes for painting both in studio and in the field. You may need to walk and carry materials on a few days. Spring and autumn in Marsala are warm, with cool evenings and occasional blustery weather; summer is hot and dry. We also recommend bringing something smarter to change into for group dinners as well, and a bathing suit.

Our studio provides many basic materials, like solvents and studio easels. You will need to bring paint and brushes, though, according to the needs of your specific workshop. Please consult the materials list in your welcome packet for further details. Other materials will be available for purchase at the Sicily Artist Retreats studio.

Naturally, if you’re not an EU resident, you will need a valid passport.

All transportation between your lodging and our studio will be by charter bus. We also arrange pickup and drop off at Palermo’s Punta Raisi International Airport (PMO); please consult your welcome package for further details. You will not need to rent a car, but do consult us if you prefer to have independent means. Your hotel hosts may be able to arrange transportation for you as needed. Sicily has underdeveloped public transit, so we ask that participants reach out to their point of contact for any further needs or in case of emergency.

Certainly, but please consult with us -- our partners and vendors need to know how many people they’re taking care of.

No! Obviously speaking Italian in Italy is a tremendous advantage, but our workshops are conducted in English. All Sicily Artist Retreats staff and vendors speak English as well.

Participants can bring a non-participating partner for an additional lodging and transportation cost. Please let us know as soon as possible if you’d like to come in company.

Not a problem. Please let us know as soon as possible and we will accommodate you as best we can.

Yes! Our plein air sessions will bring you to places of staggering beauty along Sicily’s western coast. Our ten day workshops can also make an ideal part of a longer sightseeing holiday; we are happy to recommend places to visit in the area.

Unfortunately, they currently are not.

All of our faculty are hand-picked for experience, teaching at schools like the New York Art Students League. We trust them to direct each workshop according to their own specialties, while offering meaningful feedback and direction to every single participant.

Our workshops are no larger than 15 people, ensuring maximal attention for each participant from our instructors. Historically, we’ve averaged about ten participants per workshop.

Your welcome packet will include the phone numbers of our studio, teacher assistants, and our on-the-ground operations manager; it will also include emergency phone numbers and other useful information. Of course, you can always reach out to us at info@artistretreats.com with any questions.

Ask away! You can reach us at hello@feathermode.com.