Publishing Wales warns industry on 'financial cliff edge' in open letter to Senedd members

Publishing Wales, a trade organisation founded in 2022 to represent Welsh publishers, has sent an open letter to members of the Senedd warning that the industry is on a "financial cliff-edge’" after years of funding cuts.

In the letter, members of Publishing Wales said the situation is "critical" after "more than a decade when standstill funding has been outpaced by inflation and increased costs".

The body explained that the funding for the Welsh Language Publishing Grant has been cut from £1.85m in 2013/14 to £1.5m. The letter also claimed that "when the impact of inflation is taken into account the value of the grants have reduced by 40%" and "when compared to the publishing grants at the start of the austerity agenda in 2010/11, the grants have almost halved".

The letter continued: "In return for grant support, publishing from Wales creates top-quality titles rooted in Welsh culture that is recognised across the nations of the UK and the rest of the world. For example, Llyfr Glas Nebo by Manon Steffan Ros (Y Lolfa, 2018), won the Wales Book of the Year and has been sold into some 10 or more languages and countries around the world."

Publishing Wales also referenced The Blue Book of Nebo (Firefly, 2022), of which the English translation, won the Yoto Carnegie Medal in 2023. 

The letter read: "This was only possible with grant support, but the results have been huge for Welsh literature. It’s practical evidence that our industry consistently punches above its weight and provides a vital Wales-based route for Welsh writers to flourish and reach a wide readership."

The trade organisation also explained in the letter that "at a time when PISA figures show that literacy in Wales is significantly lower than in the other UK nations, the importance of a Wales-based literature, where children and adults can see themselves reflected on books cannot be under-estimated".

The letter also raised concerns that book sales to schools and libraries have suffered due to austerity measures and the cost-of-living crisis, and warned that "children’s access to books in Wales is becoming ever more limited".

It also warned that owing to the cuts and lack of funding, many Welsh publisher fear they may have to cease trading, writing: "Not only would that be a personal disaster for the individuals involved, along with their employees and families, but it would also leave many Welsh-based writers, editors and illustrators with no home-grown  publishing industry to work with. In addition, the ancillary industries who rely on Welsh publishers, such as printers, typesetters, designers, distributors and a host of freelancers would be forced to look beyond Wales to earn a living."

The letter ended with three suggestions to "avert the collapse of the Welsh publishing industry", which are:

1. No further budget cuts are implemented from 2025/26 onwards.
2. Publishing grants should be restored to their 2010/11 levels, to include the impact of inflation.
3. A meaningful partnership is forged between the Senedd, Welsh Government and the publishing industry in Wales.

The letter – which is signed by chair of Publishing Wales, Natalie Williams from the University of Wales Press, vice-chair Ashley Drake from Welsh Academic Press, as well as board members Peter Gill (Graffeg), Penny Thomas (Firefly Press), Ela Griffiths (Parthian), David Bowman (Crown House Publishing), Owain Saunders-Jones (Atebol) – ended by saying: "The position is now perilous. The fate of one of Wales’ oldest industries rests with you and we respectfully ask you to help prevent this catastrophic collapse by investing in one of our true national treasures."

The full letter from Publishing Wales can be found here.