The Delaware Division of the Arts is accepting applications for its 2026 Delaware Writers Retreat, a four-day residential experience for creative writers taking place from Thursday to Sunday, Nov. 5 to 8, at the Biden Environmental Center in Cape Henlopen State Park, Lewes,

The deadline to apply is Wednesday, July 1.

Work samples will be reviewed in an anonymous selection process by two jurors – one for prose (fiction and creative nonfiction) and one for poetry. Up to 18 participants will be accepted, nine for poetry and nine for prose. A 10-page work sample is required. Applications must be submitted via the division’s online grant management portal, smARTDE. 

The retreat gives writers an opportunity to step away from everyday life and focus on their craft in a relaxed, coastal setting. Writers will have dedicated time to write, connect with peers, work alongside established authors, and give and receive feedback in small-group workshops. Craft talks, generative writing sessions and author readings are also part of the program.

“The Delaware Division of the Arts serves Delaware's artists, and the Writers Retreat is one of the clearest expressions of what that service looks like in practice,” said Jessica Ball, division director. “Since 2002, we have provided writers across the state with something genuinely rare: uninterrupted time to focus on their craft, in the company of accomplished peers and facilitators, in a setting that makes creative work possible. What writers carry home from Cape Henlopen (new pages, new relationships, new confidence in their voice) is exactly what this program is designed to produce, and it is why we have sustained it for more than 20 years."

Applications are accepted from writers working in fiction, creative nonfiction and poetry. Plays, scripts, essays, flash fiction and children’s literature will not be considered due to their specialized craft demands.

To apply, or to learn more, go to arts.delaware.gov.

The fee for the selected applicants to attend the retreat is $325, which includes a private room with twin beds, most meals, and a vehicle pass. Applicants will be notified by the end of August.