A new five-day songwriting residency is coming to downtown Calgary this September, and the public will get to hear what comes out of it. Element Calgary Downtown is partnering with Blue Jay Sessions, the CCMA Award-nominated songwriters' series founded in Calgary in 2019, to launch "Composition: A Songwriters' Retreat," which wraps up with a free public showcase on September 3.

The residency will bring together one Alberta-based songwriter, three visiting artists from across the country, and additional local musicians. They'll spend five days living and writing together in Element's Studio Commons, a suite of four connected hotel rooms built around a shared central living space. Then, on September 3, they'll perform the songs they wrote that week at Bow & Bend, the hotel's rooftop bar and lounge.

"We're looking forward to this new evolution of Blue Jay Sessions and couldn't think of a better space than Element Calgary Downtown to bring a residency like this to life," said Blue Jay Sessions founder Dan Clapson. "Giving independent Canadian artists both a platform to shine and a place to hone their songwriting craft is more important than ever."

Tim Ostrem, general manager of Element Calgary Downtown, said the partnership fits the hotel's goal of creating experiences that bring people together. "This partnership allows us to support Canadian artists while offering our guests and Calgarians alike the chance to connect to the music and the community we're building here," he said.

Organizers see the residency as the start of an ongoing seasonal series, with future editions expected to bring in new lineups of Canadian artists throughout the year. Independent Canadian singer-songwriters interested in taking part can apply at thebluejaysessions.com, with applications due by 5 p.m. MT on July 30.