Application Process for Irish Applicants to Second Connemara Writers’ Retreat Opens. Retreat to be Held in October

We are pleased to announce the opening of the application process for residents of Ireland for our second Stowe Story Labs’ Connemara Writers’ Retreat. The Retreat will run October 9 – 13, 2023, at the storied Renvyle House Hotel on the dramatic Atlantic Coast of Connemara, County Galway, Ireland. The application can be found here.

We are pleased to be collaborating with Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland, the Galway Film Fleadh, and the Renvyle House for the second year to offer this program.

Through a grant from Screen Ireland’s Screen Stakeholder’s Funding Scheme, ten participants will be selected through this special application season for screenwriters/filmmakers resident in Ireland. The process opens August 2, 2023 and runs through August 21, 2023.

Applicants admitted through this process will have the program fee and room and board covered to attend the program. The only costs will be the €10 application fee and travel to and from Renvyle.

Stowe Writers’ Retreats offer participants three, one-hour, one-on-one script note sessions with three different industry mentors; panel discussions and artist Q&As; structured peer group sessions; and social time and meal time to help develop new contacts and colleagues in the film and television sectors. There is also – most importantly – time to write, reflect, and revise.

One participant admitted through this special application season will be chosen as a Stowe Launch Fellow, to further develop the work brought to the lab and then participate in the 2024 Galway Film Marketplace at the 2024 Galway Film Fleadh.

Mentors at the Retreat this October will include U.S.-based filmmaker Ellie Foumbi, screenwriter Melody Cooper, and manager Cory Trent. Irish-based mentors will include Creative Director Ciara Appelbe, from O’Sullivan Productions; Conor Barry from Savage Films, Aaron Farrell from ShinAwiL; and Ali Doyle of Wild Atlantic Pictures, among others. You can learn about all Stowe mentors here.

Stowe looks for artists showing a promising story idea, presenting a well-developed first draft of a pilot or feature script, and demonstrating a collaborative nature and ability to do the work to further develop the script. Experience in the film and television sectors is not required, but a demonstrable capacity to do the work and an understanding of the fundamentals of screenwriting and filmmaking are critical.

Screenwriters, writer/directors, writer/producers may apply. Teams of two (writer/director, writer/producer) may also apply. If a team is admitted, the team will share mentor meetings and peer group slots and must pay a lodging and meal supplement for the program.

Again, Stowe’s special application process for residents of Ireland opens today and will end on August 22. The fee to apply is €10. The application can be found here.

The first run of this program was such a wonderful experience, we are thrilled to be offering it again in 2023. Best of luck if you choose to apply, and of course reach out if you have any questions.

David Rocchio

Stowe Story Labs

About Stowe Story Labs:

Stowe Story Labs is a Vermont, U.S.-based nonprofit dedicated to helping emerging screenwriters, filmmakers, and creative producers develop skills and projects.

We do this through labs, retreats, and ongoing mentoring programs.

Our ultimate goal is to help artists get work made and seen. https://www.stowestorylabs.org/

About Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland:

As the national agency for the Irish creative screen industry, Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland is the creative partner to the sector, investing in talent, creativity and enterprise. We are inspired by original storytelling that will emotionally move audiences at home and abroad. Through a wide range of practical funding supports across development, production, distribution, promotion and skills development, Screen Ireland supports the sector at every stage.  We support filmmakers in their creative pursuit to share valuable artistic, cultural and commercial stories on screen. For more information, please visit: https://www.screenireland.ie/