Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity

Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity We exist to inspire artists and leaders to make their unique contribution to society. Human potential is realized at Banff Centre.
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As a unique creative and learning experience, we curate innovative programs that develop artists and leaders, inspiring them to conceive and create powerful works and ideas that are shared with the world. Banff Centre is a catalyst for knowledge and creativity through the power of our unique environment and facilities in the Canadian Rocky Mountains, our rich learning opportunities, cross-disciplinary and cross-sectoral interactions, outreach activities, and performances for the public.

Before the St. Lawrence String Quartet became an internationally celebrated ensemble, they were four musicians taking th...
08/27/2026

Before the St. Lawrence String Quartet became an internationally celebrated ensemble, they were four musicians taking the stage in Banff.

With the Banff International String Quartet Festival just one week away, we’re throwing it back to 1992 and the 4th Banff International String Quartet Competition, where the quartet won first prize for their performance of Marjan Mozetich’s Lament in the Trampled Garden.

Pictured from left to right are Geoff Nuttall (violin), Barry Shiffman (violin), Marina Hoover (cello), and Lesley Robertson (viola).

Formed in Toronto in 1989, the quartet went on to win first prize at the Young Concert Artists International Auditions, a Juno Award and a Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik, while collaborating with some of the world’s most celebrated musicians. For 35 years, they performed and recorded music around the world, with Banff remaining an important part of their story.

The Banff International String Quartet Competition has been helping emerging ensembles find their footing and build lasting careers for nearly 40 years. Today, Barry Shiffman is continuing that legacy in a different role as Director of the Banff International String Quartet Competition and Festival. From competitor to leader, his connection to the competition is a reminder of the lasting impact Banff can have on an artist’s journey.

The St. Lawrence String Quartet is just one of the many remarkable stories that began here.

08/26/2026

🎤 For everyone who's spent a Thursday night singing their heart out at karaoke as part of the Banff Centre Summer Arts Festival, you'll know exactly who we're talking about: the amazing Miss Rizz.

At the end of July, she hosted her final karaoke night before heading to Montréal to continue her education. Of course, we couldn't let her leave without a little surprise.

The video above captures that special moment, along with a glimpse of the laughter, music, bubbles, and unforgettable memories she's helped create over this summer's Karaoke Nights at CLVB '33.

Don't forget, we have one final karaoke night of the summer with Birthday Girl this Thursday. It's a night you won't want to miss.

🎤 Three months, countless great nights, and so many memories already made at CLVB ’33! 🎵

Banff Centre is thrilled to announce Joshua Dalledonne as Director of Banff Centre Presents.Joshua joins Banff Centre wi...
08/24/2026

Banff Centre is thrilled to announce Joshua Dalledonne as Director of Banff Centre Presents.

Joshua joins Banff Centre with an accomplished career as a producer, curator, performer and cultural leader, with experience across Alberta and the international performing arts sector. Most recently, he was Co-Curator of Theater der Welt 2026, Germany’s largest contemporary performance festival, and Associate Director, Presenting at Calgary’s Werklund Centre.

As Director, Joshua will lead Banff Centre Presents, bringing artists, audiences and communities together through performances, concerts and festivals. He will work with artists, colleagues and communities across Southern Alberta to develop programming that reflects Banff Centre’s mission and the unique possibilities of its mountain home.

“This opportunity to join one of Canada’s—and truly, one of the world’s—most significant spaces for creativity, learning, and connection is an honour,” Joshua says. “Front of mind in my new role is returning the sense of welcome that has met me here to the artists onstage and on campus, and to the audiences and communities of Banff, the Bow Valley, and to visitors from across Canada and the world.”

Welcome to Banff Centre Joshua! Read more: https://www.banffcentre.ca/articles/arts/banff-centre-announces-joshua-dalledonne-director-banff-centre-presents

In honour of our Jazz & Sonic Arts residency wrapping up this weekend, this week’s archival photos take us back to the 1...
08/24/2026

In honour of our Jazz & Sonic Arts residency wrapping up this weekend, this week’s archival photos take us back to the 1992 Jazz Workshop, featuring guest faculty member Abraham Adzenyah.

The four-week workshop brought together contemporary composition and improvisation with the traditions of jazz. Participants began with a week of African music and dance, learning about group and communal musical expression with Abraham. These ideas were then expanded through two weeks of faculty-led sessions and ensemble playing, connecting them with contemporary African American–based music.

The workshop concluded with a concert of new works by Anthony Braxton, as well as time for participants to explore and absorb the ideas they had encountered throughout the program. Abraham, a fifth-generation Fante Master Drummer from Agona Swedru, Ghana, taught West African music and dance at Wesleyan University for nearly five decades. Over his career, he performed and recorded with artists including Steve Reich, Anthony Braxton, Clifford Thornton, Ed Blackwell, and Dizzy Gillespie.

A little trip down memory lane! 🎻 Let’s look back at the last time we welcomed the Banff International String Quartet Fe...
08/21/2026

A little trip down memory lane! 🎻 Let’s look back at the last time we welcomed the Banff International String Quartet Festival in 2024, before getting ready for this year’s festival, happening September 3–6, 2026.

A few favourite moments from 2024: our wonderful audience, the Viano Quartet, and our unforgettable first string orchestra concert in the Jenny Belzberg Theatre, featuring James Ehnes and the Ehnes Quartet with the Banff Festival Orchestra.

This year, expect the familiar magic of world-class musicians alongside experiences that go beyond the traditional concert hall. Look forward to intimate performances, creative collaborations, new dance works, and experiences that bring audiences closer to the music and musicians.

Highlights include performances by Opus13, Steven Isserlis & Connie Shih, and Jan Lisiecki, along with Barry Shiffman and Neshama Nashman’s new dance works.

If these photos from 2024 bring back a few memories, consider this your invitation to make some new ones this year.

08/20/2026

🌍 Experience Indigenous dance from around the world at Banff Centre!

Over the past few weeks, our Indigenous World Dance participants have been learning the unique styles and works of three acclaimed choreographers from Canada, Honolulu and the United States: Santee Smith, Taané Mete, and Peter Rockford Espiritu, also known as Tau.

Now, you have the chance to see their work come to life as our participants perform pieces they’ve developed during their time at Banff Centre.

Indigenous World Dance Open Studios
📅 August 20
⏰ 4 p.m.
📍 Laszlo Funtek Building
🎟️ Free

Join us for an afternoon of powerful performances and Indigenous dance.

08/20/2026

Today is our final Peak Laughs comedy show of the summer! We’re wrapping up the season with a great night of entertainment!

Todd Ness brings his quick wit, original material and high-energy style to CLVB ’33. Todd won the 2014 Yuk Yuk’s competition out of more than 100 comics, has been featured on CBC’s Laugh Out Loud and has shared the stage with comedy heavyweights including: Bill Burr, Andrew Schulz, and Shane Gillis. He was also recently part of the Great Outdoors Comedy Festival in Vancouver, Calgary, and Spokane, and his comedy clips have racked up millions of views online.

Opening the show is Bryan Moxon, a Calgary-based stand-up comedian who won the Lethbridge Roast Battle Championship and was a finalist in the FunnyFest Comedy Competition during his first year performing. Bryan is also the star of Berlin Castro, an official CIFF selection, has amassed more than two million views online and placed in the Top 10 of the Canada-wide $10K Funniest Canadian competition.

📅 Thursday, August 20 | 9 p.m.
📍 CLVB ’33
🎟️ $20 cover at the door

Grab a drink, settle in and get ready to laugh. You won’t want to miss it!

08/19/2026

CTV Calgary recently paid us a visit!

While on campus, they chatted with President and CEO Chris Lorway to learn more about what’s currently happening at Banff Centre, from our programming to the work being created by our participants. They also got a behind-the-scenes look inside the studios of our current Banff Artist in Residence (BAiR) participants.

If you’re looking to experience some of that work for yourself, there’s plenty happening on campus this week:

🎨 BAiR Open Studios | August 19 | 4–7 p.m. | Glyde Hall | Free

🖼️ Walter Phillips Gallery Exhibition Tour: Diane Borsato: A Clean Place to Swim | August 19 | 5:30 p.m.

🎷 Jazz & Sonic Arts Concerts | August 19 & 22 | 7:30 p.m. | $35

🎺 Jazz Jams at CLVB ’33 | August 19 & 22 | 9:30 p.m. | Free
See additional performances by:
• August 19: Abi Lee (piano) and Paddy Walter (drums), followed by Julia Stein (violin) and Salomé Perli (violin)
• August 22: Ketija Ringa-Karahona (flute), Kateryna Kravchenko (voice), Arthur Clees (vibraphone) and Eli Davidovici (double bass), followed by musicians from the Jazz & Sonic Arts program

💃 Indigenous World Dance Open Studios | August 20 | 4 p.m. | Laszlo Funtek Building | Free

📚 Literary Cabaret: Crime Writing | August 20, 25 & 27 | 7 p.m. | CLVB '33 | Free

We’re so proud of what our participants create during their time at Banff Centre, and we love sharing that work with the community. Check out CTV Calgary’s feature for a glimpse behind the scenes, then come see what’s happening for yourself.

📸 What’s the story behind your favourite photograph?The Photo Rodeo is back for its fourth year, and we’re looking for p...
08/18/2026

📸 What’s the story behind your favourite photograph?

The Photo Rodeo is back for its fourth year, and we’re looking for photographers from around the Canadian Rockies to share their best images and the stories behind them at the 2026 Banff Centre Mountain Film and Book Festival.

This free event celebrates outdoor photographers working across mountain culture, from adventure sports and wildlife to landscapes and everything in between. We’re looking for stories that are funny, bizarre, gripping, awkward, surprising or simply unforgettable.

The evening will feature an introduction from Paul Zizka of Paul Zizka Photography, followed by presentations from three selected photographers. Each presentation should combine compelling imagery with an entertaining story about capturing the images.

📅 Application deadline: September 2026
📍Photo Rodeo: November 7 | Rab Stage, Festival Marketplace

Applications are open to photographers living in and around the Canadian Rockies. Submitted images should be a sample of your best work and do not need to relate to your proposed story.

Ready to share your story? Apply now: https://www.banffcentre.ca/2026-banff-centre-mountain-film-and-book-festival-photo-rodeo

📸: Paul Zizka

08/14/2026

Get ready for an evening of adventurous jazz and boundary-pushing sound.

The musicians are rehearsing, experimenting, and pushing creative boundaries as the Jazz & Sonic Arts Residency prepares for its concert series. 🎷

Take a peek behind the scenes as a few of the groups prepare for their upcoming performances and discover some of the sounds, ideas, and collaborations taking shape.

Jazz & Sonic Arts Concerts
🎷 August 15, 19 & 22 ($35) | 7:30 p.m.
📍 August 19: Rolston Recital Hall
📍 August 15 & 22: Margaret Greenham Theatre

Jazz Jams at CLVB ’33 | FREE | 9:30 p.m.
🎺 August 15, 19 & 22

Experience dynamic performances that blend jazz traditions with contemporary experimentation, bold improvisation, and unexpected sonic textures.

Address

107 Tunnel Mountain Drive
Banff, AB
T1L1H5

Telephone

1.403.762.6100

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