196. Teaching International Art Retreats - the teacher’s perspective

A LOT changed for me in 2025. Most notably, I started teaching international workshops / art retreats. Getting paid to travel and make art sounds glamorous, but there’s way more to it.

I’ve now had time to digest my 2025 retreats, and have two more this year, and planning three in 2027.

Let’s chat about it.

Sketching at our France art retreat

“Traveling for work” had always been a dream of mine, but I had brushed it off as a far away goal. Something that future Sarah could figure out.

A venue with a view is ideal!

What exactly goes into planning a workshop or art retreat?

A weekend workshop is a little simpler. Usually you book a studio location and everyone shows up from 9am-5pm (ish). You might provide lunch, or maybe not. But mostly people are figuring out their own logistics.

My first piece of advice would be to attend a workshop to experience it yourself. Get a feel for what they are typically like. Some students attend many workshops per year so they have certain expectations.

An art retreat is much more involved. It’s a retreat from everyday life. The students show up and everything is taken care of. They pay a lump sum and the money is used to book EVERYTHING: Venue, food, field trips, etc.

Sarah teaching plein air in France

First, you need a venue. Somewhere comfortable you can settle in for a week. Somewhere that can accommodate many types of needs. A place with a chef that can cater to several dietary restrictions in each meal. A place with an attentive and trustworthy staff. A location with an secure indoor studio space with good lighting and ventillation. As a bonus for me (for plein air) the venue would have an amazing view to paint.

The venue is the most challenging piece of the puzzle. Some places look great online but in person might be a totally different experience. Do you go in person to vet them or trust online reviews? Have others done retreats there?

Depending on the location, people might have to take multiple flights to get there and maybe even a taxi, bus, or train. Do you require them to arrange their own transportation from the airport to the venue? Or do you cover that? If so, do you pick everyone up at the airport at once or arrange multiple buses?

For field trips, do you hire a small or large bus? How many hours? How long is the bus ride. Is there a bathroom break?

Lastly, consider if you want the venue all to yourselves, or if you’re willing to “share” the experience with strangers- like at a larger resort. At the least you should have a lockable studio room booked just for your students that can be the “home base” for your lessons.

Studio session

Logistics Companies

The logistical considerations haunted me when I thought about starting this journey. I desperately wanted to experience what it was like to teach an international art retreat but didn’t know how to start.

Then a company, Uptrek, contacted me with a proposal for teaching in France. It sounded way too good to be true. Go to France for a week, teach enthusiastic artists, and get paid?

Uptrek does an amazing job with very personalized attention. They handled all the logistics: transportation, bookings, the field trips, the food, the money, everything. During the week they were available 24/7 for questions and concerns.

In short, they made it happen!

So if you are interested in teaching a retreat, search for logistic travel companies.

Group plein air sketch session at Granada, Spain

Curriculum

Once they sent their proposal, I didn’t hesitate long before accepting. Then the real work began.

We needed to have a day-by-day schedule ready before we published our retreat, to make sure students knew exactly what to expect. Managing expectations is critical from the very beginning.

Uptrek and I spent weeks going back and forth with ideas to settle on our daily itinerary. They had to book the excursions which needed to be paid in advance.

Once we had a schedule I could hone in on my specific curriculum, on my own. I’m a bit of a control freak with my teaching and I wanted to leave nothing to chance.

Since my workshops include plein air (painting outside) I knew there was a chance weather could disrupt my plans. Having studio lessons ready to go was key, and I definitely ended up using those a lot too.

Plein air session in France

Our days were divided into morning and afternoon art sessions. Each was about three-four hours which is a nice amount of time for lessons. So I planned out at least two studio lessons per day, just in case. I pre-printed all of our references because I didn’t want to rely on everyone having a phone with internet for digital photos. Students could work before and after as well, and I was often around for questions after-hours.

Watching the sunset after a long day of painting

After Hours for Teachers

One of my biggest lessons came from managing my energy. I’m not used to socializing all day, let alone for 7 days in a row. So I knew that would really drain my energy. Not in a bad way, just that it was something I needed to prepare for.

In addition, teaching and painting is mentally exhausting. If you paint for 4 solid hours, you’ll feel it. Add in teaching and it’s a whole new level! So it became critical that I protect my energy by regularly resting during free time.

I’ve always struggled with a sore throat if I talk a lot. To manage hours and hours of talking, I had to carry a water bottle with me and sip constantly. I also had endless cups of herbal tea, and Ricola drops which really helped. During breaks and after hours, I went somewhere quiet and rested. Sometimes I was with the group, but I was just less talkative (they totally understood) or sometimes I went to my room to rest. My mental stamina was tested, but I was able to get through the week without burning out.

Final Thoughts

Don’t get me wrong - it was luxurious. It was everything I dreamed and more!

But I’ve never been so tired in my life. 😂

I have spoken with artists who tried teaching workshops and retreats and ended up hating it. I’m happy to say I found the opposite. I am so looking forward to future retreats and even weekend workshops.

I loved exploring new places with other artists. Sharing that excitement was wonderful. I really loved interacting with students, and especially helping them progress throughout the week. Being able to show a technique in person makes such a difference! Nothing beats seeing the paint moving up-close.

Well…except maybe cake.

Have you attended a weekend workshop or art retreat? If so I’d love to read about it in the comments. What did you gain from it?