Eligibility

Literary Journalism is designed for writers seeking a professional development opportunity in a community of peers with the guidance of an experienced writer/editor, as each participant prepares a long form piece. Applicants should be experienced professionals, active in the diversified fields of writing, including print or electronic media. This program is open to fiction and non-fiction writers, journalists, freelance critics or curators, artists, and academics, with an emphasis on those who can write for a lay audience with logic, vigour, and charm—and those who have a portfolio to prove it. This program is run in English and only accepts projects that are being written in English. English is the language of Banff Centre correspondence. Applicants must be ages 18+ at the time of the program start date. Domestic and international applications are welcome.

Number of Participants

19

Deadline

December 10, 2025 07:00 UTC

Selection Results (Announcement Dates)

February 04, 2026 07:00 UTC

Duration

June 01, 2026 - June 19, 2026

Costs

• CA$65.00 application fee
• CA$5,601.00 program fee (one-time)

Facilities

Individual Studio, Library

Housing

Hotel

Public Programs

Mentors, Readings, Self-Directed, Workshops

Languages

English

Program Description

This three-week residency encourages the exploration of new ideas in literary journalism (creative non-fiction) and experimentation in writing. Designed to challenge and stimulate, the program aims to inspire creative pieces of non-fiction and to assist the writers in their completion. A preeminent space for long-form journalism, this residency emphasizes the strengths of thorough and articulate reporting, distinctive storytelling, and literary devices. Writers will have time to: work on their manuscripts in their individual studios. consult with faculty members Manjula Martin, Dr. Cheryl Thompson, Shawn Micallef, and professional guest Dan Wells (Biblioasis). participate in group discussions. Faculty will provide mentorship and one-on-one workshops to discuss: story ideas. craft concepts such as voice and structure. challenges writers may be encountering with their literary journalism. Faculty will offer mentorship for the first two weeks, with the last week for writing time.