Northern Lights launched to unite Scottish and Northern publishers

Bradford Literature Festival and Edinburgh Book Festival have joined forces to launch a new collaboration to unite publishers from Scotland and the North of England.

Northern Lights will offer publishing professionals the chance to discuss key issues in a series of panel discussions and workshops and share expertise around developing inclusivity and diversifying readership. It will be the first major industry-focused gathering to bring together publishers from both sides of the border and aims to enhance the financial sustainability of the Northern-based publishing sector. 

Supported by Creative Scotland and Arts Council England, Northern Lights will focus on developing new working relationships within the publishing sector in the North of the UK and creating a centre of gravity for the industry as a counterweight to London and New York. 

Edinburgh International Book Festival director Nick Barley said: “The Book Festival’s impact on the publishing industry at home and abroad has grown year on year, and in 2018 we held three special Publishing Salon events for industry guests. We aim to build on this work through the Northern Lights project and it is hoped that by working in collaboration with Bradford Literature Festival, Edinburgh can help boost creativity and inspire collaboration amongst Northern and Scottish publishers.”
 
Bradford Literature Festival Syima Aslam added: “Northern Lights will enable us to develop the cross-border ties between publishers, agents and authors, and inspire not only new projects, but perhaps entirely new models for the industry in the North.”
Northern Lights will deliver two days of events at Bradford Literature Festival on Friday 28th and Saturday 29th June at Kala Sangam in Bradford, forming part of the Festival’s Creative Sector Industry Day.  The Edinburgh International Book Festival events will take place on Saturday 24th and Sunday 25th August at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre and will be announced in July.  The events, with content from both sides of the border with programme partner The Bookseller, are open to industry professionals at any stage of their careers and are designed attract booksellers, literary agents, publishers and authors. 
 
Through the support of Creative Scotland and Arts Council England a small fund has been established to enable delegates and participants to travel to and attend both events.  Prospective delegates are invited to apply to either Bradford Literature Festival northernlights@bradfordlitfest.co.uk or to Edinburgh through northernlights@edbookfest.co.uk. Publishing industry delegates wishing to attend events in Bradford can book tickets here and those wishing to participate in the Edinburgh events can register their interest by emailing northernlights@edbookfest.co.uk.