Surprise increase in Arts Council literature funding

Vicky — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 10:41:39 +0000

The Bookseller reports a surprising increase of 9.9% in real terms in Arts Council (England) funding to literature organizations over the next three years. A total of £20.9m will be disbursed in the period 2012- 2015.

As always there are winners and losers. London-based independent publisher Faber & Faber is among 11 literature organisations that have been added to the funding portfolio. It will receive £40,000 a year for three years from April 2012 for its Faber New Poetry programme. Other new organizations include short-story specialist Comma Press, the charity Poet in the City, and The Children’s Bookshow. Independent publishers Carcanet and Tindal Street Press will continue to receive funding.

However, the total number of funded organizations will fall from 58 to 53, and those losing out from 2012 include publishers such as Arc, Enimarthon Press and Ayebia, as well as the Poetry Book Society (PBS), set up by the Arts Council in 1953. Poet laureate Carol Ann Duffy said the PBS decision “goes beyond shocking and touches the realms of the disgusting”.

The People’s Book Prize

Vicky — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 11:25:07 +0000

The People’s Book Prize looks like a worthwhile project. It aims to cut out the middlemen (and women) by offering readers a chance to promote the books they love. Each month there’s a vote, and the overall winning book will be declared in July 2010. Beryl Bainbridge is a patron.

Interesting to see their list of participating publishers – small independent presses like Tindal Street and Legend rubbing shoulders with the likes of HarperCollins and Orion:

http://www.peoplesbookprize.com/publisher.php

London Writing Workshops » independent publishers

Surprise increase in Arts Council literature funding

The People’s Book Prize