Inaugural Vancouver Podcast Festival Launches November 8-10 Featuring National and International Shows
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Vancouver BC, Canada—A new festival dedicated to highlighting the power of podcasting as a non-fiction medium will present an array of public and industry events from November 8-10, 2018. Vancouver Podcast Festival, presented by DOXA features three days of panels, hands-on workshops, and live podcast presentations and tapings to celebrate one of the world’s fastest-growing mediums.
Unique in its emphasis on audio documentary and social justice issues, VanPodFest’s 2018 programming focus is “True Crime, True Justice,” promising to not only entertain but educate and generate discussion around the criminal justice system. Lauded, top-ranked podcasts from Canada and the US will offer live-tapings, on-stage Q&As, workshops, and more alongside panels and events featuring local Vancouver-based podcasts.
“Over the last several years podcasting has emerged as a fiercely popular medium, and an increasingly critical way for independent and alternative voices to reach a broader audience. This year’s theme “True Crime, True Justice” will offer the unique opportunity to explore a breadth of true crime storytelling, while maintaining DOXA’s commitment to social justice and diverse perspectives. We’re looking forward to bringing exceptional podcasters from across Canada and the US to Vancouver, as well as offering a platform for local podcast producers to showcase their work. We’re also excited to build new partnerships with a variety of podcast industry leaders including CBC Podcasts, Vancouver Public Library and Kelly&Kelly,” said Selina Crammond, Director of Programming for DOXA.
In partnership with CBC Podcasts, the festival will bring some of its most popular offerings to Vancouver for the first time, including the acclaimed series Someone Knows Something and Uncover: Escaping NXIVM , a new investigative podcast about the alleged cult. CBC is the number-one podcaster in Canada, reaching more Canadians than any other podcast publisher with 16 million downloads per month.
The festival will also collaborate with local powerhouse creatives Kelly&Kelly, producers of hit shows This is That and This Sounds Serious , to present a one-night only improvised true crime podcast with some of the city’s most talented comedians.
Daytime workshops and panels hosted at Vancouver Public Library’s brand new theatre and Inspiration Lab are free to attend, offering podcasters the opportunity to hone their own production skills and podcast listeners a chance to see what goes into the making of a podcast, from idea to creation to output. Panel discussions focus on the diversity of true crime podcasts, the relationship between podcasting and journalism, and using podcasts as an educational platform. Workshops at CBC Vancouver’s Studio 700 will share sound design tricks from award-winning producers, offer how to incorporate journalistic ethics into podcasts, and provide an opportunity to speak with lawyers and justice advocates to better tell true stories.
Evening events, including live episodes, on-stage interviews, and more at The Rio Theatre, will feature hosts and producers from popular podcasts such as:
- Someone Knows Something : This original true crime podcast from CBC with an international following, focuses on a single Canadian cold case each season in hopes of uncovering new information.
- You Must Remember This: A storytelling podcast about the secret and/or forgotten histories of Hollywood’s first century, and the brainchild of Karina Longworth, who writes, narrates, records and edits each episode in her home. Since launching as a passion project in April 2014, You Must Remember This has become one of the top film podcasts around, and is usually in the Top 100 of all podcasts on iTunes.
- In The Dark : From American Public Media, Madeleine Baran uncovers injustice and truth in America’s penal system and has won a Peabody Award for her work.
- Uncover: Escaping NXIVM : A new CBC investigative podcast launching in September which explores the Vancouver-based cult, its leader Keith Raniere, and one woman’s attempt to escape from its clutches.
- This Sounds Serious: A gripping and hilarious take on the crime genre, The Case of Daniel Bronstadt (A Castbox Original) has garnered more than 1 million listens to date.
- This is That: Now in its ninth season, the CBC satirical news program is heard by millions of listeners each week and members of the show will perform at VanPodFest as the only Vancouver appearance leading up to their upcoming Canadian tour.
- Other People’s Problems : A chart-topping podcast from CBC that takes listeners inside a real therapist’s office, bringing mental health into the open.
- On Drugs : An ongoing investigation from Geoff Turner about our complicated relationship with drugs, from Ibuprofen to ayahuasca.
More festival programming will be announced in weeks to come.
The organizing committee for Vancouver Podcast Fest includes Andrea Gin ( Pop This!), Hannah McGregor ( Secret Feminist Agenda and Witch, Please) and Andrea Warner ( Pop This! ).
General ticket sales will start on Friday, September 21.
Visit the Vancouver Podcast Festival website for lineup information and ticket availability.
About Vancouver Podcast Fest
Vancouver Podcast Fest is dedicated to highlighting the power and potential of podcasts, and bringing together local podcast creators with national and international series. Presented by DOXA, the festival aims to foster new podcast creation in British Columbia and Canada, bring new audiences to podcasting, and deepen the discussion around audio documentary and its potential for education and community building.
About CBC Podcasts
From Canada’s public broadcaster, CBC Podcasts is a richly diverse collection of award-winning podcasts that engage, enlighten and entertain. CBC is the #1 podcaster in Canada, reaching more Canadians than any other podcast publisher. With more than 20 series in genres such as true crime, comedy, human interest and audio fiction, CBC’s podcasts are downloaded 16 million times per month.
About Vancouver Public Library’s Inspiration Lab
The Inspiration Lab is a digital media lab on Level 3 of Vancouver Public Library’s Central Library ( W. Georgia St.) and a free place that combines traditional, digital and new media in a custom-built space dedicated to digital creativity, collaboration and storytelling. It includes 3,000 square feet of recording studios, including an 11-by-16-foot recording studio with available green screen, video camera with dolly, studio microphones and LED video lighting, along with a connected control room with a computer and audio mixer.
About Kelly&Kelly
Kelly&Kelly is an award-winning creative studio based in Vancouver. Their work has garnered over 80 million listens and views across multiple platforms. Their shows include This Sounds Serious , This is That, and Dexter Guff is Smarter Than You.
This is a press release which we link to from Podnews, our daily newsletter about podcasting and on-demand. We may make small edits for editorial reasons.