THE AUTUMN RESET
FOUR FALL DAYS IN ISTRIA
NOVEMBER 13—16, 2026
OPEN FOR ENROLLMENT / APPLICATION ONLY
Come November, we are reframing the fall season. Rather than a period to mourn easeful summer days and long light, this annual transition offers an opportunity for restoration, mindfulness and discovery. As the year nears its close and the days grow shorter, join us in the Croatian countryside to step away from the ceaseless noise and reconnect with our creative lives for a celebration of introspection. Over an extended weekend, we will explore everything from presence, perspective and positioning to practice and place through guided sessions, reflective exercises, shared meals and honest conversations. Designed for creative professionals at any stage of their journey, The Autumn Reset provides a dedicated space to pause, think clearly and realize a stronger sense of direction and a revitalized self.
The modern creative experience rewards speed, exposure and output—and for many, that constant push creates a strange contradiction.
You may feel successful, yet scattered. Visible, but not entirely clear. Surrounded by inspiration, all while overstimulated and fatigued. Productive, and yet disconnected from your work’s deeper meaning. The Autumn Reset is an antidote to these sentiments. A moment to catch your breath.
Set in Istria, the lush peninsula in the northern Adriatic where Croatia meets Italy, this Creative Voyage-led retreat unfolds across four days and three nights at San Canzian Hotel & Residences. Surrounded by olive groves, vineyards, stone villages and the slow pace of the off-season, the location itself becomes a critical element—a quiet place to rest and recharge.
The Autumn Reset is not a productivity sprint or a wellness escape. It is a slice of time—one that you have carved out for yourself—to intentionally step outside of your rhythms and routines, while listening and learning from an intimate group of peers, reflecting and reconnecting with what really matters.
Program Overview
The Power Of Pause
Each day begins gently, providing the space to arrive into yourself and your environment, to pay attention with deeper focus and to simply take in the world around you. Mornings may include meditation, breath work, journaling, walking and leisurely breakfasts, alongside time for stillness, sauna and simply being offline. The aim is not to improve performance or self-optimization, but to settle into a grounded state from which clearer thought and meaningful dialogue can emerge.
An Immersion Course In Croatian Culture
Getting to know a new place through close observation to landscape, material and craft can teach you invaluable lessons about the world and more importantly, about yourself. As such, food and hospitality—long lunches, candlelit dinners at the hotel’s Michelin-recognized restaurant and activities true to the spirit of Istria—are not separate from the retreat but integral to its essence. Decompressing, after all, allows genuine connection, insight and perspective to flow more naturally. From it, expect honest discussion, thoughtful feedback and a human-centered space to contemplate modern creative life with greater depth.
A Complete Creative Recalibration
Small shifts can generate enormous impact. We will move through a curated program of prompts, workshops and round tables designed to help us reflect on our surroundings and to step back before rushing forwards. We will examine the pressures that we face from attention fatigue and overstimulation to comparison and visibility, as we determine how we want to shape the next chapter, be it the year ahead or a bigger career leap. We will consider identity development in a chaotic and increasingly AI-shaped landscape, diving into direction, reputation, relevance and how to communicate our work with conviction. And together, we will set a path to an intentional relationship with our professional lives, built around rhythm, standards and self-care and an approach that honors quality over quantity.
The Retreat
The Autumn Reset takes place from Friday, November 13 to Monday, November 16, 2026 at the five-star countryside hotel near Buje in inland Istria.
We’ve designed a considered and balanced schedule. Intention-setting exercises, communal activities and convivial meals meet morning hikes, ambient listening sessions and open time for rest, relaxation and informal conversation. Self-exploration is complemented by deep engagement with a group of selected participants and your facilitators, Molly Mandell, James Burke and Mario Depicolzuane. Rather than filling every hour, the program creates enough structure to support a renewed sense of purpose and enough space to provide relief in a world of perpetual motion.
Early Bird (Until July 28) — €3,600
Advance Rate (Until August 25) — €3,800
Standard (Until October 31)— €4,000
The Autumn Reset includes three nights at San Canzian Hotel & Residences, nourishing meals throughout the program, all guided sessions, workshops and creative exercises led by the retreat’s facilitators, restorative practices such as yoga, group walks and sound baths, a local cultural excursion, a retreat welcome package and a post-retreat digital salon.
This program sits somewhere between an intimate gathering of kindred spirits, a slow and restorative getaway for inspiration and a thoughtful workshop for creative reflection and direction.
The Autumn Reset is for thoughtful creative professionals across disciplines and at different stages of their journey.
You may be a designer, art director, photographer, writer, strategist, founder, editor, stylist, architect, artist, producer, filmmaker, creative consultant or independent studio owner.
The common thread is not discipline or seniority but a desire to work and live with more clarity, depth and intention. What matters most is that you are actively engaged in creative work and ready to participate with openness, care and curiosity.
Participants for The Autumn Reset are chosen via an application process—not because we are looking for specific titles and accomplishments or interested in your following and reach, but because we are seeking to understand more about you, where you are in your creative journey and whether this experience is the right fit for you at this moment.
A retreat like this depends on the quality of the group. We are looking for people who are thoughtful, generous, curious and ready to show up for themselves and others. People who are open to conversation, reflection and participation. People who are willing to put their achievements aside to enter a room with vulnerability and an inquisitive, insightful nature.
Before applying, please read the dates, pricing, inclusions, exclusions and terms carefully. After reviewing submissions, selected applicants will be invited for a short 15-minute alignment interview. This consultation helps us make sure expectations are clear on both sides and that the group is shaped with care.
If you would like to attend with a friend or partner, each person should apply separately. You are welcome to mention this in your application and we will take it into account during the review and room allocation process.
Because the group is rigorously curated, applying together does not automatically guarantee that both people will be offered a place, but we will do our best to accommodate both parties where possible. Please note that all rooms feature a singular king bed. If you are interested in sharing a room, we will offer a discounted rate accordingly.
Facilitators
Molly Mandell & James Burke
AUTHORS, CONSULTANTS & C.V EDITORS
Molly Mandell and James Burke specialize in creative production and independent publishing consultancy. They are the authors of two books, Made in Cuba and Desert by Design, and have edited numerous others, including Nathan Williams’ The Eye and Chidy Wayne: In the Mirror from Creative Voyage, where they lead editorial strategy. They are also arts and culture writers and photographers, and their work has appeared in Kinfolk, where Molly was formerly an editor, the Los Angeles Times, Monocle, Texas Monthly, Travel + Leisure, Vogue Mexico, Wallpaper* and books from the design publisher Gestalten.
Outside of editorial work, Molly and James are the brains behind numerous events and itinerant hospitality projects across the globe. They have collaborated with the Uruguayan creative institute CAMPO, the Big Bend desert retreat Willow House, the BV Doshi-founded Vastushilpa Foundation in Ahmedabad, India and chefs including Rene Andrade, Michael Diaz de Leon, Brandon Jew, Alonso Madrigal and Lucho Martinez. The pair is based between the San Francisco Bay Area and Marfa, Texas, where they are developing a multi-disciplinary, cross-cultural residency program.Mario Depicolzuane
FOUNDER OF STUDIO8585 & CREATIVE.VOYAGE
Mario Depicolzuane is an art director and graphic designer born and based in Croatia. He leads the branding and design consultancy, Studio8585, which he founded in 2013. His clients include Kinfolk, Fritz Hansen, Audo Copenhagen, Design Hotels, SPACE10, Harvard GSD, La Cabra, New Mags, Only Way Is Up and The Poster Club. Mario also works across editorial projects, having art directed Kinfolk magazine issues Fifty, Fifty-Five and Fifty-Six and developed visual language for Molly Mandell and James Burke’s book Desert by Design and the New Mags City Guide series, among others.
He hosts the Creative Voyage Podcast, serves as the creative director of the Creative Voyage imprint and is the co-editor of the 2024 tome Designing Brands, published by Gestalten.
Through Creative Voyage, Mario has developed and teaches two online programs—The Mindful Creative Way and On Art Direction—bringing fellow creative professionals together and encouraging them to build more rewarding and impactful lives.
Terms & Travel
The retreat is intentionally limited in size and will be held in English. Keeping the group small allows for a more intimate atmosphere and exchange between participants and facilitators, ensuring a thoughtful, well-rounded experience for all.
The retreat begins on Friday, November 13, 2026, with arrivals in the afternoon, followed by an opening gathering and welcome dinner in the evening. For those who would like additional time to settle in, we can provide a special rate for Thursday, November 12.
The retreat concludes on Monday, November 16, 2026, after sunrise yoga, breakfast, a closing circle and check-out in the late morning to early afternoon.
More detailed travel guidance will be shared with accepted participants ahead of the retreat.
Early Bird (Until July 28) — €3,600
Advance Rate (Until August 25) — €3,800
Standard (Until October 31)— €4,000
If your application is accepted, you will receive payment instructions by email. We do offer a two-installment plan, should that be preferable. Your place is only secured once your initial non-refundable deposit has been received.
Transportation to and from the retreat is not included. Participants are responsible for arranging their own travel to Istria, including flights, train tickets and car rentals. We may be able to assist with airport transfers for an additional fee.
Supplemental beverages, meals, snacks and personal expenses outside of the scheduled program and travel insurance are not a part of the retreat fee.
Daily breakfast, a light lunch and dinner will be served starting with Friday evening’s welcome and ending with Monday morning’s closeout. Alcoholic beverages are available at an extra cost, with the exception of one beer or glass of wine with dinners on us, and are to be settled with the hotel directly.
Meals will be shaped by the season, the setting and the spirit of Istria, with an emphasis on quality, hospitality and shared experience.
If you have dietary restrictions or allergies, please note them in your application or after acceptance, and we will do our best to accommodate them in coordination with the venue.
Participants are responsible for ensuring that their passport and any required travel documents are valid for the journey.
Depending on your country of residence, visa requirements may also apply, so please check these well in advance.
We strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance that covers cancellations, medical needs, delays and unexpected changes.
Because of the retreat’s small size, cancellations have a significant impact. For that reason, payments are generally non-refundable.
If you can no longer attend and we are able to fill your place from a waitlist, we may be able to offer a refund, minus any administrative or booking-related costs already incurred.
If you need a business invoice, please include the relevant company details after acceptance and we will prepare one for you.
About Creative Voyage
Creative Voyage encompasses many things. It is a podcast. It is a publisher and a publication. It is a host to workshops, courses and events and a maker of thoughtfully produced goods. Above all, Creative Voyage is a home for discerning professionals whose practice is their true calling.
Our workshops have been attended by over 200 individuals—including full-time employees, freelancers, creative business owners, entrepreneurs and students—from five continents and more than 25 countries.
Participants work in diverse fields from design, photography and art direction to architecture, research and editorial and are all brought together by a desire to grow, learn, collaborate and create.
Reflections From Past C.V Programs
Answering some fundamental questions about myself and the people around me has been transformative. The things I do have become more diverse and organic. I feel energized. I have developed flexibility while cherishing my own pace at the same time. Never in my life have I felt this way.
Thanks to the workshop, I’ve carved out dedicated time for myself and my goals, both thinking big and drilling deeply into details. It takes constant persistence to achieve goals. You have to work toward something every day, but it’s also important to zoom out to your “why” and check in with yourself.
The workshop has helped me dive deep into who I am, embrace my cultural influences to have a unique perspective when creating work and taught me to have visual intelligence. I am much more aware of how art direction can influence the outcome of a project. I was really inspired after the workshop.
Whatever field you are in, if you are looking for guidance from experts, a community of inspiring creatives, impressive case studies, honest feedback and perhaps a nudge to get going on your ideas, the classes and creative space will be more than worth your time. I have a newfound sense of clarity.
The program allowed me to put things in perspective and approach my personal and professional life in a more strategic and balanced way. I trust myself and my choices more. I also recognize patterns in my process better now and let them evolve naturally. In the past, I didn’t have that confidence.
Creative Voyage felt like an enlightening compass during a dark in-between. The clarity, generosity, and no-nonsense insight helped me get real about what I want to chase, and how. If you want to sharpen your creative output (or a reminder on why you fell in love with the craft), this might be for you.
THE AUTUMN RESET
NOV 13–16, 2026
ISTRIA, CROATIA
Four Days / Three Nights
Accommodation at an Independent, Five-star Hotel
Daily Breakfast and Shared Meals
Guided Sessions, Workshops and Reflection Circles
Local Cultural Excursion
Spacious Time for Rest, Journaling and Conversation
Curated Group of Creative Professionals
Application-Only Participation