Northwest Institute of Literary Arts

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The Northwest Institute of Literary Arts (NILA) was a non-profit Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing low-residency program founded by the Whidbey Island Writers Association. It was in operation for twelve years, from 2005 to 2016. Beginning with an enrollment of nine students, the NILA MFA program grew to a peak enrollment of 62 students in 2014. Each semester began with intensive in-person residencies offering morning classes in craft, workshop, and directed reading, and afternoon sessions on the profession of writing. The three hours of afternoon classes were taught by guest faculty. At the end of residency, students returned home to complete the rest of the semester via online class forums.^[1]

The NILA MFA program grew quickly, drawing students to Whidbey Island twice annually from across the U.S. and Canada. Due to multiple contributing factors, however, including a proliferation of low residency MFA programs, lower enrollment, and a lack of core funding, the Northwest Institute of Literary Arts Board of Directors made the decision to cease operations of the MFA program at the close of the 2015–2016 school year. On August 13, 2016, twenty graduates received MFA degrees in Creative Writing, adding to the 65 graduates of the previous nine years. NILA students who had not yet completed their creative writing coursework and graduate theses were successfully transferred to other low residency MFA programs.