Project Overview
Vancouver Writers Fest (VWF) is seeking a qualified Canadian web design and development partner to redesign and restructure its existing website, writersfest.bc.ca.
The new website will support VWF’s year-round programming and flagship literary festival while improving information architecture, event discovery, search, accessibility, performance, ticket purchasing, fundraising, and content management. The project will retain WordPress while introducing a more structured content model, flexible templates, improved integrations, and a stronger mobile experience. Vancouver-Writers-Fest_WEBSITE-…
VWF manages a substantial content ecosystem, including approximately 95 pages, 220+ author/moderator bios annually, 130+ books in the annual reading list, 105+ events annually, 61 podcasts, and around 4,000 media items.
Scope of Work (Requirements)
Website Strategy, UX & Information Architecture
- Restructure the existing information architecture.
- Simplify content and improve hierarchy.
- Create clearer pathways between events, programs, authors, books, venues, box office, volunteering and fundraising.
- Improve navigation and shortcut pathways.
- Make event information easier to discover for both users and search engines.
- Improve key user journeys and calls-to-action.
- Develop wireframes for key templates. Vancouver-Writers-Fest_WEBSITE-…
WordPress Development
- Improve the existing WordPress environment.
- Develop custom architecture and structured content management.
- Create flexible templates for events, initiatives, reading lists and campaign landing pages.
- Enable scheduled publishing of information at specific dates and times.
- Build reusable content blocks/components.
- Create a global event metadata system connected to site search.
- Provide controlled visual-builder functionality for staff-created landing pages.
- Optimize the platform for performance and scalability. Vancouver-Writers-Fest_WEBSITE-…
Search & Event Discovery
The new website must include a sitewide search system allowing users to search event information by criteria such as:
- Names
- Dates
- Book titles
- Tags
- Genres
- Existing metadata
The RFP also calls for improved filtering, event relationships, structured data, and Google Event Schema implementation. Vancouver-Writers-Fest_WEBSITE-…
Integrations
The website will need meaningful integration with VWF’s existing technology ecosystem, including:
- Showpass
- Keela CRM
- Mailchimp
- Airtable
- Google Analytics
- Meta Pixel
- YouTube
- Spotify Podcasts
- WPForms
- Other relevant APIs/plugins
VWF specifically wants to explore Airtable-to-WordPress integration to streamline event, author, venue, program and ticket-status updates. Vancouver-Writers-Fest_WEBSITE-… Vancouver-Writers-Fest_WEBSITE-…
Design & Interactive Experience
- Improve visual hierarchy and screen-space usage.
- Create a more engaging festival atmosphere.
- Add interactive components and motion behaviours.
- Improve search and filtering interfaces.
- Develop mobile-friendly layouts and behaviours.
- Potentially provide light/dark or customized display modes.
- Maintain consistency with VWF’s existing visual brand. Vancouver-Writers-Fest_WEBSITE-…
Digital Festival & Multimedia
The project also includes structures for:
- Integrating the Digital Festival more fully into the main website.
- Viewing videos within a branded VWF environment.
- Supporting paid digital-event access where required.
- Maintaining accessible multimedia without harming performance.
- Interactive maps for festival venues and event locations.
- Structured and sortable annual Reading Lists. Vancouver-Writers-Fest_WEBSITE-…
Accessibility, Privacy & Security
The website must meet WCAG 2.2 AA requirements, including:
- Semantic HTML and ARIA
- Keyboard navigation
- Alternative text
- Accessible forms and error messaging
- Accessible interactive elements
- Descriptive links and buttons
- Appropriate page anchors
- Colour-contrast compliance
The vendor must also address privacy, cookies, data collection, consent, third-party integrations, plugin/API security and related technical risks. Vancouver-Writers-Fest_WEBSITE-…
Hosting & Handover
The existing site is hosted on DreamHost. The new site is expected to move to a Canadian hosting environment meeting performance, security, storage and maintenance requirements.
VWF will retain ownership of the website and its assets. The selected vendor must provide source files, code, documentation, credentials and account access so VWF can independently maintain the website.
Key Dates
- Proposal Deadline: October 7, 2026
Budget
- Expected project budget: $20,000–$30,000 CAD
Why This Is a Great Opportunity, and for Whom
This is a substantial website project for a relatively focused budget, with the work spanning UX strategy, WordPress architecture, event discovery, ticketing, CRM and marketing integrations, accessibility, search, multimedia, content migration, performance and hosting.
It is particularly relevant for a boutique or mid-sized digital agency that can combine strong WordPress development with UX and systems-integration expertise. The scale of VWF’s annual programming and content also makes this a useful portfolio opportunity for agencies working with arts organizations, festivals, nonprofits and content-heavy websites.
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