Media and Visual Arts short-term training courses and workshops provided concentrated career-related learning opportunities for artists, technicians and other cultural workers. Most courses were designed for self-employed people with limited time, who needed to upgrade their practical skills in a particular hardware or software application for them to earn more of their living directly from their art practice.

Courses were designed as stand-alone learning opportunities. Participants were encouraged, however, to attend one or more courses to upgrade their skills in preparation for application to longer Banff Centre work study/practicum programs.

Participants were also able to combine courses with production opportunities, through a self-directed residency in Media and Visual Arts. After completing a course, artists could work in the Centre’s studios and facilities and put their new skills to immediate use in their work.

The Cruising the Information Highway course (with instructor Douglas Smith) covered getting connected locally, and finding your way around using text-based applications for Macintosh and IBM-PC, including exposure to World Wide Web browsers Mosaic and Netscape. This course featured a hands-on, one-day workshop covering all major aspects of the Internet and tour of the online world. It defined, described, and demonstrated services such as Telnet, FTP, Gohper, Archie, Usenet, and the World Wide Web. Prerequisite: Some Macintosh experience helpful, users with or without their own accounts were welcome.