Thank you for applying to the 2025 Kimbilio Summer Retreat. This summer's retreat will take place August 11 -17, 2025 at Wildacres, a non-profit retreat center focused on cultural programs and education: https://wildacres.org/. Wildacres is located high in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Western North Carolina. You are required to attend the entire retreat, arriving for a 5:30pm dinner meeting on the 11th and departing on the morning of the 17th, no later than noon. Tuition is covered by Kimbilio. There is no application fee. Participants are responsible for their own transportation (we provide free shuttle service between Wildacres and the Charlotte Douglas International Airport in Charlotte, NC) as well as a small fee that partially covers the costs for room and board with the amount varying by size of the chosen accommodation. The application process consists of:
- An essay of no more than 150 words describing what attending the Kimbilio Summer Retreat means for you or what you hope to gain from the experience.
- A 20-page, double-spaced, 12-point font manuscript of fiction (short story or novel excerpt). If submitting a novel excerpt, you may include a short summary of no more than 200 words. Juries will not read beyond the page limit. The summary page does not count as part of the 20-page excerpt.
Do NOT include your name or any other identifying information in your essay or manuscript as applications are juried anonymously. (Submittable keeps track of the ownership of all submitted materials. Manuscripts or essays including names will be disqualified from this round of submissions.) The application period ends March 15, 2025 EST. Acceptances are on a rolling basis so the sooner your application is received the better your chances.
The final list of accepted Fellows will be announced on May 1. Should you be accepted, a $100 non-refundable deposit is due by May 15 to secure your spot at the Retreat. More information about the Summer Retreat and Kimbilio can be found on our website, https://kimbiliofiction.com, Facebook and Instagram.
Click the Submit button below to apply. You will receive an emailed receipt once your application has been successfully submitted. Please check your spam folder before reporting lost applications.
We look forward to reading your work!