Write Out

Cape Cod

“The question is not what you look at, but what you see.”

— Henry David Thoreau, Journal, August 5, 1851

Write Out Cape Cod invites everyone—educators, students, families, and friends—to step outside the walls of classrooms, homes, and workspaces to write and connect. Free and open to all, this celebration inspires writers to draw from the world around them through place-based writing and sharing, deepening connections to place, nature, and community. Write Out 2026 will take place October 11–25. This year’s theme, Write Where We Stand, centers writing in the places that shape and sustain us.

The 2026 launch of Write Out Cape Cod is the first regional collaboration of its kind, uniquely linking Cape Cod’s rich arts community and its protected natural environment. Championed by Barnstable Land Trust and inspired by the Arts Foundation of Cape Cod's Creative Conversation Series, Write Out Cape Cod is inspired by the national Write Out campaign which was originally developed through a cooperative agreement between the National Writing Project (NWP) and the National Park Service.

Frequently Asked Questions

About Write Out Cape Cod

Write Out Cape Cod is a regional extension of the national Write Out initiative which was originally developed through a cooperative agreement between the National Writing Project (NWP) and the National Park Service. It invites people across Cape Cod to explore, write about, and celebrate the places, stories, landscapes, people, and communities that make our region special.
The 2026 launch of Write Out Cape Cod is the first regional collaboration of its kind, uniquely linking Cape Cod’s rich arts community and its protected natural environment. Championed by Barnstable Land Trust and inspired by the Arts Foundation of Cape Cod's Creative Conversation Series, Write Out Cape Cod hopes to involve local educators, libraries, cultural organizations, community groups, parks, museums, artists, poets, songwriters, land trusts, conservation groups, town departments, and other partners throughout Cape Cod to get involved with this unique opportunity.

Participation

Everyone is welcome. The project can be adapted for students, teachers, families, writers, community groups, visitors, and anyone interested in exploring and writing about nature. Individuals are also encouraged to celebrate Write Out Cape Cod on their own by simply stepping outside to a favorite spot and writing their thoughts.
Not at all. Write Out is about observation, exploration, and sharing ideas—not writing perfectly. Participants can write in any style and at any experience level.
No. While schools and community organizations are important partners, individuals and families can participate independently as well.
Participation is free although some activities may charge a nominal fee to cover expenses.
Write Out Cape Cod takes place October 11 – 25, the same dates as the national Write Out project. That said, participants may also use Write-Out activities and resources throughout the year.

Activities & Writing

This year’s theme, Write Where We Stand, centers writing in the places that shape and sustain us. You might write about a landscape, historic site, neighborhood, trail, local tradition, person, community, plant or animal, body of water, or personal experience. Looking for prompts? Check out the national Write Out’s Choice Boards here which feature links to a range of writer-facing resources, along with suggestions about the ideal age of the writer.
No. You can participate from wherever you are on Cape Cod or even off-Cape. We encourage participants to explore a place that is meaningful or interesting to them and to check out local outdoor spaces and places. For instance, many land trusts feature trails and maps on their websites like Barnstable Land Trust’s Trail Guide which highlights over 95 miles of hiking trails just in the town of Barnstable (here).
You can write about anything - from a journal entry, poem, story, essay, or field note to a collection of observations, photographs with captions, or another creative response. The project is intentionally flexible.

For Educators, Organizations & Community Partners

Community groups (schools, nonprofits, libraries, and other groups) can incorporate Write Out activities into classes, programs, field trips, workshops, community events, or independent projects.
Yes. In fact, the national Write Out project has developed several resources for educators which you can access here including guides, video prompts, white papers, and playlists from previous years. Also see the Resource section below.
Yes. We encourage libraries, museums, parks, nonprofits, cultural organizations, and other community partners to develop activities connected to the project. Need inspiration? Here are some events from real Write Out programs from the past:
- Picnic Table Gathering — Keep it real simple. Invite friends and family to gather at a local picnic bench; bring a few writing prompts, snacks, and take time to write and share highlights.
- Community Lake — Host writing time at a pavilion by a local lake; advertise via neighborhood groups; provide prompts and materials.
- Garden Poetry — Lead an event at a local garden or arboretum using plant-inspired prompts, mindfulness activities, garden-inspired teas and snacks, and a small book giveaway.
- Park Tabling — Staff a table at a visitor center with maps, prompts, and short activities; invite rangers, teachers and young writers to facilitate.
- Hike & Haiku — Lead a group walk with stop-and-write points, light snacks, and other materials that might inspire like watercolor supplies.
- Fossil Poetry — Partner with a library or museum (in this case, a Fossil Museum!) to use collections as inspiration; have staff guide short writing sessions in an outdoor space with artifacts (as possible).
- Writing Marathon — Use a museum or historical society as a starting point and then provide a downtown route as for stop-and-write prompts. End the day back where you started with a sharing session.
- Sensory Woodlands — Organize guided hikes, rubbings of natural objects, and bird ID with University students and faculty facilitators. Invite local teachers to bring their students to participate.
- Festival Tables — Set up multiple activity stations at a festival with maps, writing prompts, and stamp cards for each station’s completion.
- River Writing — Coordinate a canoe/kayak trip with stop-and-write points and organize a post-event compilation (i.e. maybe even a video one!).
- A Virtual Prompt Playground – Post a daily nature photo with a prompt on your social media channels to inspire people to get outdoors and get creative!
Absolutely. Activities can be modified for different ages, writing experiences, group sizes, learning environments, and accessibility needs. The national Choice Board resource also has prompts specially crafted for difference ages and abilities here. Also see the Resource section below.

Sharing, Promoting & Building Community

The national Write Out Project has a handy event guide which you might want to check out in the Resource section below that provides examples, tips, and resources.
Leverage your visibility and build awareness by adding it the Arts Foundation of Cape Cod’s free calendar here and add the event tag “Write Out Cape Cod,” partner with a local land trust to get it listed on the regional Conservation Calendar here, add it to local calendars like Arts Barnstable here, and add it to the national Write Out map here. Also, email info@blt.org to get an official Write Out Cape Cod logo for your materials. Lastly, remember to tag your social media posts with #WriteOutCapeCod!
Absolutely! Share your work online using #WriteOutCapeCod, tag your partners as well as Barnstable Land Trust and the Arts Foundation of Cape Cod, and/or send an email to info@blt.org with photos, videos, and/or your written work – we’d love to collect and share the inspiration that Write Out Cape Cod is sure to generate!
Just send a quick email to Sue and we’ll try to respond as soon as possible!