Community mourns former Vancouver Writers Fest artistic director Hal Wake
The former CBC radio host is being remembered for his long, deep relationship with the literary community
Hal Wake
HAL WAKE, the one-time CBC Radio host who led the Vancouver Writers Fest for 12 years, died peacefully on January 7 at his Vancouver Island home at 73, his family said in a statement today.
In a post this afternoon, the Vancouver Writers Fest called him “one of the great champions of Canadian literature, books, and ideas”.
“He infused our programming with discoveries from around the world, and a keen eye for writers who’d go on to be the next big name in literature,” the fest continued. “He savoured intimate events that focused on one-on-one conversations with authors, and was adept at convincing them to share more than what you’d find on the dust jacket of their books.”
Wake had a long, deep relationship with the literary community, hosting hundreds of events at festivals in Vancouver, Victoria, New York, Melbourne, and Sydney. He was artistic director of the Vancouver Writers Fest from 2005 to 2017, helping to bring world-renowned authors to Vancouver, including Margaret Atwood, Zadie Smith, Salman Rushdie, Malcolm Gladwell, David Sedaris, Ian McEwan, and Jennifer Egan. He also served on the board of directors for the Writers’ Trust of Canada, and was an honorary member of the Writers’ Union of Canada.
“Hal loved the company and conversation of writers,” said former fest executive director Camilla Tibbs in reaction to the news. “He was committed to sharing his passion for literature and insightful discussions with audiences—expanding festival and year-round programming and setting a high bar for thoughtfully curated events.”
In the 1980s, Wake was a producer specializing in books for Morningside with Peter Gzowski at CBC Radio. Among Wake's other roles at the national broadcaster was as host of CBC News’s early morning radio show in Vancouver, The Early Edition, from 1994 to 1997. 
Related Articles
