Common Ground Ensemble Writer Award
The Ensemble Writer Award aims to support writers with exceptional talent and remarkable potential. The winner, selected by a jurist of writers and editors, will be invited to a month-long residency at the stunning Common Ground campus on Kauaʻi and receive the broader support of the Ensemble community.
Description of Award:
The winner of the 2026 Ensemble Writer Award will be awarded a residency at the Common Ground campus on Kauaʻi during November 2026. The residency will include accommodation at our artist's lodge and access to various creative spaces on campus, including a private studio and communal work spaces. Ensemble will pay for travel expenses of up to $5,000, and the winner will also receive an additional $5,000 cash prize.
Ensemble will work with the artist to cater their residency to their particular artistic and career needs. We will also connect the artist to the broader artistic community on Kauaʻi, as well as other natural and community spaces that might serve as artistic inspiration.
In addition, the winner will receive a sponsored ticket to the Common Ground Summit, which will take place in November 2026 . At the Summit, the winner will meet a network of artists, activists, civic leaders, academics, and business leaders who are committed to building a regenerative future. The winner will have the chance to share their unique perspective with other Summit participants, showcase their work, and connect with a broader community of people working towards a better future for all.
The winning piece of writing will also be featured in the Autumn/Winter 2026 print issue of A Common Well Journal—a bi-annual literary magazine dedicated to the continued exploration and excavation of literature's depths and possibilities and to seeking out genius beyond traditional institutions.
Submission process:
Common Ground Ensemble invites any writer to submit an application to the Ensemble Writing Prize using our online application form. The writer must be able to attend the Common Ground Summit on Kaua'i in November 2026. All applications must include:
Excerpt of a work in progress: 3,000 words of prose (fiction or non-fiction, including essays), 10 pages of poetry, one scene of a screenplay or play. All original. No AI assistance. Properly formatted document: Serifed font (Times New Roman, Garamond, or Georgia Preferred), 12pt, Single spaced, Justified Margins, Page numbers at bottom left of page, titles and byline centered
500-1,000-word summary of material/project, including where in the project timeline the residency would occur and how specifically the money/time to write would be useful.
500-word bio
If you are interested, applications are due January 31, 2026.
Selection process:
A panel of five judges, including writers, academics, and editors, will review the work independently and meet in early 2026 to unanimously select a winner. The winner will be notified in spring 2026. Work submitted will be reviewed by a panel of five expert judges with experience in literary criticism, independent publishing, and education.
Selection criteria:
Common Ground Ensemble is seeking to support writers from diverse backgrounds and perspectives working toward the completion of a book-length project (or the equivalent in other forms, such as a feature film). Of interest are those writers whose efforts move beyond the bounds of academia and traditional publishing institutions, displaying unique aesthetic brilliance and a possession of intellectual vision, formal imagination, and animated curiosity.
Common Ground Ensemble (in conjunction with A Common Well Journal) is opting for an open submission process, free of prompts or themes or formal restrictions. As such, all are invited to submit work of the keenest vision and highest quality for consideration. At the same time, we will have a special eye towards writing that encapsulates the spirit of Common Ground Ensemble, which understands art as a means towards cultural connection and community building.
About Common Ground Ensemble:
Common Ground Ensemble is a global community of changemakers with a mission to create connections that matter and bring together people to converse, connect, and collaborate as a community with the purpose to find and nurture common ground. The annual gathering, Common Ground Summit, is joined by people from all over the world with different backgrounds, professions, generations, and cultures, who share a commitment to making a positive difference in the world.
About Common Ground:
Common Ground is a regenerative hospitality company located on the North Shore of Kauaʻi. The 60-acre campus is steeped in rich history with a regenerative agroforest, event spaces, an upcoming restaurant (coming in 2027), support systems for local businesses, and co-working and production facilities. Common Ground is a space for shared experience, shared learning, and deep human connection. Our goal is to augment regenerative practices while providing immersive experiences. We aim to build a regenerative community where people find common ground through food as a great connector.