Banff Centre Summer Arts Festival 2024

The 2024 Banff Centre Summer Arts Festival celebrates themes of connection and creativity, bringing together artists who will build on a rich legacy of those who came before them.

More than 65 shows and performances, including over 35 FREE events!

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Banff Summer Arts Festival lineup includes:

National Indigenous History Month – Events during the month of June include concerts, storytelling, dance workshop, and an online marketplace
Interplay – A fusion of opera and chamber music events featuring Chamber Music Concerts and Opera Workshops including new adaptations of The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood and Indians on Vacation by Thomas King
Mainstage performances – Including Ron James, Irish Mythen Live at Maclab, National Youth Orchestra of Canada, A 'radical retellling' by Cliff Cardinal of William Shakespeare's As You Like It
Literary Arts – Readings from Literary Journalism and Summer Writers programs
Art of Piano – Concerts and events including Piano Masterclasses
Visual Arts – Readings, Faculty Lectures, and Open Studios
Amp Sessions – Join us all summer for a laid-back and fun-filled musical break in the outdoor Shaw Amphitheatre!
Gather Listen Hear – A multi-day interdisciplinary event centred on the relationship between sound and land
Banff String Quartet Festival - See the world's finest quartets on stage in Banff at the end of August
Jazz & Sonic Arts – Mainstage concerts led by pioneers and new vanguards of jazz
Indigenous Arts – Events including a Conversation Series and World Dance Residency Showcase
+ More Outdoor Events – Including Concerts and Film Screenings.

I am proud of the programs curated by our team of artistic directors - from intimate gatherings to full-scale productions to a rare peek behind the curtain into the artistic process. This range of activities ensures that the Summer Arts Festival has something for everyone.

Chris Lorway, President & CEO

National Indigenous History Month
(June 1 - 30)

Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity invites you to take part in National Indigenous History Month at Banff Centre! Also be sure to browse the Online Marketplace.

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Sat, Jun 1, 2024

Ron James: Not Nearly Done Yet

Multi-award-winning comedian and best-selling author Ron James takes fans on a two-hour roller coaster ride with eclectic new material and road-honed classics.

Jenny Belzberg Theatre

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$70

Fri, Jun 14, 2024

Irish Mythen Live at Maclab

Irish Mythen’s live performances are a thing of raw power, emotion and a connection with her audience that just has to be seen to be believed.

Decolonizing the Narrative Conversation Series: Cheryl L’Hirondelle

Explore and deepen your understanding of how Indigenous artists are using their arts discipline as a tool to decolonize artistic process and creation.

Max Bell Auditorium

Attend

Free

Pictured left to right: Macarena Gómez-Barris, Tina Campt, Jack Halberstam and Saidiya Hartman. Images courtesy of faculty and guest lecturers.

Visual Arts
(June 5 - August 19)

Explore some of the remarkable visual art happening at Banff Centre all summer and gain insight from the artists themselves.

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Interplay
(June 7 - 29)

A fusion of opera and chamber music!

Interplay celebrates the convergence of opera and chamber music - a platform for early career and established vocalists, instrumentalists, and creatives to collaborate on new works and celebrated masterpieces.

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Literary Arts
(June 13 - August 8)

Join us in celebrating five decades of literary arts at Banff Centre with a series of free talks and readings by renowned faculty and residents sharing works in progress.

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Photo by Rita Taylor, Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity Shaw Amphitheatre

Amp Sessions
(June 25 - August 6)

Join us all summer for a laid-back and musical break in the Shaw Amphitheatre! Bring your own lawn chair and pack a picnic or get food from Maclab Bistro, and enjoy the incredible talents of Bow Valley local artists.

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Art of Piano
(July 6 - 19)

Featuring concerts by renowned musicians as well as free concerts showcasing early and mid-career participants in the Art of Piano program who are provided with the invaluable opportunity to hone skills and discover their artistic voice here in Banff.

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Banff Centre Celebrates

Join us in the heart of the Canadian Rockies as we celebrate 90 years of creativity at Banff Centre and set the stage for Banff Centre’s 100th...

Fri, Jul 26, 2024

Indigenous World Dance Residency Showcase

Join us for a captivating showcase featuring original works by Indigenous dance groups from around the world.

Jenny Belzberg Theatre

Attend

Free

Mon, Jul 29, 2024

Horizons Tour: National Youth Orchestra

Led by Canadian Music Director Naomi Woo, the National Youth Orchestra of Canada Horizons Tour marks a triumphant return to Western Canada.

Jenny Belzberg Theatre

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$55

Wed, Jul 31, 2024

IN A LANDSCAPE: Classical Music in the Wild™

Don't miss this outdoor concert series where America’s most stunning landscapes replace the traditional concert hall in this immersive experience.

William Shakespeare's As You Like It, A Radical Retelling by Cliff Cardinal (Aug 2)

With his subversive updating of the Bard's classic, cultural provocateur Cliff Cardinal aims to surprise and provoke.

Jenny Belzberg Theatre

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$39.50

Sat, Aug 3, 2024

William Shakespeare's As You Like It, A Radical Retelling by Cliff Cardinal (Aug 3)

With his subversive updating of the Bard's classic, cultural provocateur Cliff Cardinal aims to surprise and provoke.

Jenny Belzberg Theatre

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$39.50

Tue, Aug 6, 2024

Amp Sessions: Liam Cowan

Join us for for a laid-back and fun-filled musical break in the Shaw Amphitheatre with multi-instrumentalist and singer/songwriter Liam Cowan.

Jazz & Sonic Arts Concert: Sonic Visionaries

Join the most powerful voices at the forefront of jazz on a vibrant and fearless journey of sound exploration and new expressions.

Jenny Belzberg Theatre

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$20

Sat, Aug 17, 2024

Jazz & Sonic Arts Concert: Resounding

Led by pioneers, legends and new vanguards of jazz, dive into an electrifying experience where musical innovation and creativity transcend boundaries.

Jenny Belzberg Theatre

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$20

Banff International Workshop in Jazz 2017

Gather Listen Hear
(August 21 - 23)

Coinciding with this summer's Classical Indigenous Music Residency and the Jazz and Sonic Arts Residency, this series of events includes faculty and participant concerts taking place in both programs as well as a joint performance by the cohorts of program participants.

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Banff Centre International String Quartet Festival 2021, Photo by Brandon Lam on Unsplash

Banff International String Quartet Festival
(August 30 - September 1)

Banff International String Quartet Festival is a three-day festival showcasing the finest in international classical music in a completely immersive experience.

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