Dates
Application deadline: November 20, 2024
Residency dates:
- April 7, 2025 - December 19, 2025
- January 5, 2026 - March 27, 2026
Crich studio with darkroom:
- May 5, 2025 - May 23, 2025
- October 6, 2025 - October 31, 2025
- December 8, 2025 - December 19, 2025
Individual residences
- may run for a minimum 2 weeks and maximum 6 weeks.
- must start on a Monday and end on a Friday, with arrival on the Sunday before and departure on the Saturday after.
Collaborative/group residencies
- may run for a minimum 1 week and maximum 3 weeks.
- must start on a Monday and end on a Friday, with arrival on the Sunday before and departure on the Saturday after.
There will be no availability between December 19, 2025 and January 5, 2026 due to the Institutional Holiday Closure.
Dates are fixed and if accepted, cannot be changed or deferred. Please ensure to select dates that work for your schedule when applying.
Overview
The Leighton Artist Studios comprise nine distinct studios suitable for individual artists working in the following disciplines:
- writing for stage and screen
- composing and songwriting
- literary arts
- visual arts
- critical and curatorial writing
- interdisciplinary practices not requiring technical support or equipment rental.
A tenth studio, the Painter House, is suitable for groups of two to ten artists working collaboratively. Formal and informal collectives, ensembles, inter-disciplinary collaborators and Indigenous cultural groups are invited to apply for residencies at the Painter House.
Leighton Studio residencies are geared to professional artists working on major research-creation projects or new bodies of work. The program is best suited to artists who are self-motivated, focused, and wanting time and space for introspection.
Projects must fit within one of the artistic disciplines outlined above. The application must include a clearly articulated project description and a resume that demonstrates a strong record of accomplishment. Applications are externally adjudicated. Artists are selected on the basis of artistic merit. The program is highly competitive given the limited number of studios available.
The Leighton Artist Studios do not provide access to external specialized production facilities or technical support. Photographers interested in using darkroom facilities in the Crich Studio will need to demonstrate proficiency and be able to work self-sufficiently. Crich Studio has very limited availability. If your project requires production support, please consider applying to one of our other artist-in-residence programs.
Description
Independent residencies at the Leighton Artist Studios offer professional artists an inspiring retreat environment for the development of their work. The program offers secluded space and focused time for artistic research, experimentation and project development.
There is no access to specialized production facilities, technical support, or equipment loans. Please refer to each studio page to see what is included within the footprint of the studio.
Artists working in the Leighton Artist Studios can engage with the community on campus by attending talks, performances, exhibitions, and joining in the Participant Resources activity calendar.
Requirements
We invite professional artists with a demonstrated record of accomplishment and a clearly articulated project to apply for a Leighton Artist Studio. Artists are required to be self-motivated and comfortable working independently for the duration of their residency.
Your project must fit within the footprint of a Leighton Studio. Technical and production support and equipment/musical instrument rentals are not provided. If your project requires production support, please consider applying to one of our other artist in residence programs in Literary Arts, Performing Arts, Indigenous Arts or Visual Arts.
Please note that nine of the Leighton Artists Studios are located in the woods and are accessed via a gravel pathway. Due to their remote location on campus they are currently not wheelchair accessible. Please contact us if you require wheelchair accessible accommodations.
Eligibility
Artists who have participated in a Leighton Studio residency in the past three years are not eligible to apply.
Applicants must be ages 18+ at the time of the program start date.
Banff Centre welcomes applications from both domestic and international applicants for our program.
Visa Eligibility Information: Canadian Student Visa Not Eligible: Please note that Banff Centre programs do not meet the eligibility requirements for a Canadian Student Visa. If you are accepted into our program, you must obtain a Visitor Visa to enter Canada. Accepted participants are responsible for identifying and complying with the immigration requirements to enter Canada as a visitor from their country of origin. If you require a Visitor Visa please check the current expected processing times well in advance of applying.
Inclusivity Statement
We welcome artists of all ages (18+), backgrounds, gender identities and expressions to apply. Artists from historically underrepresented and equity deserving groups are especially welcome.
