The White Review launches £10k crowdfunder to support its future

The White Review  has launched a £10,000 crowdfunding appeal to safeguard its future after two "very hard" years for the literary and culture magazine.

The quarterly print and online publication was launched in February 2011 by Ben Eastham and Jacques Testard, publisher at Fitzcarraldo Editions, to provide "a space for a new generation to express itself unconstrained by form, subject or genre", and takes its name from La Revue Blanche, a Parisian magazine which ran from 1889 to 1903. 

Along with many publishers, the team is finding competition for public funding harder than ever before, while a hike in postage costs and VAT regulations hampering sales to the European Union has hit the magazine hard. The cost of printing, owing to a rise in the increase in paper prices, has also stretched the company. 

Despite the constraints of Brexit and the pandemic, editors Rosanna McLaughlin, Izabella Scott and Skye Arundhati Thomas told The Bookseller it was "an exciting time" for the publication.

"Over the past 10 years the magazine has given a platform to some of the most exciting new voices in art and literature, including Sally Rooney and Claire-Louise Bennett, and as we enter our second decade, the new editorial team is bursting with plans and ideas," they said. "As well as publishing three print issues a year and a vibrant online programme of fiction, poetry, essays and interviews, we run prizes, mentorship schemes and live and online events.

"At the same time, the reality is that the past two years have been very hard for small charities and independent magazines like us. The knock-on effects of Covid-19 and Brexit have been felt throughout the industry, from the price of paper to VAT rules and increased competition for public funding. In practical terms, the pandemic has meant that the White Review hasn’t been able to run as many in-person events—including our fundraisers."

"We’re excited to take our fundraiser online to support our 2022 programme, and grateful for the community of writers, artists, publishers, gallerists and readers who have been so supportive. We've been heartened by the support of other independent publishers, who have donated books for the fundraiser."

The magazine has a target of securing £10,000 by the end of next month, and has currently raised just over £3,500. The project is offering rewards for certain donation thresholds, including back issues of the magazine, a bundle of Fitzcarraldo books and a manuscript consultation with Kishani Widyaratna, editorial director at Fourth Estate. 

The money will be used to support the magazine's 2022 programme, and specifically print and distribute the new year issue, featuring interviews with Irenosen Okojie and Ocean Vuong.