Dates
Application Deadline: May 21, 2025
Program Dates: October 06 - 17, 2025
Overview
Comics and Graphic Novels is a self-directed residency that considers how creatives use this unique media as a place for personal narrative, memoir, and exploration. The residency provides writers with the time and space to delve deep into their creative project away from the constraints of everyday life, take advantage of an artistic community of peers, and consult with experienced faculty.
Residency faculty and guests specializing in comics, illustration, publishing, and writing include Matt Madden, Bishakh Som, Tom Hart, and professional guest Michel Vrana (Black Eye Books). Participants can take part in individual mentoring sessions with faculty as well as group sessions to discuss their work and project.
Description
This two-week residency has a flexible format that allows participants to choose the amount of programming and support they are looking for.
Optional elements include:
- thematic talks from specialist faculty and guests.
- one-on-one mentoring sessions with faculty to discuss ideas, experiences and obstacles that participants may be encountering in the genre of comics and graphic novels.
- Q & A sessions.
- workshops to explore techniques, aspects, and devices writers may find useful in their practice.
- public readings where writers can share their work.
All participants will have individual accommodation and a small private studio where they can focus, reconnect, and re-energize their writing practice.
Requirements
The program is designed to cater to experienced writers, graphic novelists/cartoonists, writer/illustrators, or writer and illustrator pairings looking to explore the future of visual and literary techniques and focus on works in progress.
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.
While this program is run in English, it will accept projects that are being written in English, French, Bengali and Spanish. English is the language of Banff Centre correspondence.
Residency Eligibility
Residency Experience Summary
Application Information
Each residency has specific eligibility requirements; please visit our website for our current and available programs open for application.
Total fee per person (Tuition, Accommodation and Meal Plan): $3 616.20
Scholarship Amount Applied*: $2 469.60
You pay (fee after scholarship applied): $1 146.60
Application Fee
$65 for individuals, $35 for applicants who identify as Indigenous.
The application fee is non-refundable. 100% of this fee goes towards the cost of administering the application in SlideRoom.
Scholarships
We are pleased to offer scholarships to support participants in our program. Below are details regarding the scholarship amount and how they are applied.
- Standard scholarship: covers 100% of tuition fees, and 50% of meals and accommodation costs
- Canadian Indigenous scholarship: covers 100% of tuition fees, meals, and accommodation costs
If you would like to be considered, please complete the Financial Aid section when uploading your supporting materials.
Banff Centre offers a range of scholarship and funding opportunities for each residency. If you would like to be considered, please complete the Financial Aid section when uploading your supporting materials through the application portal.
Please visit the Fees & Financial Aid section of the program page to learn more about individual program's specific fees and funding availabilities.