Vancouver Writers Fest

The Vancouver Writers Fest is a non-profit organization that produces a variety of literary events in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Its main event is the Vancouver Writers Fest, which is an annual week-long literary festival held on Granville Island, Vancouver in late October. Writers from Canada and abroad attend the festival to perform readings, interviews and panel discussions. The organization also runs the Incite reading series in the spring and the Spreading the Word schools program year-round.

Vancouver Writers Fest
Vancouver Writers Fest Logo
Formation1988
FounderAlma Lee
TypeNon-profit organization
Headquarters202 – 1398 Cartwright Street, Vancouver British Columbia
Chair: Alexia Jones

Vice-Chair: Shannon Taylor
Secretary: Holman Wang
Treasurer: Ramona Chu

Directors at large: Hurriya Burney, Kyla Epstein, Sandy Jakab, Natascha Kiernan, Harvey McKinnon, Robert McLean, Amanda Ross, Nisha Sikka, Terry Whitehead
Key people
Artistic Director: Leslie Hurtig

Development Director: Andrew Forshner

Marketing & Publicity Manager: Zoe Grams
Websitehttps://www.writersfest.bc.ca/

The Festival was introduced in 1988 by founding Artistic Director Alma Lee.[1][2] In 2010, the Festival was named the "Best Large Literary Festival in Canada" by the Canadian Tourism Commission.[3] The Vancouver Writers Fest adopted its current name in 2012.

Past authors have included Martin Amis, Margaret Atwood, Maeve Binchy, Peter Carey, Roddy Doyle, Timothy Findley, John Irving, P. D. James, Thomas Keneally, Andrea Levy, Frank McCourt, Rohinton Mistry, David Mitchell, Alice Munro, Michael Ondaatje, J. K. Rowling, Salman Rushdie and Carol Shields.[1]

Programming

The programming of the Vancouver Writers Fest aims to promote literacy on both a local and international level; to support and encourage British Columbia and Canadian writers in their vocation; to showcase a variety of international works of literature; and to educate a wide range of communities and age groups in literacy and the written arts.[4]

The main regular events produced by the Vancouver Writers Fest include: The Incite Reading Series, the Writers Fest on Granville Island and the Youth Education Programs.

Incite

Incite is a free, bi-monthly public series that runs from January to May. Incite is put on in partnership with the Vancouver Public Library[5] and features discussions, panels and interviews with multiple authors. Past authors who have participated include Yann Martel, Bernard Schlink, Joyce Carol Oates and William Gibson.[6] The Incite reading series takes place in Downtown Vancouver at the Alice McKay room of the Vancouver Public Library Central Branch.

Vancouver Writers Fest on Granville Island

Festival events include interviews, panel discussions, performances and readings as well as a four days event for kindergarten to grade 12 students. Recurring events include Grand Openings, The Literary Cabaret, the Sunday Brunch and the Afternoon Tea.[7]

Youth Education Programs

The Vancouver Writers Fest’s youth education programs are an integral part of the programming of the organization.

Some of the education events include:

  • 36 sessions aimed at children and youth during the October Festival
  • Writers in the Classroom: free author visits to schools in Metro Vancouver
  • Youth Writing Contest for grades 8 to 12

The Youth Education Programs reach over 6,000 students during the Festival and 1,000 during its year-round programming.[8]

Literary Prize Winners who have appeared at the Vancouver Writers Fest

Scotiabank Giller Prize

Authors Year
Will Ferguson

Esi Edugyan

Johanna Skibsrud

Linden MacIntyre

Joseph Boyden

Elizabeth Hay

Vincent Lam

David Bergen

Alice Munro

M.G. Vassanji

Austin Clarke

Richard B. Wright

Michael Ondaatje

David Adams Richards

Bonne Burnard

Mordecai Richler

Margaret Atwood

Rohinton Mistry

2012

2011

2010

2009

2008

2007

2006

2005

2004, 1998

2003, 1994

2002

2001

2000

2000

1999

1997

1996

1995[9]

Governor General's Literary Award for English Fiction

Authors Year
Thomas King

Linda Spalding

Patrick De Witt

Dianne Warren

Kate Pullinger

Nino Ricci

Michael Ondaatje

Peter Behrens

David Gilmour

Miriam Toews

Richard B. Wright

Matt Cohen

Jane Urquhart

Guy Vanderhaeghe

Greg Hollingshead

Rudy Wiebe

Carol Shields

Rohinton Mistry

Paul Quarrington

David Adams Richards

M.T. Kelly

Alice Munro

Margaret Atwood

Josef Skvorecky

Leon Rooke

Mavis Gallant

George Bowering

Jack Hodgins

Timothy Findley

2014

2012

2011

2010

2009

2008,1990

2007, 2000, 1992

2006

2005

2004

2001

1999

1997

1996

1995

1994

1993

1991

1989

1988

1987

1986, 1978

1985

1984

1983

1981

1980, 1969

1979

1977[10]

Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction

Authors Year
Thomas King

Andrew Westoll

Charles Foran

Richard Gwyn

Rudy Wiebe

J.B. MacKinnon

Charles Montgomery

Isabel Huggan

Carol Shields

Wayne Johnston

2014

2012

2011

2008

2007

2006

2005

2004

2002

2000[11]

Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Prize

Authors Year
Miriam Toews

Patrick deWitt

Emma Donoghue

Annabel Lyon

Lawrence Hill

Kenneth J. Harvey

Joseph Boyden

Alice Munro

Kevin Patterson

Paulette Jiles

Helen Humphreys

Greg Hollingshead

Austin Clarke

2014, 2008

2011

2010

2009

2007

2006

2005

2004

2003

2002

2000

1998

1997[12]

Man Booker Prize

Authors Year
Marlon James 2015

Julian Barnes 2011

Howard Jacobson 2010

Kiran Desai 2006

Alan Hollinghurst 2004

Yann Martel 2002

Peter Carey 2001, 1988

Margaret Atwood 2000

Ian McEwan 1998

Roddy Doyle 1993

Michael Ondaatje 1992

A S Byatt 1990

Thomas Keneally 1982

Salman Rushdie 1981

2015

2011

2010

2006

2004

2002

2001, 1988

2000

1998

1993

1992

1990

1982

1981[13]

Pulitzer Prize for Fiction

Authors Year
Paul Harding

Elizabeth Strout

Junot Díaz

Michael Chabon

Richard Ford

Carol Shields

Jane Smiley

2010

2009

2008

2001

1996

1995

1992[14]

International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award

Authors Year
Jon McGregor

Colum McCann

Rawi Hage

Colm Toibin

Alistair MacLeod

Andrew Miller

David Malouf

2012

2011

2008

2006

2001

1999

1996[15]

Bailey’s Women’s Prize for Fiction (Orange Prize)

Authors Year
Eimear McBride

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Andrea Levy

Kate Grenville

Linda Grant

Carol Shields

Anne Michaels

2014

2007

2004

2001

2000

1998

1997[16]

Granville Island

The Vancouver Writers Fest is based in Granville Island, a venue that adds to the overall experience of the October festival.[17]

Some of the venues of the October Festival in Granville Island include:

  • Performance Works
  • Granville Island Stage
  • Waterfront Theatre
  • Improv Centre
  • Studio 1398
  • Stanley Industrial Alliance Stage

Some of the off site venues include:

  • St. Andrew’s-Wesley United Church
  • The Vancouver Playhouse
  • The Beaumont Studio Artist Society[7]

References

  1. "History of the Vancouver Writer's Fest".
  2. "Vancouver Writers Festival : a celebration of the literary arts - City of Vancouver Archives". searcharchives.vancouver.ca. Retrieved 2016-07-27.
  3. "Festivals & Events | Vancouver, BC | Destination BC - Official Site". www.hellobc.com. Retrieved 2016-07-27.
  4. "VWF Constitution" (PDF). Vancouver writers Fest. Retrieved 2016-07-15.
  5. "Writers fest and VPL release Incite lineup of authors". 2014-01-27. Retrieved 2016-07-27.
  6. "Past Incite Events | Vancouver Writers Fest". writersfest.bc.ca. Retrieved 2016-07-27.
  7. Vancouver Writers Fest 2015 Program Guide. Vancouver: Vancouver Writers Fest. 2015.
  8. "What is Spreading the Word?". Vancouver Writers Fest. Retrieved 2016-06-14.
  9. "Scotiabank Giller Prize Past Winners". Scotiabank Giller Prize Past Winners. Retrieved 2016-03-12.
  10. "English-Language Winners of the Governor General's Literary Awards 1936-2014" (PDF). Governor General's Literary Awards. Retrieved 2016-05-13.
  11. "Charles Taylor Prize Finalists". The RBC Taylor Prize. Retrieved 2016-05-03.
  12. "Rogers Writers Trust Fiction Prize History". Rogers Writers Trust Fiction Prize. Retrieved 2016-05-09.
  13. "The Man Booker Prize Backlist". The Man Booker Prize. Retrieved 2016-05-05.
  14. "The Pulitzer Prizes Winners by Category". The Pulitzer Prizes. Retrieved 2016-05-06.
  15. "International Dublin Literary Award Previous Winners". International Dublin Literary Award. Retrieved 2016-05-05.
  16. "Women's Prize for Fiction Archive". Baileys Women's Prize for Fiction. Retrieved 2016-05-05.
  17. "Granville Island Visitors Guide". Granville Island. Retrieved 2016-05-04.
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