The purpose of this site is to provide information on the campaign to turn Joy Kogawa's childhood home into a historic literary landmark for Vancouver and all of Canada.
The house was bought outright by The Land Conservancy of BC in May 2006. Funds are now needed to restore the house to its 1942 condition when author Joy Kogawa lived there as a child, and to turn the house into a historic literary landmark and create an important Writers in Residence program.
Donate now to the campaign.
Everyday lives are full of compelling, surprising stories. This workshop is designed for those curious about life writing, but not ready for the pressures of a book-length memoir. Through a series of guided exercises, members of the community will uncover their own authentic writing voice and explore remembered (and maybe even forgotten) events from different stages of life. Participants will learn to use prose techniques such as free writing, sense memory, telling detail and scene design to craft vivid, emotionally engaging snapshots of their experiences.
Later in the day, we will discuss how the memoir pieces we’ve created might be collected together, shared with loved ones or future generations, or developed into a larger work. Reflecting upon and recording significant life events can be a powerful and life-affirming experience.
This workshop is open to participants of all backgrounds and writing levels.
$150 with refreshments (coffee and muffins in the morning; tea and cookies in the afternoon)
Sunday, June 27, 1:00pm - 5:00pm
Historic Joy Kogawa House, 1450 West 64th Avenue, Vancouver
Please join us in the garden for an afternoon of books and authors. During this open house and celebration of Nancy Lee's author residency, quality new and used books will be available for purchase.Throughout the afternoon local authors will drop by to sell and sign their books.
Refreshments and music. Picture sunshine and flowers.
Donations of books are welcome. Please email kogawahouse@yahoo.ca for pickup.
Five Mondays (and a Sunday) This Spring
Thanks to the Canada Council Author Reading and Author Residencies programs for funds to host these writers at Joy House

John Asfour plays oud - photo Todd Wong
Marcus Youssef lead Q&A with John Asfour - photo Todd Wong
Kirsty, Marcus, John and Adrienne - photo Todd Wong
More Upcoming Events for Kogawa House and with John Asfour
There will be two more events in May with John Asfour at Kogawa House. John has invited authors Gary Geddes and Ann Erikson for an intimate reading at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 30. To reserve a seat, please email kogawahouse@yahoo.ca.
Arabic Poetry in Translation
Featuring the work of John Asfour (Montreal), Syrian poet Muhammad al-Maghut and Mahmoud Darwish, Palestine’s national poet. John Asfour will also play the oud! Neworlders Marcus Youssef and Adrienne Wong will read, with guests.
Tuesday, May 19, 7:30 p.m.
Alma VanDusen and Peter Kaye rooms, Lower Level
Central Library, 350 West Georgia Street
Admission is free. Seating is limited.
For more information about this event, contact Historic Joy Kogawa House at kogawahouse@yahoo.ca

Shelagh Rogers (host of "The Next Chapter" on CBC Radio), Jean Baird (organizer of "Save Al Purdy A-Frame"), George Bowering (Jean's husband and first poet laureate of Canada), John Asfour (inaugural writer-in-residence at Kogawa House), George Stanley (BC Book Prize nominatee for poetry) + "Joy Kogawa" - photo Todd Wong
7:30 p.m., Monday, April 20Historic Joy Kogawa House, 1450 West 64th Avenue, Vancouver
John Asfour is indeed the perfect choice for our inaugural WIR. On Monday night, I shared with the group that the connections we have between Roy and Art Miki, George Bowering, Purdy House, are amazing. How is it that John could have been friends with Art Miki on panel forums, and that Roy was a consultant for Kogawa House... and great friends and an editor with/for George Bowering, and we bring it all together with Daphne Marlatt, who has read for Kogawa House events before, and Shelagh Rogers (2005 former co-host for Gung Haggis Fat Choy Dinner) for an evening of poetry and friendship, and to help save another literary landmark.
Nilofar, Daphne, George and John - photo Todd Wong
The evening started with three BC Book Prize-nominated poets—George Stanley, Nilofar Shidmehr and Daphne Marlatt as part of BC Book and Magazine Week. Daphne read first, then George, followed by Nilofar.
Jean Baird talks with Shelagh Rogers. - photo Todd Wong
After a brief intermission that allowed people to purchase books and have them signed by the guest poets, the talk turned to Save the Al Purdy A-Frame. Shelagh Rogers shared her story of doing the last public interview with Al Purdy at the Eden Mills Writers Festival. Jean Baird is heading up the Save the Purdy A-Frame campaign, and she and her husband George Bowering shared their many stories about Al Purdy and his wife Eurithe.
Asfour, a Montreal poet, is the first writer-in-residence at Kogawa House and will present poetry readings to a variety of audiences, in collaboration with the Canadian National Institute for the Blind, Simon Fraser University’s Writers Studio, Christianne’s Lyceum of Literature and Art and the Vancouver Public Library.