Word Vancouver's mission is to foster the joy of the written word and inspire creativity by bringing together readers, writers, and audiences from all backgrounds in an annual, inclusive, and free literary arts festival, connecting local communities and celebrating literary arts through the collective experience. We embrace innovation, encourage discourse, and provide a safe and accessible experience for all members of our richly diverse communities.

More than ever, individuals are in need of connection with others, venues through which to build community, and opportunities to see and learn from different perspectives. For over 30 years, Word Vancouver’s festival events have addressed this need by showcasing Canadian authors through our readings, panels, interviews, performances, workshops, and a book fair - all of which are free and accessible. By bringing together so many people in one cultural space, we highlight the breadth and diversity of Canadian writers. We also program events geared toward professional development that are useful for writers at any stage in their career. Our programming creates opportunities for attendees to see their own experiences reflected, learn about the experiences of others, and ultimately inspire them with aspirations of their own. We give voice to those in under represented groups and are proud of the opportunities that we offer both novice and established writers to be heard. With over 40 events each year we bring over 150 authors to audiences in Vancouver and our goal is to bring authors from the Lower Mainland to remote areas and authors and their books from remote areas to the lower mainland.