Working with institutional, personal, fictional and/or speculative archives, participants are invited to think critically about the archive as a method or 'technology' for re-storying social and cultural narratives. Themes may include, but are not limited to: familial/ancestral lineages and cultural inheritance, oral histories, micro-histories, absence, amnesia, re-memory.

Participants will be engaged in stimulating discussion and mentorship by leading faculty. Access to Whyte Museum and Banff Centre archives are available by prior arrangement. Please indicate your interest and rationale for access to either of these archives in your project description.

Visual Arts residencies at Banff Centre are structured programs of faculty-led activity and mentorship, supporting project-based studio practice. Participants will be mentored by accomplished faculty through research, experimentation and hands-on learning.

This program supports:

the development of conceptual thought and creative skills through faculty supported research-creation
the development of technical skills through skill-based experimentation
faculty-led discussion workshops to foster critical thought and professional development
cross-cultural engagement with international faculty and participants
peer engagement that fosters a professional community towards supporting and sustaining an artistic career.

Scholarships are available.
Application Deadline May 06, 2026
Program Dates Nov 02, 2026 - Dec 04, 2026