At Stowe Story Labs, we believe stories have the power to connect, inspire, and transform. We are a Vermont-based nonprofit supporting emerging and established screenwriters, filmmakers, and creative producers.
We provide the tools, mentorship, and community needed to bring stories to life. We help artists develop skills and scripts, build their peer and industry networks, and through it all gain the confidence and ability to move projects forward.
Stowe mentor Brandi Nicole (right, TV Writer) in a round table pitching practice session at the September 2026 Stowe Narrative Lab.
2027 Narrative Labs and Writers’ Retreats
Applications are open for Stowe Story Labs’ 2027 Narrative Labs and Writers’ Retreats.
Our Narrative Labs are intensive four-day script and skill development programs offering a mix of presentations, in-conversation interviews and Q&A sessions, carefully built exercises, peer-to-peer script note sessions, mentor-led round table pitching practice, and social and networking time.
Our five-day Writers’ Retreats provide emerging screenwriters meaningful skill development training, actionable script notes, and project feedback to help advance their work and careers. Retreats include three one-on-one script note sessions with top industry mentors.
Early Bird Deadline is October 3, 2026.
About Stowe Story Labs
Founded in 2013, Stowe Story Labs is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit working with screenwriters and filmmakers to help develop skills and projects, with the ultimate goal of helping to get work made and seen.
We do this work through labs, retreats, ongoing mentoring, market experience, and longform online writing programs.
2027 Writers’ Retreats
June 25 - 29
Online Writers’ Retreat
Zoom
September 20 - 24
Croatia Writers’ Retreat
Lovran, Croatia
October 11 - 15
Connemara Writers’ Retreat
Renvyle, County Galway, Ireland
Dates subject to change slightly
June 4 - 7
Stowe Narrative Lab
Stowe, Vermont
2027 Narrative Labs
September 3 - 6
Stowe Narrative Lab
Stowe, Vermont
The team gathers in Stowe, Vermont for the 2024 Narrative Lab.
Learn More
Read on for Frequently Asked Questions When Applying to Stowe Programs.
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The application is on Submittable. You will need to create an account on Submittable, but it is free to join. Learn more here.
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Yes!
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Yes, we recommend registering your script or copyrighting your script locally, but that will not affect your application.
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When you look at our fellowship page here, you can see which fellowships are for Labs and which fellowships are geared to retreats.
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All Narrative Lab notifications should happen by end of May. All Writers’ Retreat notifications should happen by end of June.
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You can visit Submittable’s help page here to assist any questions that may pop up. If you are still having trouble, please contact Katerina Eichenberger at keichenberger@stowestorylabs.org and title your email “URGENT - Submittable Platform Trouble.”
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We have separate applications for our narrative labs and writers’ retreats. However, when applying for one or both programs, on that same application you will be able to apply for fellowships and scholarships. Be sure to tick the box “yes” that you are apply for fellowships and scholarships, otherwise you will not be in consideration.
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Each project must be vetted separately, so each needs a separate application.
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•Our programs are geared toward Features and TV projects.
•For our Labs, you may submit with a short film, webseries, play, novel, story, etc., that you intend to turn into a feature or a show. You will want to be clear in your application your intent with the work will want to submit material we can use to assess whether you have the capacity to write a well-developed first draft of a script.
•For our Retreats, all applications must include a well-developed, properly formatted, first draft of a feature or TV script.
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We can admit a team of no more than two, and the team may apply with one application. Be certain to list bios/roles/experience for both members of the team.
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Yes!
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Yes! Films that are intended to be filmed in their native language are eligible but for our review purposes it will need to be submitted in English.