ANNOUNCING
THe kyoto retreat
2026 Cohort
2026 Cohort
Cate Kennedy,
Writer
Cate Kennedy is widely published as a novelist, short story author, poet and essayist. She studied Professional Writing and Editing at the University of Canberra and Literature Studies at the Australian National University, and obtained her PhD in Creative Writing by Research at La Trobe University in 2021, where her doctoral thesis was awarded the Nancy Millis Medal. She is currently a faculty member of Pacific University’s MFA in Creative Writing program in Portland, Oregon, teaching both fiction and non-fiction. She lives on a secluded bend of the Broken River in north-east Victoria, Australia.
Sadaf padder,
Curator
Sadaf Padder is a Brooklyn-based independent curator whose work spans exhibitions nationwide. Her curatorial practice explores themes of migration, ecology, and cultural memory, with an emphasis on community engagement and sustained support of artists. Padder serves on the boards of the Vera List Center and 12 Gates Arts, as a visiting critic at Columbia University and was the 2026 Curator-in-Residence at Art Omi. She is also a contributing writer for Artsy and Hyperallergic.
kamran samimi,
Artist
Growing up in rural Hawai'i with Iranian-Norwegian heritage, Kamran Samimi’s artwork emerges from his strong kinship with nature. Central to his practice is stone, a material that embodies his belief in the non-dualistic balance between destruction and renewal. Samimi’s perspective is shaped by a life lived between cultures, geographies, and philosophies, and views his multi-disciplinary approach as a collaboration with both human and non-human ancestors. Samimi is represented by re.riddle in the San Francisco Bay Area and The Third Line in the MENA region.
2025 Cohort
Armina Howada Mussa,
Sculptor
Armina Howada Mussa is a sculptor whose work centers on the creation of contemporary artifacts that explore the tension between ancient and modern narratives. Through sculpture and installation, Mussa examines the active and passive forces that shape our existence, using the tactile power of clay and other materials to engage memory, ritual, and the infinite.
Marina Paulenka,
Curator
Based in Berlin and originally from Croatia, Marina Paulenka's work spans contemporary visual, digital, and performing arts, with a specialization in photography and new media. Across these roles and mediums, she consistently pushes boundaries, provokes critical dialogue, and engages with urgent global concerns. Her practice is shaped by intellectual rigor, a commitment to innovation, and a focus on intersectionality, experimentation, and the transformative potential of art.
Photo credit: Rahi Rezvani
Sally Vahle,
Actress
Sally Vahle is a versatile actress who is sought out for her work in Theater, Voice Over and TV/Film. In her 30 year career, she has received a wide range of acting awards for her work, including an Emmy Nomination and she is a Lunt-Fontanne Fellowship recipient. Sally is a member of the Brierley Resident Acting Company at the Tony Award Winning Dallas Theater Center.