Fantastic and Futuristic Writers Residency 2027

Overview  

Banff Centre's Fantastic and Futuristic Writers Residency is a 12-day self-directed residency offering dedicated writing time within Banff Centre’s vibrant literary community. Writers receive a personal studio in historic Vinci Hall, a lively clubhouse-style home base where writers gather, work, exchange ideas, and build connections. Whether your work explores imagined futures, impossible worlds, uncanny horrors, epic quests, or sweeping romances, the faculty offer complementary perspectives on speculative storytelling and the craft of writing beyond the ordinary. Each writer is paired with an exceptional faculty mentor for weekly one-on-one consultations, with optional access to faculty talks, Q&As, public reading opportunities, social receptions, and campus events. Designed for writers who value both independence and creative community, this residency invites participants to shape their own experience, whether through focused solo writing, peer-led workshops, informal feedback, lively conversation, and discovery.

Description

This 12-day self-directed residency offers writers of the strange and fantastical, the futuristic and imaginary, dedicated time, space, and momentum to advance a writing project within an active literary community. Come together in Banff Centre’s historic Vinci Hall, the program’s lively home base: a clubhouse-style environment of assigned personal studios, shared lounge space, hallway conversations, spontaneous peer exchanges, and informal plans taking shape throughout the day. Expect the everyday energy of writers working, gathering, and moving through their creative process together. 

Each participant is paired with an exceptional faculty mentor, Amal El-Mohtar, Anuja Varghese, or Alaya Dawn Johnson, or weekly one-on-one consultations, with an additional opportunity to meet guest speaker Dongwon Song. Our faculty bring expertise in fantasy, speculative fiction, romance, literary crossover, and genre-defying storytelling, offering writers a broad range of perspectives on craft, worldbuilding, and the creative possibilities of genre. Optional programming includes faculty talks and Q&As, public reading opportunities, social receptions, and campus events. 

Our Fantastic and Futuristic Writers Residency is best suited to writers excited by community and comfortable shaping their own time, choosing the balance of solitude, mentorship, programming, and peer connection that best supports their practice.

Requirements

The program is designed for emerging and established writers with a proven publication record seeking a period of dedicated time to work on a fantasy / science fiction project.

The residency suits those focused on:

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

This program is not open to applicants who have taken part in a Banff Centre residency in the last year, nor to current faculty members of any other Banff Centre programming.

This program is run in English and only accepts projects that are being written in English. English is the language of Banff Centre correspondence.

Eligibility

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

Domestic and international applications are welcome.

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.