From MUGE SOKMEN, publisher (Turkey)
I am very sorry to hear that Arc has lost its Arts Council Funding from 2012, this is incredible.
I went back to the Arc website to refresh my memory. I would advise the Arts Coucil to do same! Do they really want to refrain from supporting such a fine list, covering over 150 titles of contemporary poetry from UK & Ireland; international poets from Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, USA; translated poetry from all over Europe and beyond; plus short stories, essays - a beautiful list that we all know would be so difficult to continue without support?
In a country where translations to connect its citizens to the rich literary legacy of the world are so scarce, Arc has always had an examplary list, presenting its readers with high quality literature, with high quality translations. And I have difficulty understanding why the Arts Council has chosen not to support this!
Is this a message of closing up of the UK cultural world? Do connections to other cultures through literature no longer mean anything according to the new cultural policies of the UK?
You know I acted as the "Co-Chair of the Organizing Committee Frankfurt Book Fair 2008 Guest of Honour Turkey", representing 16 publishers', authors' and translators' organizations in the country, and I am ready to witness to the importance of translations across cultures for a better understanding between peoples, assuming this is still considered to be important...
I sincerely hope that there will be a revision to this decision, that your readers will continue to enjoy high quality literature local and in translation, and we as publishers all over the world will continue benefiting from the hope and inspiration your publishing provides us...