Literary Arts

Push your creative boundaries

Banff Centre’s Literary Arts programs provide an inspiring space and focused time for emerging and established writers to push the boundaries of their talent and realize their potential. Our programs prepare writers in all genres for literary success on a national and international scale.

Since the first summer playwriting program was offered in 1937, Banff Centre has provided writers with exceptional opportunities for artistic development within a community of supportive peers. Today, our year-round roster of intensive thematic residencies involves many of Canada’s most celebrated writers.

An update on our offerings

Banff Centre's 2023/24 season of Literary Arts residencies consists of 7 programs focusing on new and dynamic areas of international writing: Graphic Novels, Long-form Literary Journalism, Poetry by emerging writers, and new forms in fiction and poetry offered both on-campus and on-line. Our residencies focus on building community and conversation, mentorship and professional development -- all in the service is supporting national and international authors achieve their writing goals.

All of our residencies feature individual mentorship, public events, private studios, and talks by some of the world’s finest writers – in-person at our beautiful campus in Canada’s oldest National Park, and online using digital technology to meet writers where they are.

Every residency features mentors who bring the best in contemporary practice; writers who consistently recognized for modelling mentorship and encouragement alongside their own internally-recognized writing.

We are dedicated to exploring creating spaces - both physical and digital - for the development of writing by both new and established writers across genre. Our 2023/24 season invests in genre-specific themes and widening our reach to artists who may not have had the opportunity to attend before. We are pleased to announce that Mountain Writing - Self Directed Residency 2023 will be running alongside the Mountain Film and Book Festival as part of the Mountain Culture department.

Banff Centre remains dedicated to supporting the best in new prose writing, poetry, journalism, memoir, and translation with those topics reflected in our evolving offerings.

Coming Soon:

Please stay tuned for an update on our 2024-25 program offerings in Late Fall 2023. If you wish to stay informed about our upcoming programs and Banff Centre news, please subscribe to our newsletter.