From BILL MANHIRE, writer (New Zealand)
I am writing to express my alarm at the news that Arc are to have their support funding cut.
I am especially concerned because they are one of the few English poetry publishers who lift their gaze beyond the parochial hedgerows that have been such an unfortunate fact of the English poetry landscape for so many decades. I particularly admire the way they have made available in the UK poets from other English-language literatures, alongside significant work in translation. These publications feed back into, and invigorate, the work of English poets.
I wonder if it is because Arc are not located in a large metropolitan centre that they are able to do this work so well? They certainly do “outward-looking” and adventurous publishing far more vigorously than large London poetry publishers such as Faber, Cape and Picador.
I do hope there is some way that this funding decision can be revisited or ameliorated.