Visual Arts - Sounding Like a Mountain

This residency invites visual artists to apply with projects that consider how places sing, how memory persists in vibration and how listening to the land can re-orient ethical and political relations. 

Drawing on concepts inherent to acoustic ecology and taking the mountains of Banff as inspiration, participants are invited to explore how sound activates multiple temporalities – shaped by land use, migration, ecological disruption, colonial infrastructures, and so on. The Earth can be thought of as a field of relations in which biological, geological and social processes co-create one another. Participants will reflect on ecological and ethical listening and sounding as it informs thinking, art-making and presentation.

Visual Arts residencies at Banff Centre are structured programs of faculty-led activity and mentorship, supporting project-based studio practice.

This program supports: 

  • the development of theoretical concepts and artistic ideas through independent research alongside a structured program of faculty-led activities and workshops
  •  one-to-one faculty mentorship through studio visits and faculty meetings
  • the development of technical skills through experimentation and skill-based learning assisted by staff technicians
  • peer-to-peer informal learning related to studio and professional practice
  • the development of a professional community towards developing and sustaining an artistic career.

 Artists are assigned individual studios with access to shared production facilities. Knowledgeable staff are available to provide technical assistance.

Please take note of the program itinerary when planning your project proposal. 

Facility access is based on availability of facilitators and priority goes to those requesting access in their initial applications. 

Deadline
Residency Length
5 weeks - 5 weeks
Languages
English
Average Number of Artists in Residence at a Time
17
Collaborative Residency
Must apply and be accepted individually
Discipline
Ceramics/Clay Arts/Pottery
Digital Fabrication
Digital Media
Drawing
Environmental Arts
Illustration
Installation Arts
Interdisciplinary Arts
Mixed Media
Painting
Paper Arts
Performance Art
Photography
Printmaking
Sculpture
Sound Art
Textile & Fiber Arts/Weaving
Visual Arts
Woodworking
Companions
N/A
Country of Residence
Open to artists based anywhere in the world
Family Friendly
N/A
Stage of Career
Any stage of career
Additional Expectations/Opportunities
Participate in public programming
Participate in open studio with fellow residents
Accessible Housing
ADA Compliant
Partially Accessible (50% or more)
Meals Provided
All meals
Studios/Special Equipment
Private Studios
Dedicated Studio/Shop Technicians - Full Time
Exhibition / Installation Space
Ceramics Workspace
Electric Wheels
Kick Wheels
Slab Roller
Clay Mixers
Plaster Room
Raku Kiln
Electric Kiln
Gas Kiln
Dedicated Metal Shop
Plasma Cutter
Anvils, Stakes + Hammers
Hydraulic Press
Soldering Workspace
Gas/Oxy Torches
Finishing Room
Buffing Machine
Casting Room
Electroforming + Etching Room
Darkroom (Black And White)
Darkroom (Color)
Lighting Studio/Green Screen
Large Format Printer / Plotter
Large Format Scanner
Film Scanner
Printers + Scanner
Photo + Video Editing Suite
Painting Workspace (Oil)
Easels
Drawing Benches
Printmaking Workspaces
Book Arts Facilities
Etching Press
Glass Inking Table
Drying Racks
Aquatint Box
Hot Plates
Paper Soaking Sinks
Paper Tearing Table
Acid Room
Silkscreen Studio
Lithography Studio
Light Tables
Large Sinks
Large Exposure Unit
Washout Room
Papermaking Studio
Textiles Workspace
Fiber Arts Workspace
Dye Area
Padded Screen Print Tables
Hooded Dye Mixing Station
Drying Room
Well-ventilated Spray Room
Washer And Dryer
Dedicated Wood Shop
Woodworking Tools
Tablesaw
Bandsaw
Router Table
Wood Bending Equipment
Jointer
Planer
Wood Vises And Wood Working Table
Studios/Facilities Accessibility
Partially Accessible (50% or more)
Type of Housing
Private bedroom in a shared housing facility on campus
Additional Eligibility Information

Each residency has specific eligibility requirements; please visit our website for our current and available programs open for application.

Number of Artists Accepted in Most Current Year
18
Artist Stipend
Travel Stipend/Material Stipends
Residency Fees
1033
Canadian Dollar (CAD)
Fee Details

Total Program Fee

$10 033.70

Banff Centre Arts Scholarship

$5 556.87

Participant Cost *

$4 476.78

Application Fee

$65 for individuals or groups, $35 for applicants who identify as Indigenous.

This non-refundable fee covers the full cost of processing your application, including the SlideRoom fee.

Grant/Scholarship/other Funding Support
5556
Canadian Dollar (CAD)
Grant/Scholarship/Other Funding Support Details

We are pleased to offer a range of scholarships to support participants in our programs. 

  • Banff Centre Arts Scholarship
    Program participants receive a Banff Centre Arts Scholarship that covers the cost of tuition, plus a contribution towards accommodation and meals.

*Participant costs shown above reflect the cost after the scholarship has been applied. To be eligible for Banff Centre scholarship, please complete the Financial Aid section when uploading your supporting materials.

  • Canadian Indigenous Arts Scholarship 
    Canadian Indigenous Arts applicants receive a scholarship that covers the full cost of tuition, accommodation and meals.
Application Fee
65
Canadian Dollar (CAD)
Application Type
Open application