Further Information

About the Iceland Writers Retreat

The non-profit Iceland Writers Retreat is an annual event in Reykjavík—a UNESCO City of Literature—that introduces people to Iceland's rich literary heritage and offers small-group workshops with world-renowned authors on the craft of writing. It was nominated for a Blaze Inclusion Award for promoting diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in the Nordic countries. The next retreat will be held April 15-19, 2026.

What is the IWR Alumni Award?

The Iceland Writers Retreat Alumni Award is financially supported by alumni and friends of IWR and provides full and partial awards each year. There are many gifted writers who would benefit from the retreat but simply cannot afford to attend. These grants make their attendance possible and enrich the program. In 2025, six outstanding recipients were chosen from more than 3,000 applicants.

A word from the IWR founders

"The IWR Alumni Award is a great way to pay the IWR experience forward and to stay connected to the IWR family in the most meaningful way," IWR co-founder Eliza Reid says. "It’s not just your valuable monetary donations but the opportunity you create for our award winners."

"The IWR Alumni Award program attracts writers from around the globe, and it's all thanks to you, our generous IWR community and alumni," IWR co-founder Erica Green says. "The award winners make the event that much more amazing and rich."

Alumni Award eligibility

The award application window will be open Sept. 16 - Oct. 15. More information and a link to the Award Force application site will be available on our website.

Candidates will be asked to provide a statement of impact that expresses why they are applying for the award and how they will share word about their IWR experience and the knowledge gained at the retreat. They will also submit creative writing samples, recommendations, and an acknowledgment of financial need. Their writing interests should align with the faculty for the 2026 retreat (i.e. literary fiction, non-fiction, memoir).

The award recipients will be chosen by a panel of IWR alumni and the founding directors.

Thank you for your support!

We are a small but mighty Icelandic non-profit, and we are grateful for the support of this growing community of writers! With this fundraiser, the more we are able to raise, the more awards we will be able to grant. The Karolina platform conducts "all-or-nothing" campaigns, meaning that we receive our pledged funds only if we reach our stated fundraising goal of 6,500 euros. Thank you in advance for your continued support!