EVENTS
Writing Harmony: Writing Sprints
Drop by the Silk Purse for a creative writing experience and let the space inspire you in a whole new way! The West Vancouver Community Arts Council and North Shore Writers' Association invite you to a fun afternoon of writing sprints. You'll get paper and pen; prompted by the surrounding artwork and sounds, let your creativity flow. Write a poem, your impressions of the day, a mini story, or even draw or compose music. Let your senses guide you and see where your imagination takes you. All materials provided. Drop in. Write for 5 minutes, 20 minutes, or even an hour. Enter a draw for a free NSWA membership. FREE!
(Silk Purse Arts Centre, 1570 Argyle Ave., West Vancouver, BC, Aug. 4 - 7)
The Filipino Canadian Book Festival
What is The Filipino Canadian Book Festival? It is a literary and community gathering dedicated to celebrating Filipino/a/x and Filipino Canadian writers, artists, storytellers, and readers. Rooted in literature, cultural memory, and community care, the festival creates space for conversations around diaspora, identity, migration, history, creativity, and the stories that connect us across generations. Taking place over four days between August 14 and 17, 2026 at the Museum of Vancouver and VS Creative Labs, the festival will bring together close to 30 authors across panels, workshops, a marketplace, and community programming. Presented in partnership with Iron Dog Books, this year’s festival will feature acclaimed writer and public historian Adrian De Leon as keynote speaker. This year’s theme, “Writing Our Diaspora: Literature Across Generations,” invites audiences to consider diaspora as something living, expansive, and ever-changing—shaped across generations, geographies, languages, and communities. Tickets are free, but RSVPs are required. RSVP per day/event. Tickets to events at the MOV offer two options: 1) Free RSVP; or 2) Free RSVP + discounted MOV admission. If tickets are at capacity and you would like to be added to the waitlist, please email programs@museumofvancouver.ca.
(Museum of Vancouver, 1100 Chestnut Street, Vancouver, BC V6J 3J9, Aug. 14 - 17, 2026)
Searching for Serafim, An Author Talk with Ruby Smith Diaz
Since his passing, Serafim "Joe" Fortes has become one of Vancouver's most well-known historical figures. He's appeared on a Canada Post-issued stamp, and local buildings and businesses are named in his honour. But how much do we really know about how he navigated an openly white supremacist society as an Afro-Latino man? Join Ruby Smith Diaz, author of Searching for Serafim: The Life and Legacy of Serafim "Joe" Fortes, to hear about her moving and thought-provoking book about displacement, identity, and dignity. Searching for Serafim conjures a new side to one of Vancouver's most beloved—and misunderstood—public figures. Please note that this is a mask-mandatory event. Tickets are free RSVP or free RSVP + discounted MOV admission. If tickets are sold out and you would like to be added to the waitlist, please email programs@museumofvancouver.ca.
(Museum of Vancouver, 1100 Chestnut Street, Vancouver, BC V6J 3J9, Sep. 12, 2026, 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM)
Naomi Klein and Astra Taylor: End Times Fascism and The Fight for the Living World
Join us for an essential conversation with Naomi Klein and Astra Taylor as they discuss their forthcoming book, END TIMES FASCISM – And the Fight for the Living World.
(Chan Centre for the Performing Arts, 6265 Crescent Rd, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z1, Oct. 8, 2026, 7 PM)
An Evening with Zadie Smith
Join us for a captivating conversation with Zadie Smith, one of the most prolific writers of her generation, whose work has helped shape the literary landscape for over two decades.
(Chan Centre for the Performing Arts, 6265 Crescent Rd, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z1, Oct. 15, 2026, 7:30 PM)
An Evening with Min Jin Lee
Acclaimed novelist Min Jin Lee explores diaspora, identity, and belonging as she launches her new novel, American Hagwon, at her first Canadian event.
(Chan Centre for the Performing Arts, 6265 Crescent Rd, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z1, Nov. 5, 2026, 7:30 PM)
An Evening with Ta-Nehisi Coates
Join for an evening with New York Times bestselling author Ta-Nehisi Coates as he introduces his latest book, The Message, and discusses the urgent need to untangle ourselves from the destructive myths that shape our world and mislead our moral compasses.
(Chan Centre for the Performing Arts, 6265 Crescent Rd, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z1, Nov. 8, 2026, 7:30 PM)
An Evening with Ocean Vuong
Ocean Vuong is one of the most acclaimed literary voices of his generation. A recipient of the MacArthur “Genius Grant” and the American Book Award, Vuong was born in Saigon and raised in Connecticut to a working-class family of nail salon and factory labourers. Hailed as a “mightily gifted observer” (New York Times), Vuong transforms elements of his life—the legacy of his family’s escape from Vietnam, the connections he made as a fast-food server—into profound stories of identity, family, and survival that ultimately seek to understand suffering and the depths of humanity. With his prophetic gifts as a poet, Vuong writes novels with beautiful prose and heart-rending empathy. Join the Chan Centre for Vuong’s first Vancouver appearance as he engages in a wide-ranging conversation to discuss his acclaimed body of work.
(Chan Centre for the Performing Arts, 6265 Crescent Rd, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z1, Jan. 28, 2027, 7:30 PM)
