A restorative retreat for music professionals unable to work or in work transition due to physical or mental ill health.

Reconnect. Recover. Rebuild.

The Creative Practice Renewal Programme is an artist‑centred, residential retreat designed and delivered in partnership by Britten Pears Arts, The Royal Society of Musicians, and British Association of Performing Arts Medicine (BAPAM).

This programme offers a rare opportunity to step away from pressure, reconnect with your creative identity, and develop a supported, sustainable pathway for your future.

The retreat will take place 1 – 6 October 2026 at Britten Pears Arts, Snape Maltings. All accommodation and food will be provided and UK travel reimbursed. There will also be two online coaching sessions and a follow up two-day retreat in March 2027. Applicants should be able to attend all elements. 

There are eight places available for this programme. 

This programme is facilitated by Strategic Advisor for Britten Pears Arts, Katherine Zeserson. 

The programme is aimed at music professionals whose lives have been impacted by physical or mental ill health which is affecting their ability to work. Whether you are working as a performer, administrator, technician or teacher or anything in between, this programme is aimed at those who are:

• unable to work or are struggling to sustain your current practice
• feeling at risk of leaving the music profession
• well enough and motivated to take part in a five‑day residential programme
• working across the music profession or professionally active within the world of music and earn the majority of your income from the music profession for a period of not less than three years preceding your application
• of British nationality or have been resident in the United Kingdom for not less than this three-year period

If you are navigating a difficult period in your career or are at a tipping point and need space, support and understanding to find your way forward, this programme is here for you. This is an opportunity to reframe or rebuild your career.

This is not a therapeutic or clinical retreat. It is a carefully designed personal development and coaching programme, shaped by the lived experience of music professionals and delivered by people who understand the realities of creative work.

Over a five‑day residential retreat at Snape Maltings, you will take part in a balanced mix of:

• creative sessions to deepen reflection
• coaching support informed by specialist performing arts practitioners
• peer support reducing isolation and building trust with fellow musicians
• restorative practices including guided rest, gentle movement, and time in nature to explore the beauty of Snape Maltings situated on the banks of the River Alde and surrounded by reed beds and walks
• perspective building to reflect on your career, re-inspire your artistic instincts and address any technical, physical or psychological challenges they may be facing, with input from BAPAM specialist practitioners including assessments and personalised action planning, where appropriate

Community building where we live and cook together is an important element of the programme.
The programme continues beyond the retreat itself, with two follow‑up coaching sessions online, an online group session and a two‑day reconnection gathering later in the year to help you embed what you’ve learned and stay connected to your peer group. 

All accommodation, food and travel are included.

Set within the tranquil landscape of the Suffolk coast, Snape Maltings is an internationally recognised cultural site with a deep musical heritage. Surrounded by nature and purpose‑built creative spaces, it offers a calm, nurturing environment where many musicians find it easier to rest, reflect, and rediscover why they connect with music in the first place. 

While everyone’s journey is different, we aim for this programme to support:

• improved mental and physical wellbeing
• renewed confidence in creative and professional identity
• practical tools for managing health challenges
• clearer, more realistic routes back to professional activity
• strong, lasting peer connections with other music professionals

Participants are selected through a supportive application process designed in partnership with BAPAM, ensuring the programme is right for each individual and that group dynamics are safe and constructive. This will involve an online application and semi structured interviews.

Applications open from 13 April until 31 May 2026. Places are fully funded and limited to a small cohort to ensure a high level of care and individual attention.

Applicants will be informed if they have been shortlisted by the end of June. Online interviews will be held during July and August.