Arts opportunity

This self-directed writing residency supports new writers of young adult and children’s books at varying levels of accomplishment—from not-yet-published writers to those with one published book—to improve their writing skills and expand their practice, taking it to the next level. 

Participants in Early Career Writers of Young Adult and Children's Books will have the opportunity to work closely with faculty Jordan Scott, Jen Ferguson, and Tanya Boteju, and professional guest David Robertson (Tundra Books) as well as a community of artistic peers. With one-on-one mentorship sessions, faculty talks, and public events, this energizing and transformative residency will help writers build critical vocabulary as well as community, making them better critics of their own and others’ work. 

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.
• Q & A sessions.
• workshops to explore techniques, aspects, and devices writers may find useful in their practice.
• public reading opportunities.

All participants will have individual accommodation and a small private studio where they can focus on their writing practice. 

The residency is designed to cater to any new writer of young adult or children’s books interested in mentorship, public reading opportunities, and feedback from faculty and fellow participants. 

The residency will provide participants with tailored opportunities for professional development and creative growth and is open to writers with:

• no publications
• a few publications, or 
• a first book for young adults or children. 

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.

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

Application Deadline: June 4, 2025
Program Dates: Nov 24, 2025 - Dec 5, 2025

For more information and to apply: bit.ly/3QHTDkN

Create, Clarify, Connect

Dates: October 24-25, 2025

Times: 12 pm - 5 pm ET

Why Attend? 

Gain new skills, refine your craft, rekindle your creative spirit, and connect with a vibrant community of writers while celebrating the power of human stories. 

Registration:

• Early Bird (Before June 1): $140 
• Standard (After June 1): $250 

What’s Included: 

• 2 days of workshops, meeting other creative people, finding inspiration, and having fun 
• Select workshop recordings
• A copy of Create & Curate (500 writing and art prompts) 
• Fee waiver for any Unleash Contest (Book Prize or WIP) 

Featured workshops:

• Writing without expectations with Laura Esther Sciortino's generative and interactive workshop.
• Manifest your creative life with Amy L. Bernstein's all-genre workshop.
• Explore how to write for social good with Nancy Townsley
• Learn the art of revision in poetry with Alexis Ivy
• Discuss art and aging with Carol Fischbach and Christina V. Larsen
• Examine what we can create in community with Sonia Perna
• Learn to rekindle your childhood creativity with a multimedia art workshop by Vanja Kragulj
• Creative leadership & networking co-hosted by Jen Knox and Chris Shanahan
• The art of audio with audiobook narrator Suzanne Warfield
• Discuss technology, adapting prose to film, and more ... 

For more information, see the following link: unleashpress.submittable.com/submit