Contemporary French Literature

Dates

Application Deadline: September 24, 2025

Program Dates: February 09 – February 20, 2026

Overview  

This 12-day contemporary writing residency will provide French citizens with the opportunity to explore craft and voice while introducing them to the North American publishing market. Participants will be able to workshop their original prose or poetry manuscripts with a faculty of accomplished writers and translators of French and English. 

Faculty members Rhonda Mullins, Cole Swenson, Chris Clarke, Santiago Artozqui, and professional guest Alana Wilcox (Coach House Books) will share their own work, present talks, field questions about translation, and work with authors to hone their manuscripts in progress.

Participants of Contemporary French Literature will also have the opportunity build a community of artistic peers and share their work with a wider audience.

Description

This self-directed residency offers French writers working across genres with a flexible format that allows them to choose the amount of programming and support they want.

Optional elements include:

• thematic talks from specialist faculty Chris Clarke, Rhonda Mullins, Santiago Artozqui, and Cole Swenson and professional guest Alana Wilcox (Coach House Books) to introduce participants to the North American market and the experience of translation.
• one-on-one mentoring with faculty to discuss ideas, experiences, and obstacles that participants may be encountering with their project.
• Q & A sessions.
• workshops to explore techniques, aspects, and devices writers may find useful in their practice.
• public readings.

All participants will have individual accommodation and a small private studio where they can focus on their writing practice. Participants will also be surrounded by a community of artistic peers.

Requirements

French writers seeking time to focus on a current literary project and an opportunity to connect with peers and translators from around the world will benefit greatly from this program. 

Applicants should be accomplished, professional writers who have been published in books, national or international magazines, newspapers, anthologies, or literary journals. However, writers with less experience may be accepted to the program based on merit, the proposed project, and writing skill.

Participants will benefit most if they are comfortable working autonomously in an unstructured environment. The program suits those focused on:

• working on a specific project.
• creating new works.

Please note: The language of administration at Banff Centre is English. All administrative correspondence related to this program—after adjudication, and while the program is running—will be in English. Participants need to have a working knowledge of English.

Eligibility

To be eligible, you must be a French citizen residing in France or one of the following French territories: French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Saint Martin, Saint Barthélemy, Clipperton Island, French Polynesia, New Caledonia, Wallis and Futuna, French Southern And Antarctic Lands, Mayotte, Réunion, or Saint Pierre And Miquelon. You will be expected to write a thank you letter to the donor at the end of your program.

Applicants must be 18+ at the time of the program start date. 

Visa Eligibility Information: 

• 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 applicants of all ages (18+), backgrounds, gender identities and expressions to apply. Artists from historically underrepresented and equity deserving groups are especially welcome.