Obviously any conference called “The Thunderdome” conjures images of cutthroat competition, Mad Max-style cages and races, the idea of victory achieved by eliminating one’s opponents. Now, keep the intensity and ambition and hold the annihilation element.

What if it was possible to be just as driven, but to decouple the idea of success from isolation? What if we could achieve more by working together than we can on our own? What if we can learn from each other to hone our own craft, because none of us is really doing quite the same thing?

The Thunderdome is a collaborative, residential experience for writers who are willing to take the risk of pursuing success alongside one another.

The Thunderdome is a writing conference for people who want to work hard and make very good art. It’s for people who want to hone their craft in conversation with other artists. It’s for people who choose to be invigorated rather than threatened by collaboration and discussion. 

Faculty-participants live onsite for four days and three nights (housing included with registration). The scenic, spacious setting allows faculty-participants to engage in informal discussions and to tend to their own artistic practice in a setting that is conducive to creative exploration and risk-taking.

The schedule is a mix of networking and community mixers, craft talks, a generative session, and curated activities so visitors can get an authentic taste of essential Boulder.