Banff Indie Band Residency

The Banff Centre is this little artistic paradise tucked away in the Rockies … it’s so rare that bands get to focus on their music, and music alone, without the metropolitan distractions of daily life.

Howard Bilerman, Banff Indie Band Residency Faculty 2008

The Banff Indie Band Residency offers a unique opportunity for three emerging Canadian art bands to write, rehearse, and record new work in an intensive two-week residency at The Banff Centre. During the residency, participating bands will focus on their development as a group, have opportunities to perform new work, and work with recording engineers, faculty, and other bands participating in the residency. Each band will have a dedicated rehearsal space accessible 24 hours a day, production support to assist in the creation of new material, and several full days with full audio technical support in The Banff Centre’s professionally-equipped recording studios. The studio sessions will be under the guidance of expert faculty producers, and will also include one full day of mixing.

Our goal for this self-directed creative residency is to provide a flexible and supportive environment in order for each band to meet and achieve their goals. Four faculty members have been invited to provide inspiration, guidance, and artistic mentorship to musicians in this residency.

Each band will have two full days in the Centre’s Telus Recording Studio with full audio technical support. These studio sessions will be under the guidance of faculty producers selected for their artistry and interest in support of emerging artists. Each band will also receive one full day of mixing in the studio with faculty. Check out our studios.

Each band will also be given performance opportunities on campus and off campus, with an off-campus concert at Wild Bill’s Saloon in Banff and an on-campus final concert at The Banff Centre’s intimate Club space.

The bands will also be given the possibility and opportunity of interaction with the 40 musicians that will be in residence in other programs, allowing for the climate of potential collaboration across genres.

Bands are also welcome to apply to our Fall and Winter Music Creative Residency program.