Vancouver Writers Fest moves to online format for fall event
It seems these days we should call this section of the newspaper the festival update list.
This time out it is the Vancouver Writers Fest that has officially announced it is moving online for its Oct. 19-25 event.
As well, its additional standalone events — 10 in total from September through December — will also head online.
“The pandemic has necessitated a series of adaptations to how we share our events. It has also underscored the deep importance of storytelling, community, and listening to new voices and perspectives. The ways in which we can share compelling conversations may have changed, but the thought and passion we put into curating them has not,” Leslie Hurtig, the festival’s artistic director, said in a recent statement.
While the look of the festival will be different, it will still present a robust program with authors appearing via a variety of online formats. Events will include individual author presentations, conversations, interviews and multidisciplinary collaborations. The bulk of the content will be presented in digital formats, including online videos and podcasts. A few events featuring local authors will be pre-recorded in front of a small and socially distanced audience.
“As with many live event festivals, we are reimagining how we can ignite interest and enthusiasm in our audience members through our offerings,” said Hurtig. “For us, this is an opportunity to conceive of creative new ways to bring our inspiring conversations to audiences in our city — and far beyond.”
The Vancouver Writers Fest lineup will once again be international with widely recognized names in fiction and non-fiction taking part. The list of 60-plus author names as well as this year’s guest curator will be announced on July 13.