Live your best creative life
Set at our 18th-century château in Normandy, Coalescence invites young creatives to explore the joy of collaborative making across disciplines.
Each day blends creative practice, cultural exploration, storytelling, and reflection. Together, you’ll weave film, music, dance, drawing, design, and photography into a shared tapestry of creative discovery — a journey you’ll take as an ensemble.
Throughout the program, we create The Coalescence Anthology, a collective publication that captures the essence of our time together — part zine, part time capsule, and part field guide to intentional living.
You’ll leave France with a beautifully designed creative piece and a portfolio of essays, images, and reflections that tell your story — a tangible record of your growth and a launching point for what comes next.
See the world like an artist
At Coalescence, creativity isn’t something you do, it’s a way of being. This program is meant to feel like a reset: a chance to slow down, reconnect with your sense of purpose, and practice authentic creativity. Each day invites you to notice more — the light on the château walls, the rhythm of shared meals, the quiet details that give a place its soul.
Through workshops, journaling, movement, and time spent in the landscapes of Normandy, you’ll learn to look closer, think deeper, and translate what you see and feel into art. Students leave more confident, expressive, and grounded — returning home not just with stories to tell, but with the perspective to tell them thoughtfully and contextually.
At its heart, Coalescence is about learning to live artfully and to build a personal creative practice that reflects who you are and who you want to become.
Create beyond the classroom
Every workshop, seminar and excursion is designed to spark curiosity and creativity through direct experience with place, culture, and people.
Morning Journaling
Begin each day with quiet reflection and creative prompts that inspire awareness and shape your final Coalescence Anthology.
Reflections with Great Minds
Engage with the ideas of artists and thinkers from James Baldwin to Tyler the Creator, exploring how creativity connects to life and purpose.
Ensemble Movement
Connect mind, body, and community through daily movement practice. Using physical storytelling and creative games, you’ll learn trust, flow, and presence while exploring how creativity lives in the body.
The Rhythm of Place
Document life at the château through photography, film, and sound. Create visual and audio stories that capture the atmosphere, people, and beauty of Normandy, deepening your awareness of detail and emotion.
Building the Coalescence Anthology
Work as an editorial team to design a collective publication that blends writing, imagery, and design into one creative work.
Culture as Classroom
From Normandy’s markets to Mont-Saint-Michel, every field trip becomes part of your creative practice. Through reflection, journaling, and field notes, you’ll connect art-making with culture, history, and place.
Evening Reflection & Community Life
Gather each night to share stories, music, and insights, strengthening the sense of ensemble that defines Coalescence.
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Dates and Details
Program Dates
June 24th - July 11th, 2026
Cohort Size
8-10 students
Cost
$5800 inclusive of all rooming, meals, excursions, activities and supplies. Not included in the cost is round trip airfare to Paris and some meals out.
Eligibility
Ages 14-18 including graduated seniors
Language Requirements
None. This program is taught in English.
College Credit and Scholarship
College credit is NOT available for this program.
Scholarships are available for this program.
A letter from the Directors
There comes a point in every young person’s journey where the question shifts from “What do I want to do?” to “Who do I want to be?” — a moment between what’s been learned and what’s next. We designed Coalescence for that moment.
This program isn’t about resumes, auditions, or outcomes. It’s about creating space — real, breathing space — to slow down, look inward, and discover what creativity and community can teach us about living a life that feels like our own.
France offers the perfect rhythm for this kind of work. Here, art is part of daily life — in the way people talk, cook, gather, and care. It’s not performative; it’s lived. We’ve both seen how powerful this environment can be. It’s not about becoming a different person; it’s about uncovering the one who’s already there.
We believe young creatives deserve spaces that ask more of their hearts than their grades, and that honor process over perfection. If that resonates, if you’re ready to see what creativity can mean beyond the classroom, we can’t wait to meet you here in Normandy.
With warmth and excitement,
Cage & Amber
Who is this program for?
Coalescence is for curious, thoughtful young people who feel most alive when they’re creating, connecting, or discovering how the two overlap. It’s for students who want to slow down, dig in, and spend time with others who care about ideas, art, and what it means to live with purpose.
Consider joining us if you are:
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Curious about creativity, storytelling, or design. This is a program where creative boundaries disappear and collaboration drives new ideas.
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Drawn to multiple disciplines and mediums but not limited by any single one. You might love drawing, performing, or writing or you might just love the idea of exploring what those things can do.
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Interested in community and how creative people build it. If you’ve ever wondered how new ideas and bonds are cultivated and sustained, you’ll find your answer here.
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Ready for something different than camp or college campus program. You are looking outside the box for a unique, impactful summer creative experience.
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Open to reflection, collaboration, and an experience that’s equal parts creative exploration and personal reset. You don’t have to arrive with clear goals, just curiosity and a willingness to make something meaningful alongside others.
What our students say
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