Georgia’s Dunaway Gardens will be the new home for the Sundance Institute Episodic Lab program.
Located in Newnan, Ga., Dunaway Gardens will be host to Sundance Institute’s immersive six-day program that provides artists with creative and strategic advice from experienced showrunners, producers and executives to help advance their projects and career.
“Dunaway Gardens has a long history of nurturing the talents of not only established artists, but emerging voices.” Dunaway Gardens founder Tena Clark said, adding, “We couldn’t be more excited that the Sundance Institute calls Dunaway its new home for this Episodic program that has been the springboard for such incredible artistry over the years.”
The immersive experience of the Episodic Lab is created to unite early-career writers with an original series IP that has not yet been produced, giving them opportunities to work under the guidance of established showrunners and development executives from studios, networks and major production companies. The fellows will workshop their pilot, pitch their series and participate in one-on-one story meetings, case study screenings, panels and writers rooms focused on advancing their series concept. The fellows are also supported through workshops prior to the lab, as well as the Sundance Institute’s yearlong continuum of support.
The lab is designed to offer a training ground for independent voices, while the program is designed to help creators move their projects and careers forward.
Michelle Satter, Sundance Institute founding senior director, artist programs, said, “We are thrilled to launch an exciting new partnership with Dunaway Gardens, which will serve as the home for our Sundance Episodic Labs beginning with the 2026 Lab, running May 15–20, and continuing for years to come.” Satter went on to say, “As a cornerstone of the Sundance Institute, our Episodic Program has provided rigorous, customized creative and strategic support to hundreds of emerging writers, helping them develop original, visionary scripted episodic pilots that have elevated their careers and made an impact in the industry. This collaboration, fostered by our strong connection with Gardens Founder Tena Clark, ensures we have a natural and inspiring space to continue bringing our community together in support of emerging episodic storytellers.”
Director of the episodic program Jandiz Estrada Cardos added, “Tena and the entire Dunaway Gardens team, all creatives themselves, are taking the lead in advocacy and uplifting the importance of artist support with Sundance Institute to ensure that those with the biggest risk-taking stories have a place to come, collaborate, and be reinvigorated by these surroundings, paired with the best creative advisors and mentors in the country.”
Applications for the Sundance Institute’s 2026 Episodic Lab is now open through Nov. 9.
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