Eligibility

Sports Writing 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 sports 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. While this program is run in English, it will accept projects that are being written in either English or Spanish and can offer mentorship in both languages. English is the language of Banff Centre correspondence.

Number of Participants

19

Deadline

April 08, 2026 06:00 UTC

Selection Results (Announcement Dates)

June 10, 2026 06:00 UTC

Duration

October 05, 2026 - October 16, 2026

Costs

• CA$65.00 application fee
• CA$3,602.00 program fee (one-time)

Facilities

Individual Studio, Library

Housing

Hotel

Meals

Breakfast, Lunch

Public Programs

Discussion, Mentors, Readings

Disciplines

Journalism, Literature

Languages

English

Program Description

This two-week residency encourages the exploration of new ideas in sports writing. Designed to challenge and stimulate, the program aims to inspire creative pieces of sports-focused 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. The Sports Writing residency offers time and space for writers to focus, reconnect, and re-energize their writing practice. In addition to a single room and a small private studio, participants will be able to engage with other writers on the program. As a flexible self-guided program with optional elements, this residency allows participants to choose the amount of support they are looking for. Optional program elements include: talks from faculty members Q & A sessions public readings one-on-one mentoring with faculty Scholarships available.