Deep Winter Writers 2026
Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity
Application Deadline: August 20, 2025
Program Dates: January 12 – 30, 2026
Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity aims to inspire everyone who attends our campus – artists, leaders and thinkers – to unleash their creative potential.
We acknowledge, with deep respect and gratitude, our home on the side of Sacred Buffalo Guardian Mountain. In the spirit of respect and truth, we honour and acknowledge the Banff area, known as Minhrpa (translated in Stoney Nakoda as the waterfalls) and the Treaty 7 territory and oral practices of the Îyârhe Nakoda (Stoney Nakoda) – comprised of the Bearspaw, Chiniki, and Wesley First Nations – as well as the Tsuut’ina First Nation and the Blackfoot Confederacy comprised of the Siksika, Piikani, Kainai. We acknowledge that this territory is home to the Shuswap Nations, Ktunaxa Nations, and Metis Nation of Alberta, Rockeyview, District 4. We acknowledge all Nations who live, work, and play, help us steward this land, and honour and celebrate this place.
The Opportunity
This 19-day self-directed residency offers the opportunity to work away from the constraints of everyday life, delve deep into a creative project and take advantage of a community of artistic peers.
Deep Winter Writers provides opportunities for consultations with exceptional mentors Holly Pester, Divya Victor, and Nasser Hussain and professional guest Joshua Rothes (Sublunary Editions), and optional group sessions that allow writers to explore useful literary tools, aspects, and devices.
Faculty are on-campus for the first two weeks of the residency. The third week allows residents to dive deeper into their writing and apply the learning from the first two weeks.
Description
This three-week residency has a flexible format that allows participants to choose the amount of programming and support they are looking for.
Optional elements include:
- Thematic talks from specialist faculty and guests.
- One-on-one mentoring sessions with faculty to discuss ideas, experiences and obstacles they may be encountering in their writing across genres.
- Q & A sessions.
- Workshops to explore techniques, aspects, and devices writers may find useful in their practice.
- Public reading opportunities.
Participants are provided with individual accommodation and a small private studio to focus on their writing practice.
Requirements
The program is designed to cater to writers in all creative genres. The program is designed for emerging and established writers with a proven publication record seeking a period of dedicated time to work on a project.
Participants will benefit most if they are comfortable working autonomously in an unstructured environment.
The program suits those focused on:
- Working on a specific project
- Creating new works
This program is run in English and only accepts projects that are being written in English. English is the language of Banff Centre correspondence.
Scholarships available.
For more information and to apply banffcentre.ca.
