Founded by Pieter Hofmann and Dave Gillis in 1987. The LIAR has featured a variety of work during its four decades, ranging from debut creatives to bestselling authors like Margaret Atwood and Charles Bukowski. Currently maintained by Capilano University’s Writing and Literature program, The LIAR is a culmination of a year-long course where students collaborate to create a literary magazine, navigating the stages of publishing from concept to launch. A new team shapes each issue, carrying forward the legacy of past issues while adding their own unique voices and ideas to the collective.

Aiming to give writers and artists the visibility and attention their work deserves, our hearts lies in amplifying emerging and marginalized voices. We publish prose, poetry, and creative non-fiction across various forms and genres, as well as visual art like comics, photography, and beyond.  Anyone – not just Capilano students – can submit to the magazine.

While an ever-evolving archive, The LIAR has remained dedicated to serving the local literary and creative community, highlighting the creative abilities of students at Capilano University and other writers from near and far. In honour of its fortieth anniversary, the theme of the 2027 issue is Memory.