Six Little Sticks Book Launch
2025-05-10 12:30 - 15:30 (America/Vancouver) | BC
Book launch for Tiffany Stone’s new book Six Little Sticks!
Book signings, snacks, and crafts with author Tiffany Stone to celebrate the release of her new kids picture book!
This event will be held at the Christianne’s Lyceum of Literature and Art on May 10th from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
www.christianneslyceum.com
4433 West 10th Avenue, Vancouver, V6R 2H8

Mother's Day
2025-05-11 - 2025-05-12 | BC

Enabling Arts Poetry Open Mic
2025-05-21 19:00 - 21:00 | Enabling Arts, 104-343 Railway Street, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6A 1A4, Canada
Join us for a poetry night at 343 Railway St (#104). Whether you’re a seasoned poet or a first-timer, this event is the perfect opportunity to share your work in a supportive and welcoming environment. It’s a chance to connect with fellow poetry enthusiasts and be inspired by the power of spoken word, whether or not you get behind the mic.
All ages, all stages of your poetry journey!
Doors open at 6:30 pm, with the event starting at 7 pm.
The open mic is first come- first serve, each poet will have 5 minutes MAX to share 1 poem.
Hate speech will not be tolerated.
$13.13 general admission
Email: info@enablingarts.com with any questions.
*No one turned away for lack of funds; let us know if you need an accessible spot*

Celebrating the Finalists of the 2025 BC and Yukon Book Prizes
2025-05-22 18:30 - 19:30 | BC
Join BC and Yukon Book Prizes on May 22nd at Book Warehouse on Broadway to celebrate the finalists of the 2025 BC and Yukon Book Prizes. This is a great opportunity to come and buy copies of the shortlisted books, have them signed by authors and illustrators in attendance, and enjoy some snacks and beverages. This event is free and open to the public.
Book Warehouse, 632 West Broadway, Vancouver

Talonbooks Spring 2025 Launch
2025-05-23 19:00 - 21:00 | BC
Celebrate the new spring releases from Talonbooks! Please join us at the Martha Lou Henley Rehearsal Hall on Friday, May 23, to welcome the following books to the world:
allostatic load by Junie Désil
Crowd Source by Cecily Nicholson
Future Works by Jeff Derksen
Revolutions by Hajer Mirwali
Uiesh / Somewhere by Joséphine Bacon, translated by Jessica Moore!
The launch will be hosted by andrea bennett, author of the berry takes the shape of the bloom.

Martha Lou Henley Rehearsal Hall
1955 McLean Drive
Vancouver, BC
May 23, 2025
Doors open at 7:00 p.m.; readings begin at 7:30 p.m.

Bill Arnott: Engaging the Senses
2025-05-24 15:30 - 17:00 | Okanagan Regional Library, Kelowna branch, 1380 Ellis St., Kelowna, BC, V1Y 2A2, Canada
Kelowna, Bill Arnott is headed your way. He’s offering a free workshop at Kelowna Downtown Library Okanagan Regional Library. This workshop titled “Engaging the Senses” is perfect for writers of all genres and experiences. Bring whatever you need to write and get ready to be inspired!
See more and register here!

Bones of a Giant with Brian Thomas Isaac
2025-06-02 19:00 - 20:30 | Native Education College, 285 East 5th Avenue, Vancouver, BC, V5T 1H2, Canada
Join Massy Books, Penguin Random House, and Brian Thomas Isaac for the launch of “Bones of a Giant” at 7 pm on Monday, June 2nd!
Books will be for sale at the event, including “All the Quiet Places.”
Venue:
The event will be hosted at the Massy Books, at 229 East Georgia Street in Chinatown, Vancouver.
Registration is free or by donation and required for entry.
The bookstore is wheelchair accessible and a gender-neutral washroom is on-site.
Please refrain from wearing scents or heavy perfumes.
Covid Protocols: Masks keep our community safe and are recommended and will be provided at the venue. We ask if you are showing symptoms, that you stay home. Thank you kindly.
About the Book:
Summer, 1968. For the first time since his big brother, Eddie, disappeared two years earlier—either a runaway or dead by his own hand—sixteen-year-old Lewis Toma has shaken off some of his grief. His mother, Grace, and her friend Isabel have gone south to the United States to pack fruit to earn the cash Grace needs to put a bathroom and running water into the three-room shack they share on the reserve, leaving Lewis to spend the summer with his cousins, his Uncle Ned and his Aunt Jean in the new house they’ve built on their farm along the Salmon River. Their warm family life is almost enough to counter the pressures he feels as a boy trying to become a man in a place where responsible adult men like his uncle are largely absent, broken by residential school and racism. Everywhere he looks, women are left to carry the load, sometimes with kindness, but often with the bitterness, anger and ferocity of his own mother, who kicked Lewis’s lowlife father, Jimmy, to the curb long ago.
Lewis has vowed never to be like his father—but an encounter with a predatory older woman tests him and he suffers the consequences. Worse, his dad is back in town and scheming on how to use the Indian Act to steal the land Lewis and his mom have been living on. And then, at summer’s end, more shocking revelations shake the family, unleashing a deadly force of anger and frustration.
With so many traps laid around him, how will Lewis find a path to a different future?
About the Author:
Brian Thomas Isaac was born in 1950 on the Okanagan Indian Reserve, near Vernon, British Columbia. After completing grade eight, he found work in the Alberta oil fields and in construction, eventually retiring as a bricklayer. He came to writing late in life. In 2022, his bestselling debut, All the Quiet Places, won an Indigenous Voices Award, was a finalist for the Governor General’s Literary Award for Fiction and the Amazon Canada First Novel Award, and was longlisted for the Scotiabank Giller Prize and CBC’s Canada Reads. He lives with his wife in West Kelowna, BC.

Books & Ideas: Scott Turow – Presumed Guilty
2025-06-03 19:30 - 20:30 | BC
#1 New York Times bestselling author Scott Turow’s Presumed Innocent redefined the legal thriller genre, and was turned into a box office smash hit starring Harrison Ford, and more recently an Apple Original series starring Jake Gyllenhaal that became Apple TV+’s most-watched drama series ever. Now, Turow joins us with his highly anticipated new court drama, Presumed Guilty—a suspenseful, emotionally charged thriller that follows retired judge Rusty as he’s called back to court by a case too close to home.
Turow speaks with award-winning author and screenwriter Susin Nielsen, the creator of Global TV’s “Family Law”, on June 3 at the Granville Island Stage. Books will be for sale at the event from Book Warehouse / Black Bond Books, with a book signing after the talk.
Click here to buy your tickets!

The Teachings of Mutton: A Coast Salish Woolly Dog
2025-06-04 18:30 - 20:00 | Vancouver Public Library, Central Branch, 350 West Georgia St., Vancouver, BC, V6B 6B1, Canada
Mutton was a Coast Salish Woolly Dog whose pelt lay forgotten in a Smithsonian drawer for 150 years until it was uncovered by an amateur archivist. According to Indigenous Oral Histories of the Pacific Northwest, this small dog was bred for thousands of years for its woolly fibres, which were woven into traditional blankets, robes and regalia.
Authors Liz Hammond-Kaarremaa, Debra Sparrow and Dr. Kerrie Charnley will read excerpts from THE TEACHINGS OF MUTTON and take part in a discussion.
The book brings together narratives of science, post-contact history, and the profound effects of colonization, all grounded in Mutton’s journey—a tale of research, reawakening, and resurgence that will interest Pacific Northwest history buffs, textile and fiber enthusiasts, and dog lovers.
Click here for more information!

Book Talk with Karen Harmon
2025-06-08 13:00 - 15:00 | North Vancouver Public Library – Capilano branch, 3045 Highland Blvd., North Vancouver, BC, V7R 2X4, Canada
NVDPL is excited to host author Karen Harmon for a book talk at the Capilano Library!
Karen will be reading from her new book, Class of ’56
Set against the nostalgic backdrop of diners, hot rods, and sock hops, Class of ’56 is a prequel to Karen Harmon’s award-winning Class of ’78, where the secrets behind MeadowBrook’s white picket fences begin to crack, revealing a town where no one is truly innocent.
Karen will then read three short excerpts from her latest book, Class of ’56, followed by a Q&A session and three fun prize draws.

Launch Party: Celebrate 100 Issues of subTerrain
2025-06-08 17:00 - 19:00 | BC
Join subTerrain, one of Vancouver’s longest standing literary magazines, in celebrating 100 issues of literary publishing from the margins.

Sunday, June 8th
Hero’s Welcome
3917 Main St. (at 23rd Ave.)
Door open at 5:00 pm — Readings at 6:00

Word Vancouver & Timothy Taylor: Literary Walking Tour
2025-06-14 10:30 - 12:00 | BC
Become a member of Word Vancouver to get access to exclusive events!
On June 14th, Timothy Taylor will host a Literary Walking Tour.
Join Timothy and Word Vancouver on a walk through the streets of downtown while Timothy Taylor talks about the spots which influenced his latest book The Rise and Fall of Magic Wolf (Dundurn Press.) To be followed by lunch with Timothy. Restaurant tba.
Timothy Taylor is a Vancouver novelist, journalist, and creative writing professor. He’s the author of the best selling award winning novel Stanley Park, as well as numerous other works of fiction and nonfiction. His most recent nonfiction work is the six part documentary Walrus Labs podcast The Hidden Holocaust Papers. His most recent novel is The Rise and Fall of Magic Wolf.
Email wordvancouverinfo@gmail.com to register.

Fathers Day
2025-06-15 - 2025-06-16 | BC

Read Local BC eBookshelf Launch
2025-06-19 11:00 - 12:00 | Burnaby Public Library, McGill Branch, 4595 Albert Street, Burnaby, BC, V5C 2G6, Canada
Books BC and the BC Libraries Cooperative will host a reading event to mark the launch of Read Local BC eBookshelf. The event with feature readings BC authors Candie Tanaka and Wayde Compton at Burnaby Public Library, McGill Branch on Thursday, June 19, from 11 am to noon (door open 10:30 am).
The event is open to the public and members of the media are invited to attend. You can register here.

Book Launch: Celebrating Potlatches
2025-06-21 13:30 - 15:30 | Royal BC Museum, 675 Belleville Street, Victoria, BC, V8W 9W2, Canada
This June 21st, join Samantha Beynon and Strong Nations Publishing at the Royal BC Museum for the official launch of Celebrating Potlatches! This beautiful picture book, illustrated by Carla Joseph, recounts the 1885 Potlatch ban and the resilience of the communities who fought to keep their traditions alive. Pick up your copies at the launch, or pre-order now at www.strongnations.com
Stop by for short presentations from Samantha Beynon and Strong Nations Publishing, a reading of the book, book signings, and light refreshments. Doors will open at 1:00 pm, and the program will begin at 1:30 pm.

Enabling Performance: an acoustic open mic night
2025-06-30 18:30 - 20:30 | Enabling Arts, 104-343 Railway Street, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6A 1A4, Canada
Come showcase your talents at our Open Mic Night and share your music, poetry, comedy, or any other performance!
Welcome to Enabling Performance: an acousistic open mic night!
Come join us at Enabling Arts 343 Railway St #104 for a night of talent and fun. Whether you’re a seasoned performer or a first-timer, this is your chance to shine on stage. Show off your songs, comedy, poetry, or other performance material. Each performer gets five minutes, and sign-up is first-come, first-served when the doors open at 6:30 pm.
*Bring your instruments.
*There are non-alcoholic beverages and snacks available for purchase.
*Remember to be respectful of performers and the space; everyone is welcome.
Grab the mic, come by to listen, and make some friends!

Borderless Solidarities: Storytelling in Ruptured Times
2025-07-04 19:00 - 22:00 | Waterfront Theatre, 1412 Cartwright St., Vancouver, BC, V6H 3R8, Canada
Join us as we raise a glass to 15 incredible years of the Indian Summer Festival! We’re kicking off our milestone edition with an intimate evening of contemplation, connection, and celebration.
Borderless Solidarities: Storytelling in Ruptured Times brings together Minelle Mahtani, Adel Iskandar, Baljit Sangra, and Nermin Gogalic; thinkers, writers and artists whose work is rooted in memory, migration, resistance, conflict and the power of narrative to shape how we see ourselves and each other.
It’s an invitation to reflect on the stories we tell, the ones we silence, and the ones that slip through the cracks. From journalism to film to writing, these voices explore how storytelling can open up space for new stories, especially in times of profound rupture.
How do we tell stories across borders? How do we honour complexity without resolution? What if storytelling is less about answers and more about attuning ourselves to deeper questions?
Join us for an evening of critical conversation, a chance to sit with stories that unsettle, illuminate, and expand the sense of what’s possible.
The evening also features a behind the scenes Festival overview with Curator in Residence Am Johal and a complimentary cocktail at our post-talk reception. Expect rich dialogue, old friends, new faces, and that unmistakable Indian Summer warmth.
Let the festivities begin.

International Zine Month and Comics Fair
2025-07-08 17:30 - 20:00 | Vancouver Public Library, Central Branch, 350 West Georgia St., Vancouver, BC, V6B 6B1, Canada
Come out and meet local Vancouver-based zine and comic makers from the local community as they celebrate International Zine Month in July. Participate in lightning talks and workshops around the inspiration and production of creative works in both text and image.
Workshops will be announced soon.
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Participants include:
Kelsi James and Erica Mulder, representing Aces & Aros Vancouver
Melody Jane
Jotika Healing Arts
Tubbytats and Go够Studio
Shannon PS Art
Rachel Lau
UBC Comics Studies Cluster
GOLDbard
Jules Webster
Megaphone Magazine
and many others!
*Drop in event, no registration required

Horizons
2025-07-10 19:30 - 22:30 | Vancouver Playhouse, 600 Hamilton St Vancouver, BC V6B 5N6 Canada, Vancouver, BC, V6B 5N6, Canada
How do we hold grief in these fractured times? When nation states starve the innocent and empires redraw borders with ruthless intent, when tools meant to connect us end up driving us apart, we turn to artists to offer meaning and remind us of our humanity. Horizons gathers a luminous constellation of award-winning artists who offer us vision, sanctuary, and solidarity.
Curated by Ruby Singh, this event features Vivek Shraya, whose award-winning body of work spans music, literature, visual art, theatre, TV, film, and fashion. Also featuring Kimmortal renowned for their highly conceptual, genre-bending musical explorations and intricate lyricism. Mohanad El Eek, a virtuoso Syrian oud player, adds his exceptional talent to the lineup.
The night will also showcase exclusive one-night-only collaborations: the heart-stirring poetry of Brandon Wint paired with the dynamic composer, trumpeter, bassist, and electronic musician Feven Kidane; and Governor General’s Literary Award winner
Cecily Nicholson in collaboration with the soulful sounds of violinist, singer, and songwriter Sejal Lal.
Together, these artists create a powerful soundscape—part concert, part gathering, part invocation of a future built on connection, care, resistance and difference. This is more than a performance—it’s an invitation to critically imagine new ways of being together in the troubling present.
Just as horizons stretch beyond lines on a map, this night of performance transcends the confines of genre. Through music, poetry, and stories, these artists light a torch in the dark, guiding us toward collective reckoning and shared humanity.
This is more than a performance. It is a gathering — a reminder that even in grief, we can meet at the horizon and imagine something new, together.

Enabling Arts Poetry Open Mic
2025-07-16 18:30 - 20:30 | Enabling Arts, 104-343 Railway Street, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6A 1A4, Canada
We’re back & we can’t wait to hear your words!
Join us for a poetry night at 343 Railway St (#104). Whether you’re a seasoned poet or a first-timer, this event is the perfect opportunity to share your work in a supportive and welcoming environment. It’s a chance to connect with fellow poetry enthusiasts and be inspired by the power of spoken word, whether or not you get behind the mic.
All ages, all stages of your poetry journey!
Doors open at 6:30 pm, with the event starting at 7 pm.
The open mic is first come- first serve, each poet can share 1 poem no longer than 5 minutes.
Hate speech will not be tolerated.
$13.13 general admission
Email: info@enablingarts.com with any questions.
*No one turned away for lack of funds; let us know if you need an accessible spot*

Summer Sounds and Sonics in Poetic Form
2025-07-22 18:00 - 20:00 | Vancouver Public Library, Central Branch, 350 West Georgia St., Vancouver, BC, V6B 6B1, Canada
City of Vancouver Poet Laureate Elee Kraljii Gardiner hosts a night of poems with poetry ambassadors Johnny Trinh, Kevin Spenst, and Marc Perez. These four poets with distinct craft practices invite you to consider the role of sounds and sonics within the framework of the poem. Vocalizations, modulations, polyphony, multilingualism, repetition, call and response are potential ingredients in this lively and festive introduction to the poet laureate team.
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Kevin Spenst (he/him) is a poet, teacher, and reviewer, has published four full-length poetry collections, most recently A Bouquet Brought Back From Space (Anvil Press, 2024) and 17 chapbooks, most recently Windowful (Anstruther Press, 2025). He is one of the organizers of the Dead Poets Reading Series, has a chapbook review column for subTerrain magazine, and occasionally co-hosts Wax Poetic on Vancouver Co-op Radio. He is a Poetry Mentor at The Writer’s Studio at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver on unceded xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səl̓ilw̓ətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) territory where he cohabitates with the one and only Cheryl Rossi.
Marc Perez is the author of Dayo, published by Brick Books in 2024. Perez observes and draws inspiration from the world around him. He believes that writing is a powerful political act, and he uses poetry to participate in the discourses that affect him, his communities, and the society in general. Through his poems, he offers the reader his inner self, imaginations, and worldview. He aims to create images that move hearts. In his free time, he likes to wander with his camera and capture fleeting moments in the city.
Johnny D Trinh loves making noise, making food, and feasting with people. Trinh has a long practice in spoken word poetry, theatre making, and community-engaged culinary art. Johnny’s work is focused on celebrating and unpacking the way we tell our stories and how we find identity and community through storytelling. Johnny is the artistic director for Vancouver Poetry House, interim executive director for Historic Joy Kogawa House, and founder of Stage to Page Performance Society. Trinh is also a resident artist with the City of Vancouver creating programs that bring multicultural and multigenerational communities together to share stories and celebrate cultural foods. “It takes a community to build an artist, whether we are nurtured by it… or resist against it.” johnnydavidtrinh.com
Elee Kraljii Gardiner is an author, editor, and creative mentor living in Vancouver, Canada. She is the author of two poetry books, Trauma Head, and Serpentine Loop. She is also editor of the anthologies Against Death: 35 Essays on Living and V6A: Writing From Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. A frequent collaborator with choreographers, musicians, and visual artists, Elee is currently collaborating with nature via a series of durational art installations that investigate the law of thermodynamics and cultural ideas regarding the passing of time. Elee directs Vancouver Manuscript Intensive, an online program pairing authors with mentors, and is the seventh poet laureate of Vancouver. eleekg.com

Book Launch of The Deepest Fake by Daniel Kalla
2025-07-30 18:30 - 21:00 | Book Warehouse – Main Street, 4118 Main Street, Vancouver, BC, V5V 3P7, Canada
Join us for the launch of local thriller author Daniel Kalla’s new novel The Deepest Fake.
Doors at 6:30; This is an informal event with no reading portion; Free to attend and all are welcome.
Liam Hirsch has it all—a loving family, a thriving career as CEO of an AI company, financial security, and a bright future. But when he’s diagnosed with a terminal illness, just weeks after discovering his wife’s infidelity, his perfect life unravels. As he grapples with his fate, he prepares to face his final days on his own terms.
However, unexplained events inside his company make him question everything—including his diagnosis. In a world of deepfake videos, synthetic voices, and digital deception, couldn’t these technologies be weaponized against him? What if nothing is as it seems?
With time running out, Liam turns to Andrea DeWalt, a private investigator contending with her own feelings of betrayal, to help him uncover a conspiracy that threatens his life, his family, and their future. In a world where nothing is as it seems and every digital footprint can be manipulated, who can Liam trust?

An Evening with Silvia Moreno-Garcia
2025-07-31 18:30 - 21:00 | St James Community Square, 3214 W 10th Ave, Vancouver, BC, V6K2L2, Canada
We’re excited to present An Evening with Silvia Moreno-Garcia with her new novel The Bewitching!
Three women in three different eras encounter danger and witchcraft in this eerie multigenerational horror saga from the New York Times bestselling author of Mexican Gothic.
There are two ticket types available: $15.00 plus GST for just a ticket or $46.50 plus GST for a ticket AND copy of The Bewitching.
You must have your shopping location set to Langley Warehouse to purchase tickets for this event.
Books will be available for pickup at the event.
Doors will open at 6:30 pm and seating is general admission. The event will begin at 7:00 pm.
Silvia will in conversation with local book blogger Rachel Sargeant. There will be a discussion, followed by a Q&A, and book signing.
St. James Community Square, 3214 W 10th Ave, Vancouver, BC.
We will have a list of ticket purchasers at the door, but please do retain your receipt.

Book Launch of The Bone Raiders by Jackson Ford
2025-08-13 18:30 - 21:00 | Book Warehouse – Main Street, 4118 Main Street, Vancouver, BC, V5V 3P7, Canada
Join us for the launch of Vancouver author Jackson Ford’s new novel The Bone Raiders, the first in the Rakada series.
The start of a no‑holds‑barred, action‑packed fantasy series from the always irreverent Jackson Ford where a group of charmingly-named Bone Raiders harness the power of gigantic, fire-breathing lizards to defend their homeland from an invading enemy.
Jackson will be in conversation with Kristy Gardner, author of The Broken Stars series.
Doors at 6:30 pm, event starts at 7:00 pm; free to attend and all are welcome.

Urban Matters: Poetry in the City
2025-09-09 18:30 - 20:00 | Vancouver Public Library, Central Branch, 350 West Georgia St., Vancouver, BC, V6B 6B1, Canada
Join authors Daniela Elza and Daniel Cowper for a launch, reading, and discussion on celebration of the life of a city and an interrogation of its cost on our well-being.
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Daniela Elza was longlisted for the 2024 CBC Poetry Prize for poems from her latest book SCAR/CITY (McGill-Queen’s University Press, 2025). Her debut prose collection Is This an Illness or an Accident? (Caitlin Press, 2025) delves into the conflicts and contradictions of what it means to belong, to work, and to find home. Daniela is the recipient of the 2024 Colleen Thibaudeau Award for Outstanding Contribution to Poetry.
Daniel Cowper’s poetry and critical writing has appeared in numerous publications in Canada, the US, Ireland, and the UK. His poems have been collected in The God of Doors (winner of the Frog Hollow Press Chapbook contest) and Grotesque Tenderness (MQUP, 2019). His latest work is Kingdom of the Clock, a novel in verse about urban life. He is a contributing editor with New Verse Review, and lives on Bowen Island.

Write on Bowen
2025-09-12 08:00 - 2025-09-14 17:00 | Bowen Island
Once again being held on beautiful Bowen Island/Nexwlélexwm! We have an excellent line-up of events and activities planned for writers of any genre and level of experience.

The Canine Library
2025-09-13 13:00 - 15:00 | John Hendry Park / Trout Lake, 3300 Victoria Drive, Vancouver, BC, V5N 4M4, Canada
We’re back for the 2025 Canine Library at John Hendry Trout Lake Park. Borrow a St. John Ambulance certified therapy pup, read them poetry, or join a poetry workshop. Sign-ups start at 12:30 pm—spots go fast, so don’t be late!
Enjoy books, barks, and fun with VPL’s Children’s tent and VPL’s Writer in Residence, Selina Boan, at this rain or shine party in the park. Stop by and visit the BiblioBike, our electric cargo trike that brings the Vancouver Public Library to you! Get a library card, check out a book, explore VPL’s digital library, and ask about library related services.
*Please note, you can only register for The Canine Library in person at the park. Kids 14 and under must be accompanied by an adult. Once you’ve registered to receive your bark-code, you can check out a pup for a 10 minute session. The pup lineup will be announced as soon as they calm down from all of the excitement.
Presented in partnership by Vancouver Public Library, Paws 4 Stories, St. John Ambulance BC/Yukon and Trout Lake Community Centre.

Word Vancouver
2025-09-14 08:00 - 2025-09-20 17:00 | UBC Robson Square, 800 Robson St, Vancouver, BC, V6E 1A7, Canada
To foster the joy of the written word and inspire creativity by bringing together readers and writers from all backgrounds in an annual, inclusive and free literary arts festival, connecting local communities and celebrating literary arts through the collective experience. We aspire to embrace innovation, encourage discourse and provide a safe and accessible experience for all members of our richly diverse communities.

Indigo Mayfair: Book Signing
2025-09-14 12:00 - 15:00 | Chapters Indigo – Victoria, 1212 Douglas St, Victoria, BC, V8W 2E5, Canada
Visit Indigo Mayfair from 12PM – 3PM on September 14th for a signed copy of “Opheliac” by British Columbian author Emma Sloan (and your limited-time gift with purchase).

Women of the Fur Trade: An Evening with Playwright and Journalist Frances Koncan
2025-09-15 18:30 - 20:00 | Vancouver Public Library, Central Branch, 350 West Georgia St., Vancouver, BC, V6B 6B1, Canada
Frances Koncan’s play Women of the Fur Trade is about the Métis-led Red River Resistance against European colonisers. In eighteen hundred and something something, somewhere upon the banks of a Reddish River in Treaty One Territory, three very different women with a preference for twenty-first century slang sit in a fort sharing their views on life, love, and the hot nerd Louis Riel.
Winner of the Toronto Fringe Best New Play Contest 2018, this lively historical satire of survival and cultural in-heritance shifts perspectives from the male gaze onto women’s power in the past and present through the lens of the rapidly changing world of the Canadian fur trade.
Frances will be in conversation with Lois Anderson, Artistic Director at Touchstone Theatre for a delightful evening around the playwriting process and the Canadian theatre scene.
Storylines invites audiences into the creative worlds of Canada’s leading playwrights through a series of rich conversations presented by Touchstone Theatre and the Vancouver Public Library.
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Frances Koncan is an Anishinaabe and Slovene playwright and theatre artist from Couchiching First Nation. They hold an MFA in Playwriting from the City University of New York Brooklyn College. They were the Writer-in-Residence at the Winnipeg Public Library (2022-2023) and Writer-in-Residence at the University of Manitoba (2021-2022), as well as journalist at the Winnipeg Free Press (2019-2021).
Productions of their work include Women of the Fur Trade (2023) at the Stratford Festival directed by Yvette Nolan, Women of the Fur Trade (2024) at the National Arts Centre Indigenous Theatre/Great Canadian Theatre Company directed by Renae Morriseau, Space Girl (2023) at Prairie Theatre Exchange directed by Krista Jackson, The Crows (2023) at Gwaandak Theatre directed by Miki Wolf, and Women of the Fur Trade (2020) at the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre directed by Audrey Dwyer.
Lois Anderson is the Artistic Director of Touchstone Theatre, and an Adjunct Professor at UBC in the Department of Theatre and Film. She won the Jessie Award for Best Direction (Pericles, Bard on the Beach) and the 2019 Critic’s Choice Award for Innovation (Lysistrata). She has worked extensively in Canada and Australia and has been an Artistic Associate with The National Arts Centre most recently directing You Used to Call Me Marie by Tai Amy Grauman. Her directing credits include Behind the Moon, Henry V, Fun Home, Medea, Timothy Findley’s The Wars, Iphigenia at Aulis, CHILDISH, Gertrude and Alice, Taming of the Shrew, My Granny the Goldfish, Buffoon.
In partnership with Touchstone Theatre.
