The Retreat

November 5-10, 2026

The Happy Hamlet

Fauroux, France

Applications for the 2026 retreat are now open

Purpose

The Black Womxn Writers in Europe Workshop is a five-day writing workshop for Black women (cis and trans) writers of fiction and non-fiction.

Originally intended for Black women currently residing in Europe, we will accept two Black women writers who live anywhere in the world for the first time in our 2026 cohort in order to expand our larger mission of bridging gaps and helping writers engage in the global Black literary tradition and community.‍ ‍

Format

Our fourth annual BWWE retreat will take place November 5-10, 2026 at The Happy Hamlet in Fauroux, near Toulouse and Bordeaux, in southwest France. 

This retreat is a unique experience where we will pilot our new workshop, Revise & Play: Work-in-Progress Incubator.

The format will include: 

  • One-on-one meetings with the facilitators to discuss your revision goals and collaborate on a revision strategy for your writing.

    Suggested revision strategies may include reading your work aloud, hand writing sections, or close reading similar work.

    Strategies will also involve engaging in non-writing artistic forms (for e.g., dancing, collaging, or drawing). Please be open and ready to play/explore.

  • Smaller group sessions of writers with similar themes and styles or whose work is otherwise in conversation. In these meetings writers discuss their progress and share new pages with fellow participants.

  • Writing time to try out revision strategies, create new work, and read suggested texts and the work of fellow writers.

  • Shared activities to foster closer connections.

Timeline BWWE 2026

  • Fri, May 15: Application Opens

  • Mon, June 15 Tues, June 30: Application Deadline (Date extended)

  • Early July: Notifications go out. All applicants will hear from us before the end of the month, whether you are invited this year or not. 

  • Nov. 5-10: BWWE Workshop! 

Cost

The retreat costs 600€ per participant.

This covers food, lodging, materials for the retreat, and transportation between the Toulouse airport and The Happy Hamlet. It does not include travel from your home location.

We will send a deposit schedule when we notify accepted applicants. If you are concerned about cost, please let us know. We are working hard to make this affordable! 

Apply here

FAQs

We hope you'll find your question addressed below. If not, feel free to email us to have your specific question answered.

  • The days will be divided into one-on-one meetings with the facilitators, solo revision time, and group sessions. Participants will receive a detailed schedule upon acceptance.

  • We're looking for writers who have a clear vision for their works-in-progress. Therefore, writers who are further along, rather than those who have not yet completed a draft, will benefit the most from this workshop. However, we are willing to read samples at various stages. We realize that it can be difficult for some to gauge where they are in the process. If you have a clear vision for your work, have been with the work for a significant amount of time, and are engaged in your own revision process, you are likely who we are looking for.

  • 600€ includes food, lodging, administrative fees, and transportation to and from the Toulouse airport to The Happy Hamlet.

  • If you are concerned about cost, please let us know. We are working hard to make this affordable!

    We are in the process of seeking funding from sponsors to lower the cost for participants but each person should expect to pay 600€ or less.

  • We will send a payment schedule to each participant that will detail when the deposit and balance are due.

    Again, we are hoping to secure additional funding which will lower the cost of the weekend. We can also discuss payment plans, in the event that we ask you to join but you find the price prohibitive.

  • The Happy Hamlet retreat center has has double bedrooms that will be shared by two people. Each room has a private bathroom. There are large, bright, sunny rooms and beautiful gardens with areas in which to work.

  • There is one downstairs bedroom at The Happy Hamlet that may be suitable for someone with a disability. Please contact us with specific questions about your needs so that we can see how to accommodate you. However, we are unfortunately not equipped to provide extensive assistance to a person with disabilities traveling alone.

  • The workshop format is centered around you having solo time to revise your work.

  • Please submit 10-15 pages double spaced of fiction or prose that best showcase your writing.

    Please submit a portion of the work that you would like to work on at the retreat. This allows us to begin to think of how to tailor your experience as we read your application.

  • Joy and Jeannetta are your workshop facilitators. We are heavily inspired by the insights offered by Felicia Rose Chavez in The Anti-Racist Writing Workshop: How To Decolonize the Creative Classroom and Matthew Selasses in Craft in the Real World. Joy is also influenced by The Amherst Writers and Writers Method which prioritizes positive feedback in workshops.

  • Each participant will meet with the facilitators to discuss a revision strategy for their work. Then you will have time to write and engage with the suggested techniques. You will also meet with other writers to share your work and discuss your process. There will also be two more check-in meetings with the facilitator and your group to help you get the most of your experience.

  • The Happy Hamlet has bright, sunny rooms and beautiful gardens with private areas to enjoy the views and soak up the atmosphere.

  • If you cannot participate or change your mind, please let us know at least one month in advance and we will issue a full refund. Only 50% will be refunded with less than a month's notice.

  • We can be reached at joyjeannettabwwe at gmail dot com

Apply here