Thank you for your interest in the 2026 Stowe Story Labs Croatia Writers' Retreat. Stowe Story Labs is a Vermont (U.S.) based nonprofit dedicated to helping top emerging filmmakers and screenwriters develop their craft and their work. We are honored to have been asked to deliver this program. 

This​ application is open to screenwriters resident in Croatia or Croatian writers abroad working with the Croatian screen industries. The program will be held in Lovran, Croatia September 21-25, 2026.  

The screenwriters and filmmakers selected from Croatia through this process will not be charged a fee or room and board costs to attend the Retreat. Selected participants will be responsible for getting themselves to and from the Retreat.

The Retreat will have 20 participants. Ten fellows resident in Croatia or Croatian writers will be selected. Other participants will join from around the world. 

The application asks about you and about your project, your residency, and asks for a writing sample from the material you intend to workshop at the Retreat. Please note you must have a solid first draft of the script by August 1, 2026 to be considered for the program. 

We do charge a small fee to review the application. We do not do this lightly. It takes time and resources to conduct meaningful reviews, and we keep the fee as low as possible to not discourage applicants. If paying this fee is a burden, please reach out to us at info@stowestorylabs.org.

Please take your time completing the application, and know we make the same effort in reviewing your submission as you do in building it.

We are honored to have received this grant from the Croatian Audio Visual Center (HAVC) to run this program. We thank our partners at SPID and HAVC for making this program possible. 

If you choose to apply, we wish you the best of luck in the review process.

This application will close at midnight Eastern Daylight Time on March 30, 2026. 

Thank you,           

Team Story Labs

Background

Thank you for your interest in our Writers' Retreats. By way of background, founded in 2013, Stowe Story Labs is a nonprofit dedicated to helping top emerging and established screenwriters, filmmakers, and creative producers get work made and seen. We do this through programs designed to help artists develop skills and projects. We look for people demonstrating talent, a collaborative nature, a good story worth developing, and the ability to develop the project presented, whether or not they have experience in film or television. 

This application is for admission and consideration for fee-based and scholarship slots to our 2026 Writers' Retreats: 

• The Remote Writers' Retreat will run June 26 - 30, 2026 online via Zoom
• The Croatia Writers' Retreat will run September 21 - 25, 2026 in Lovran, Croatia
• The Connemara Writers' Retreat will run October 12 - 16, 2026 in Connemara, Ireland

You can learn more about our Retreats here.

Application Process

The questions on the application ask about you, the project you are submitting, and your intent in making the film or show. Please answer questions as fully as possible. Be sure to submit a solid first draft of your screenplay or TV Pilot. 

If applying for scholarships please include a statement of need where indicated.

There is not a separate application process for this opportunity. 

Our scholarships are offered based on merit and need.

Fees

The fee to attend the in-person five-day Croatia Writers' Retreat and Connemara Writers' Retreat in 2026 is €4,250 (this includes full room and board but not travel). 

The fee to attend the online five-day Remote Writers' Retreat in 2026 is US$1,800.00

Changes

We will notify all applicants of fee or schedule changes if/when they occur. 

A Few Additional Notes

We do not provide feedback on projects through our submission process.

Please familiarize yourself with our programs before applying. 

You can of course reach out to us at info@stowestorylabs.org if you have questions.

We may well reach out to you with questions as we go through the application process.

As noted above, we look for talented people - regardless of experience or background - bringing us interesting stories. 

Our mission includes breaking down barriers to entry in this complicated industry. 

Dates and Deadlines

Early Bird Deadline ($48): January 31 (ends midnight US Pacific Time)

Regular Deadline ($55): March 1 (ends midnight US Pacific Time)

Late Deadline ($60): March 17 (ends midnight US Pacific Time)

Thank you for your interest in our retreats. Best of luck if you choose to apply. Please be assured we take the same care in our review processes as you have put into developing the work and making your application.

Team Stowe Story Labs